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ARTICLE X.

WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY.

BY THE EDITOR.

An American Dictionary of the English Language, containing the whole Vocabulary of the first edition in two volumes, quarto; the entire corrections and improvements of the second edition in two volumes, royal octavo; to which is prefixed an Introductory Dissertation. on the Origin, History, and Connection of the Languages of Western Asia and Europe; with an explanation of the principles on which languages are formed. By Noah Webster, LL.D., &c., &c. Revised and enlarged by Chauncey A. Goodrich, Professor in Yale. College. With Pronouncing Vocabularies of Scripture, Classical, and Geographical Names. Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam. 1848. Price, $6,00.

A good dictionary of a language is, without controversy, the greatest and most useful of literary works. He who has successfully mastered such an achievement is worthy of a place in the foremost rank of critics and of scholars. The utility of a narrative, an essay, a discussion, or a history is, in some sense, confined to the department to which it belongs. A dictionary is a key to all departments of knowledge. It explains the terms belonging to all sciences; and, in explaining their nomenclature, reveals their principles. Many of the books which are written suffer a diminution of value, when the age has passed away which produced them. They belong to a given period; and when they have answered the demands of that period, they are no longer wanted. But a good dictionary has a permanent value. Its stores of knowledge belong as much to one period as to another. It is independent of the changes which occur in society, of the progress of time, and of the topics which successively awaken public interest. While the latter change, the worth of the former remains the same. Even in the slow advance

ment which takes place in language, by the influence of cultivation, the progress of science, or the introduction of new words from foreign tongues, arising from the intercourse of nation with nation, the dictionary, so far as it goes, retains its utility. And after it has been superseded by later compilations, it remains a monument of the state of language, and of science, literature and art, at the period of its date. It embalms in its pages a fragment of history. It becomes, in itself, a historical document of great truthfulness, interest and reliableness. Thousands of books in our own tongue, on various topics, have, doubtless, lived their little day, and even their titles are now forgotten; but we question whether a single tolerable dictionary that has ever appeared, is entirely lost. In the excellent octavo dictionary of Worcester, published in Boston in the summer of 1846, is a very valuable list of the lexicography of the language, extending to eight royal octavo pages.

The requisites for making a complete dictionary are rarely to be found in one man. They demand almost the uninterrupted study of a protracted lifetime. A dictionary so complete as Dr. Webster's, particularly in the department of etymology, could not be made without the most. varied and extensive acquisitions. The nice discrimination, the accurate analysis, the ability of generalization, requisite for affixing exact definitions to so vast a number of words, are no common attainments. Besides the general terms of the language, every science, art, trade, and profession has its peculiar vocabulary. And besides the original words, of pure Anglo-Saxon origin, multitudes have been introduced into the English tongue, out of most of the more important dead and living languages of Europe and of Asia. Hence the work of the lexicographer implies an acquaintance, more or less accurate, with many tongues in addition to his own. The etymology of words and their analogies, could not be traced without it. And to this must be added a knowledge of the technical terms in use in every branch of human occupation. In the brief biography of Dr. W., prefixed to his dictionary, we are informed that his versatile genius busied itself, at some period or other of his life, with almost every department of literature. In addition to the competency for his work, acquired in this manner, the dictionary is enriched by the

knowledge and experience of professors, who have examined the technical terms of their own departments, and inserted any words belonging to their professions, which had chanced, in former editions, to be omitted.

The boundaries of the English language are constantly extending. Every new science and branch of human occupation, adds to its stock of terms. A dictionary at the present day must contain many words which, half a century ago, were unknown. The wider range of our English literature, and our intercourse with foreign literatures, have contributed much to our vocabulary in modern days. We retain the old, excellent terms, the standard staple of our tongue, embalmed in books, and recorded necessarily in our lexicons; and we have drawn together fresh words from foreign sources, as the necessities of the times have created them. Yet most of the new words are skilfully formed out of Latin and Greek elements, and both suited and worthy to hold a permanent place in the language. And he must be a most diligent and attentive reader, who secures for such a work as this, the major part of these terms.

