New-York daily tribune., 1857-09-28

position in publis confidence. Bus where the pub
IsbeIs Of such q worn, NJ those representing them,
resort 20 such pers0nal sbase and such mlsapolra.
fion Of the facts as appeared in The fransertps Of
hst July = and August 2, we strongly ss'P''ct tiat
they have not much faith ia the real usefulness aud
worth Of their owp work. These attacks COM
menced February, 1855. by Worcester publishers
They said that Webster's career was mistake,
=" because based on fal.e assumptions. He assumed
thai the language needed reformation, and taat he
was able 70 reform il, the latter bmnder be-
" ipg the Ear greater Of the two." Ia pamphlet,
scattered broadcast dunns the past ye'r BY the
same publishers, Webster is represented ss Prd-
" ing himself most on What h. WIS least htted for y
as "every way UNEQUAL to his task, and with all
/" lis plodding not able h hit upon the resly weak
points OF the language 4 writer, whose aril-
cles have been widely circulated, says Nv ebster
"wss vain. weak, podding Yankee, ambitious
to be an American Johnson" Language like
this used 10 siiematize man who, amid lanumerse'e
difficulties and embarrassments, perseyered during
thirty years upon great work, eau 'nly leave INN
harmless and recoil with tcnfold force upon those
making use of il. If Webster was \ vain" man,
and was no scholar we want the result of bis labors
investigated, and, in comparison with those who
pretend TO be superior, placed before Us; then We
can Judge for ourselves who is best competent for
either reformation Of the English language, or the
droper presentation Of its most correct ortht graphy
for universal use.
Other things than personalities have been at.
tempted. Ii seems that writer 10 The TrdnaTiP,
in July and August, the signature Of Hermes,"
made selection Of words of peculiar orthography
from Noah Webster's Essays, published in 1890,
saying "The words here used were copied with
care and are now presented TO show the fitness
"of the dictiorary maker to guide in the art of
" spelling" and again, "Can such an author DO
"dcemed standard in orlhOgrapbyl' OF course,
this serious pre- septstOn OF the real merits OF
Webster TO the public; and 10 the masses who had
little means of knowledge TO the contrary, he was
presented as man little worthy OF the claims which
be presented to the world as great photographer.
But let us look into this circumstance Of the essays
published in 1890. Ii seems that for q long time
before this DR. Franklin had been in consultation
with Mr. Webster with regard TO radical change
in the photography of the language; various plans
had been suggested, but none absolutely adopted by
them. DIR. Franklin advocated a much greater
divergence from the common mode than satistac-
tory met the views of Mr.. Webster. In this vol
uue of Essays, however, from which "Hermes"
quotes, Mr. Webster, having used the common or
thogrsphy of the times for twothirds OF Z 0 whole
book. for the sake of gratifying DIR. Franklin,
introduced into the latter part OF the book
a few essays with sort OF phono-
graphic system of orthography which they had
mutually elaborated four years before, which Dr.
Franklin SAID he would defend if it were introduced
to the public. This Mr. Webster intended as an
experiment, and never recommended it to the pub.
lie. Then Hermes quotes from this his wofds and
SAYS that this is the kind of spelling practced BY
"Dr. Webster little more than half century
"oso." If the publishers of Mr. Worcester's Die
tionary are compelled to resort to such deception
and misrepresentation as this to give their work
substantial place ard sae it leads US to believe that
they can have but little confidence in its real merits
that they have not real, substantial truth upon
their side, to assist them in taking the wel-con-
uuered dominion of Mr.. Webster out of his hands.
The facts of the case we take from pamphlet just
issued, written by volunteer who has the facts at
his command, and who has written an able Reply
"to DR.. Noah Websters Calumniators." Webster
undoubtedly now stands as the photographer OF
the English language, and if bis position is sue
ceeded to by Mr. Worcester, it must be upon the
foundation Of extensive learning, thorough research,
the most acute scholarship and Judgment, and pa
ent waiting for the recognition Of these virtues by
the public and not by the Misrepresentation or mis-
coloring Of the facts by his publishers.