The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-05-04
worces,er's Quarto Dictionary.

This Is truly magnificent volume IN appear
ancc. The pages are large, the margin Is full,
the type is clear and attractive, and every way,
the mechanical execution is in the highest styte
Of the art of book-making. There are " pages
of introductory matter, and 1855 pages OF the
vocabulary and definitions. Scattered all
through the book are small wood cuts. used TO
illustrate the meaning fwords. IL is stated IN
the preface that l04 900 words will be found IN
this dictionary, 40, 600 more than there were IN
Todd's edition of johnson. II Is remarkably
rich In IN. technical terms Of science and art,
and has many other excellences peculiarly It's
own. Il Is a very complete collection, and the
reader of old books win here find most, " not
all of the antiouated and nearly obsolete words
which occur In the early English authors. DIR.
Worcester gives authorities In most instances.
In each page, which Is divided into three col
umns. the first and last word Is gwen ut the
top, which We find convenient for reference.
The Introductory matter, which Is very inter-
esting as we'll as instructive, treats or the prin-
ciples Of pronunciation, photography, English
grammar, origin, formation, and etymology OF
the English language, archaisms, proyincial'
Biography, catalogue Of English dictionaries,
glossaries, encyclopedias &C., list Of the prin-
cipal scientific works used In the preparation
of this Dictionary, and abreviations and signs
used In Il. The appendix treats OF the pronun.
citation of Greek and Latin proper names, OF
modern geographical names, and OF the names
of dlstinruished men Of modern times, also
abbrc yiations and signs used In writing and
printing, and collection OF words, phrases
and Quotations from the Greek, Latin. French,
Italian, and Spanish languages. There are
some other valuable points. including hve
thousand synonyms.
serves. no other English dictionary In existence
Is worthy to be mentioned In comparison with
this. save the great work Of DR.. Webster
There Is no such work In England, nor Is there
ANY man there qualified tn produce such dc
tionary. II Is q remarkable fact that tho two
great works Of this kind which 30 far excel oil
others-ns 10 put composition out OF the ques.
ton, have been produced by Americans, and
when We meet English pretence to superiority
treated with the ridicule II deserves. There Is
A "dictionary war" between the publishers Of
Worcester and Webster, which We shall not dis
cuss here. We suppose that every well furnish
al priyate library will have both dictionaries,
and that the two win dwell together under such
In great harmony, and with much
bere6t 10 their owners. AZ any rate, we are
mot afraid to try the experiment.
DIR. Worcester's work Is Q great addition to
English literature, and u will have the atten
don Il deserves. In one hvorsble notice Of Il
some Of It's peculiar sxcellencics are summed up
a follows :-"0bsolete and technical terms,
provincialisms, compound words, foreign terms,
Dcitnti6c ones, synonyms, arc given 70 . re-
extent; those which other compilers
have rejected because they were obtolete or too
new, or technical, or provincial, are for that
very reason accepted by Worcester; and t
seems 70 rs rightly. II Y the uncommon words
hat arc most looked for; Il n the obsolete ones
Nc chance 70 meet In ChauoeS or Spencer NO ]