Dr. Webster devoted thirty-five years of his life to the completion of this great work. He brought to the task unusual qualifications for its successful performance. Liberally educated, and inclined to literary pursuits, having a sound judgment and the ability of accurate discrimination, with a taste for the study of language which led him to search out, as a matter of personal and extreme pleasure, the etymologies of the words in common and in uncommon use, endowed with rare industry and perseverance, and enthusiastic in his labor, prepared by extensive acquisitions for his peculiar service, and daily adding to his stores with unwearied pains,-he accomplished the Herculean toil in a manner creditable, alike to himself and to his country; and erected to himself a monument which, on both sides of the Atlantic, and wherever the English language is spoken, will deliver down his name to posterity to his lasting honor.

The scholar who is fond of tracing the derivation and relations of words, will find in the dictionary a never-failing fund of gratification. In numerous instances, the stemletters of words are pointed out in a great variety of tongues, living and dead, oriental and occidental. Nor is

this a mere gratification of the mind, bent on curious research. In tracing a word through the various languages in which it is found, often important light is shed upon points of history and human development. A word which otherwise would stand as the mere arbitrary sign of an idea, becomes significant and beautiful. Interesting events, upon which the force of a term depends, are sometimes indelibly impressed on the memory; and the elements of speech, from seeming to be a collection of arbitrary forms, assume the appearance of propriety, fitness and order.

We are aware that some of the etymologies proposed by Dr. Webster may appear to scholars fanciful. But when we consider what an enthusiast he was in this department of research, who will not forgive him? If, in his ardor, he has sometimes exceeded the limits of sound judgment, how easy it is for his readers to reject that which is fanciful, and to accept that which is true.

The definitions of words,-the most important thing in a good dictionary,-are generally given in the most direct and compendious manner. The various meanings are, for the most part, properly arranged; and illustrations of the usage of words are added, in brief extracts from standard authors, British and American. He who compares the definitions of many words in this dictionary with the definitions given by earlier lexicographers, such as Walker, for example, will find a very striking difference, and an immense improvement. Having turned, from curiosity, to the words which indicate the peculiarity of our denominational rites, we found the words 'baptize' and 'baptism' less satisfactory than we could have desired. The definitions of these words in Worcester's Dictionary are far more correct and proper. The examination of these words in the two dictionaries above named, reminds us that other lexicographical works, when they come to these terms, are often at fault. For example, in that admirable work, Brande's Encyclopædia of Science, Literature and Art, (Harpers, New York, 1843,) under the head of Baptists, it is strangely asserted that our churches acknowledge "three orders of ministers, of whom the messengers correspond to bishops, the elders to priests, and ministering brethren to deacons!"

The present edition of Dr. Webster's dictionary gives

the pronunciation of all the words, by means of current and uniform signs, placed at the bottom of every page. These symbols soon become familiar; and sometimes an unpractised reader finds them of essential benefit.

The first attempt of Dr. W. in this department, was presented to the American public in the year 1806. Immediately upon its issue, he engaged in efforts to improve and perfect the work, by adding to the number of the words, by giving the etymology of terms, wherever he could discover it, and by improving still further the definitions. In his endeavors to fix the derivation of terms, he sometimes followed a word through twenty different languages of Europe and Asia. The American Dictiouary of the English Language, which grew out of this revision, was printed in two quarto volumes, in 1828; the price of it was twenty dollars. After the expiration of twelve years, a second and improved edition was issued, in two volumes, royal octavo. In the spring of 1843, Dr. Webster reexamined the Appendix to his Dictionary, adding some hundreds of words. "It was the closing act of his life. His hand rested, in its last labors, on the volume which he had commenced thirty-six years before." The present elegant quarto edition contains the results of the author's successive revisions, incorporated into the work in their proper places. It contains 1451 pages, with three columns on a page, and is in a smaller type than the octavo edition of 1840. Still, it is sufficiently large, clear, readable, and pleasant to the eye. The volume is an elegant one, and a noble specimen of American book-making. The name of the editor, devoted for thirty years to the study and criticism of words and phrases, as a professor of rhetoric, together with the numerous assistants and references enjoyed by him in his work, as detailed in the Preface, will afford a sufficient guaranty for the taste, accuracy, and completeness of the work. Professor Goodrich, from his long acquaintance and habits of intercourse with Dr. W., is fully in possession of his views, and able to carry them out. With a nice sense of what is due to the great lexicographer, he has interfered with his favorite ideas in but few instances, and in such only as seemed to be called for by the public, as inatters of absolute necessity. His labors, instead of being directed to his own fame, are wisely and properly employed to secure and extend that

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