Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-11-10
From the VI. State Agriculturist.
X EVIEW.

corrections ana improvements OF the second edi-
tion in tpo rolumes royal octdro. BY NOAH
WEBSTER, L. L. D. One pol. guarto. SPRING
field, Mass, 154s.
The first thing that strikes US in this new edition
Of Webster's Dictionary is the decided improvement
In the form in which it appears. The problem of
form in a work, to be so often consulted a stand
ard Dictionary of the English language, is obviously
to bring the greatest possible quantity of matter
within the smallest compass consistent with the
ease of reference, and to comprise the whole in n
single volume This has been done in very salts
factory manner in the volume before US which we
undertake to say will for this, if there were bet
ter reason, be far more frequently consulted than
the unwicldy volumes of the first edition, or the
scarcely ess convenient ones of the second.
We are informed by the editor, Professor Good
rich, Of ale College, that we possess in this new
and more convenient form, not only all the matter
contained in the former editions but other matter
in addition, to the of three hundred pages.
Thanks to the typographical art, which, by smaller
type and careful impression, contribute i'm
portant a saving both to pockets and time,
This new matter has been derived from great va
rety of good and reliable sources. Unusual attcn.
ton, We learn from the editors preface, has been
bestowed the technical words of the arts and SCI
ences now in a state Of progress, and where accu-
racy is at once so important, and so difficult to be
secured. For the praiseworthy diligence which, not
satisfied with collating the best written authorities
on the subjects, applied also to the living sources OF
information, every reader in these days, even of
a. al L.,
informed, also, that the researches of Prof Good
rich have extended to England and that he has
been enabled by of his correspondents in the
old country, to throw light upon the common use OF
many terms there employed in peculiar or local
sense, with which Americans are less familiar
1t scarcely needs to be said that all these statements
of the preface to the revised edition are found amply
verified on careful examination Of the contents OF
the work
That this is a perfect Dict 'onary Of the English
languar &c, no one won d be So fool sl as to assert
That it is perfection than any other We pos
s'ss no American would wish 10 deny, especially
when he finds English jealousy compelled to
fcss that It is even so. But "A it is not purpose
10 waste words in general and idle encomums, we
will proceed TO state as briefly possible, what We
consider to be the particular excelences Of this
Dictionary, and also its chief defects
In the first place, them we have no doubt it con-
tans the most complete vocabulary of our language
extant. In this respect its great superiority to the
works of johnson, Walker, Richardson, and even
Bailey, is apparent at glance. We told by
the new editor, that thousands of words have
been added in the course OF his revision. We thank
him for these we hope useful additions though we
cannot but approve that exercise of discrimination
which led him to leave out the thousands more
which might have been added without the least diff
ficuty While have desire TO in the
vocabulary of our language Lucullian wardrobe
out Of which thousand cloahs mi gh be spared and
not missed, think there may be an erro-
also in the other extreme. For ourselves, we never
mean TO use dictionary again, ii we can help it
where the very words we have occasion 10 look fc.
are the likeest Of all to be found wanting.
Another advantage of this dictionary for common
use is the full clear and approved definitions i, fur
nshes Of technical and scientific words. Perhap
mere than half the use OF dictionary to the MAJOR
i,y who consult one is 10 explain such terms. Ii
these days ior instance, of the application of scenc
to agriculture, how often must every intelligent far
mer have felt the need of some such work Of con
venient reference where he might be to fin,
every new and strange term accurately defined
Indeed, as there an age when the scien
ces generally were applied to so many of the usefu
arts and practical occupations Of life, so there wa
never age in which a standard general authort
for the use of all scientific terms indispensa
bic to every man Of business who read his ma
tive language. The account which the editor give
of his ndIcous course to secure the greatest poss
Die accuracy in words of this class makes US fee
that we rely upon him here with the utmo
confidence.
VIVA, constitutes another peculiar excellence
this dictionary is the pains bestowed on words use
in local and provincial sense. The purity OF 1t
Language requires that such words should not
passed over but first that they should be clear
ascertained as to their true character and then
carefully defined as any others. This gives us II
double advantage Of being able to avoid them gu
selves, and TO understand their meaning when us'
by others We are happy to find as the result
Prof Goodrch's Investigations, that Americansm
those frjrhfu bug bears the writers of pure En-
almost afraid to call their mother language tn,
own. are less numerous than has been general
supposed. The incubus being thus removed, '
hone to see more freedom of The American pen, al
less of stiff and seryile imitation of modern Engll
writers who can lay no higher claim to superior p
rity of language than that they belong TO the 9th
prong of the fork into which the lineal descent
the language is now divided.
In the authors preface, the reasons are Civ
uhy he calls his work an American Dictionary, a
WHY such a work ought to be substituted in t
Limited States for English dictionaries. These re
sons are stated there with equal truth and cando
but we will give also our own. A living langua
developing itself with somewhat of the freshness
youth under an entirely set Of circumstanc
must necessarily evolve new powers and '7uat
and adapt itself to meanings and forms
phraseoogy. Instead of going to England, henc
forth for a complete dictionary of the English la
guage, it is plain that England must come to
All the richness and power of the language
LONGER be understood By knowing merely how it
epok-n in England. even in England ITSELF he
much less in this country, where the new wor
forms and phrases have grown out OF our own occ
eions and necessities, We may place it down tn
n. n fourth excellence Of this work that il is
American Dictionary of the English language
Another point in which this dictionary claims