Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1860-03-17

taking the duties OF an etymologist, has
not attempted to play the antiq0ary. OF al
incompatible Offices, those two are the most
absurd when forced into companionship
The true etymology Of word is to be
found in its direct antecedents, and the in.
vcstigation may be carried back to the
tower of Babel, provided always that the
investigator will keep himself in the direct
hne But the "fogyism " of prying into
the possible third cousins in word genealo.
gy-the conceit of attaching an equal val.
ue to actual and to imaginary kindred il
pathological antecedents, and of placing a
fancy Choctaw root on par with a cer-
tain Greek root because the two were (it
they were) contemporaries in different parts
of the world-this, and all this, belongs
to the pedantry, and not to the science Of
etymology. DIR. Worcester discriminates
between the ctymologist and the antiquary
and declines to mix up the approved phi
lological facts of the former with the ques.
tionable pathological antiquities of the lat
ter. His etymologies, therefore, may be
relied on; and that is what is wanted
by those who consult etymologies.
The pronunciations Of this dictionary are
in conformity to the best usage. In this
particular the work is simply on a par with
other dictionaries; but We think Worces-
ter's method Of expressing the pronouncia-
ton is the best we have seen, because it is
the most Ineligible. Some of the sounds
of English syllables are hard to be con-
veyed by English consonants and vowels.
In orthogropy, Worcester also follows
the best usage Of England and America,
excepting the omission of u in such words
as h0"Or, taUOr, etc, which the best Eng
lish writer's still retain. We confess eur
individual preference for the English mode
of spelling these words, not only on ety.
mological grounds, but also by reason of
old associations. But the custom of our
own country seems to have so generally
decided the question the other way, we
have yielded our preference. With this
limited exception, Worcester's orthogra
ply is, we believe strictly contormatle
to good usage, good taste and good ana.
logy. The true, honest double ! of ravel-
ling, reCel3ing, ETC., is retained in its place ;
p'ttence oBt"ee, and detente are spelt
with a C, as Of right they should be- thea,
IRE, centre, etc, have their appropriate
genealogical tcrminations are and Ujis-
keg keep the that belongs to them
mohldis not quacked into mol1, nor hsight
into hisM. In short the spelling of Wor-
coiter's dictionary is the spelling of oduca-
ted men and good writer's wherever the
English language is known; and, after
years of waiting for such an orthographi-
cal justice, We now feel that we can d" take
a long breath and say to the public, here
al /"St as q STANDARD DICTIONARY OF
THE ENGLIsH LANGUAGE!
The mechanical department of this work
is, even in these days Of good book making
altogether unriyallod, Such paper, such
type, and such margins were never before
seen in dictionary. Even the headings
OF the pages, where no one would look for
novelty or improvement, are arranged on
an entirely new plan that facilitates the
search after a word. Indeed, if publish
crs ever deserved such appreciation as can
be expressed only By {" the suporlatives Of
the language" HickIing, Swan q Brewer,
are clearly entitled to it, in the matter of
Worcester Dictionary.
sasy" Several editions in various styles,
and at different prices, have been in prep
aration by the publishers, A very large
edition for the trade is now also ready, and
for sale by the booksellers generally
Address, for a circular stating particulars,
Hickling, Swan & Brewer, Publishers,
No l31, Washington Street, Boston.