Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1860-07-13
New Publications.

An AMERICAN DICTIONARY or THE ENGLISH Ian
GuAGE, &c, Sc. By Moan WEBSTER, L. L. ID.
Revised and enlarged by CHAUNcEr GooDRICH,
Professor in Yale College. With PicroRrAL IL
LusrRATIoSs. Alto. PIP. 1850. Springfield, Mass
George and Charles Merriam 1850.
This is the last and most complete edition
of the authors great work a work which
received in its different stages his almost I'M
renting attention for thirty-six years Of his
laborious lile-a work creditable to the au-
thor. and to the country for the learning and
ability displayed in it, and creditable to the
enterprise of the publishers who have not
only expended a great sum to publish it, but
have shown an enterprise and perseverance in
bringing it before the public, which we believe
to be unexcelled in the history Of book pub
fishing.
1t is not orr purpose to institute com
parison between the two great rival quarto
Dictionaries appearing almost simultane-
ouslv. that of DR.. Worcester, and this
last edition of DR.. Webster, with additions
and corrections by Prof. Goodrich nor to
make critical analysis of the latter, the
work before Us. 10 do either with any JUS
tice would require an amount Of linguistic
learning which we do not lay claim to, and
an amount Of labor and space far beyond the
limits of our columns We leave the . war
ofthe Dictionaries" to those who like to en-
gage in it-only remarking that after one has
read all the pamphlets which have appeared
on both sides, and has spent month of hard
study over the two works, he may be able to
form some positive opinions, and will be apt to
express them in much more measured phrase
than do some who, after an hours examina-
ton, fippantly lay down the law for the
public in favor Of one or the other.
No doubt the result Of such thorough
examination would lead some to prefer one
and some the other, and every scholarly dis
posed person would wish to have both at his
command if possible.
Dr. Webster's Dictionary first appeared in
> vols. Ito, in IS2S, and was a work of high
reputation, both in this country and Europe
Notwithstanding considerable fault was found
with some Innovations which he made, par
ticularly in the department Of orthographv.
Most of these innovations on established
modes of spelling certain words, we under
stand to have been gradually abandoned in
liter editions The etymolosy Of many
words has been corrected. and definitions I'M
proved and very large additions have been
made to the original work in the vocabulary.
in tables Of synonyms, in tables Of proper
names and the right mode of pronouncinr
them and IN tables of words and phrases in
other languages than the English bat which
frequently occur in English books and in
conversation.
In this last and most complete edition Of
all, there Is a large and valuable addition Of
about 50 pages of pictorial illustrations.
to aid the reader to a more perfect under
stand NJ of terms used in Mechanics, Natural
History, Science, Heraldry, the Fine Arts,
&c, than he could get from a mere verbal
description. Thesa illustrations are placed
by themselves m the fore part of the volume.
references being made from them severallv
to the pages in the body of the work where
the terms occur to which the Illustrations
belong. Corresponding notes at the bottom
of the pages refer to the illustrations. The
publishers consider this mode of arrangement
r,y.. l.