Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-12-12

tend to add any thing on the of authority to
the emphatic evidence of the numerous eminent
witnesses, whose concentrations of Worcester's
Dictionary fill another column of our paper
These are witnesses whose word in matters of lit
erature and education, deserves the first attention
in this country. Who are the writer's to whom
all the world first turns when mention is made
of American literature, but irving, and Prescott,
and Bancroft ; Or when speak of popular
education in America, to whom do we look as an
ADLER, more experienced, or more intelligent rep
resentative of that great feature of our institu-
tions, than Horace Mann, first Secretary of the
Massachusetts Board of Education or Horace
Webster of the New York Free Academy or
when we ailude to the colleges of the country,
than to President Walker of Cambridge, Presi.
dent Frelinghnysen of New Jersey, or Professor
Lieber of South Carolina, AL these and many
others, r'c~ whose commentator is of Solid val
ne, are cited in the advertis ement; and what is
more, their praise is not merely an empty cour-
tesy, the complaisant acknowledgment of a COM
plimentary copy of book, but their practice is
known to be In conformity with their opinions as
here set forth. Mr.. Mann expressly says in
all my writing, speaking, and teaching, l have
endeavored to conform to the rules of orthogra-
ply and pronunciation, as contained in Worces-
ter's Dictionary" Hon. Charles Sumner says:
"The Universal Dictionary l haze used almost
constantly, and almost daily, since its publica-
ton. have no hesitation IN calling it the best
practical Dictionary in the English language"
Some of the other gentlemen use language to the
same effect, and in point of fact, we know by their
writings that they design to conform to the most
approved usage, which DR.. Worcester recognizes
as the standard authority, and of which his Die
tonary purports to be the exponent. The limo
vations, however plausible, invented by one man,
however learned and ingenious-ought not, and
cannot prevail against the common usage of the
best writer's of thu English language; nor can
there be any true American standard of authority
other than the usage Of the best American wrl-
tiers
We have said that we cannot pretend to add
anything on the score of authority, to the en-
phatic evidence OF the eminent writer's and teach
who pronounce in favor of WoTcesterS Die
tionary; and on the score of argument, it seems
hardly necessary this morning to reiterate the
reasons which lead us to approve of the work.
Our decided preference for DR.. Worcester's Die
tionary to the rival works of Dr. Webster, is well
known to our readers, and the grounds on which
it is based need not be stated for the first
time. There are three principal things to be re.
garded in dictionary; definitions, photography,
and pronunciation. In Orthography, we regard
Dr. Worcester's dictionaries as decidedly superior
because they represent the mode of spelling APP
proved by that portion of the civilized world
which speaks the English language this usage
to which the vast majority of the American PEG.
pfS conlOrmS- MOI only the leaulng men IN the
walks of literature and education, but also the
great mass of the people, choose to spell words
according to the general usage of their brethren
in the great republic of letters, and not in obedi
ence to the arbitrary mandate of self-appointea
: ,ota 9 i;ss revolution for the
iapr c Q. or'nogfaphy! III whleh the tes'
49,, - =. si etsle 'Jioe pee man N
:" t"e sinerSi WE VI tne Wno'e IN pro-
Sa,ta1Sa bSth rooo.;;,s.. Ias i" ueo :.
~ IS 49,. - 'ne si Pilnci
pa IL H. ~; aI =, uaee,
ota+;o fa;4 al es syste Vi
nr;1i-at;oIs ~ ~ nIs uis
J;stino,ia,,s 49, 40 @PPisi4s i'i0N u
The matter of defnitions has boer hoid.oho
the STRONGEST mini with tbe ad,;rors Of Wybto
missionaries bnt even bere VOC do not ad,,o;t ~
sunerioritv which il claimed on ,beir MT nv nv
actno,rla3a ~ dae;ao W. pa 20 - NJ NJ
tionaries Hinder MS Nod of course - 80
a fair coronarisnn we must coliocata +he 5i,;o
aries of the same grade Worcestor's sso,ar4o
unabridqed dictionsrv i not yet rS,hI;shd5 ~
tbnrab NC rders+and ,botit :; pot;,a'... o.
ton In +ha Academia niot;anar ;, Tx :;
he work 81 Dr Woroostar; ,,o,, 49, -;
nentiy beforo Tho nnbIic tbo
nrecision If tho de6niions ;s trrIv GUY
srncb os leaves rotb;n,, ~ No das;aS - anu
Snao,h;,',s 80 " - % ~ f..
..Sunn,., ,nL;ob O o@lu VI We leS.uie Vi
oynohJ mes "hlch we commenced 10 the favor
e as.e'I VI ~ va, Ieauels Vn occasion ol tne
"PPe@i ' i " "Vieestei AcaoeLn.c PC
etOnaiy' a slsldl Plool OF tne Falue ana uuilty
- .llo iao " 'hg ray mat
10 IA sni"l loln IN the latest eur
ts u r .eos1ei uoeohaiy VI tue SorrespohulnB
80 ~, ~ sila' wv puoieneiS VI .le
adtor IN III; rafaoa t6 ~ anu tue
eulIor IN ms preface, mat TINS is not new fea-