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

enormous increase must necessarily be the
new terms introduced by and growing out
OF the recent progress in art and science
which are Of less Importance to the gem
eral reader than the more practical and
popular parts of lcxicography. But
dictionary, to be complete, should be like
the laws of the land-adapted to the wants
of every class, and prepared to meet every
contingency. Its proper office is to answer
all questions about words, and-unlike
the laws Of the land--to satisfy every APP
pllcant without any exception. In former
days, people were content to find popular
Information in dictionary, and to seek
Instruction in the more abstract branches
OF language, in encyclopedias, or wherev-
er else it might be discovered. But the
dictionary of modern days takes much
higher rank in the category of labor-saving
machines and this book of Dr. Worces
ter's, which is altogether the most com
plctc ofits kind, really furnishes, in con-
densed form, the contents of a library
Such work is one of the genuine :! tna-
pro'e e"ts of the age, "and it furnishes no
slight evidence of the advance of our coun-
try in great knowledge and intellectual
cultivation.
The synonymes of DR.. Worcester are a
very valuable addition to the dictionary
not ouly because u classification of synon-
ymous terms, in their appropriate places,
Is always needed, but because the work is
so alytically and thoroughly done. All
that was accomplished by Crabb, Carpen-
ter, Fenby and others, in separate vol
umes, is here not only surpassed in ar
rangelnent, but is brought up to a much
higher grade of accuracy and simplicity
and as the analysis and comparison are
attached to the words in their own places
in the vocabulary, the synonymes are al
way. at hand, and need no independent
seeking. There is a large class of our
good writers who would become be,tcr wri.
ters by study Of Worcester 5 synonymes.
Carlessness i'll stylc-which involves care
| 'sSness as the t. cX; ct meaning Of words
Is one of the growing faults Of the day; and
the tendency OF the misuse Of words by
authors OF established reputation is direct
ly and rapidly toward the corruption of
language. Language is in fact the crea,
ture OF Its writer's; their u5ages primarily
directs, and finally controls and establish
cs, 10th its elements and its construction
and hcnce, il they are ncglcctfll OF their
duty, the anomalous state oil things ensues,
that The court OF last resort in philo.oIy
becomes it own repudiator. Junius, IN
his day, was ahead Of the times No man
before him ,and none Immediately succeed
ing him, had such a mastery OF style as
ne. But gradually his example told upon
his admirers, and lii the first halt Of the
nineteenth century, writers who could COM
pare taVorably with Junius in mere style,
were to be found in comparative abundance
both in England and America Certain
writers in the London newspapers, in the
British Reviews, and occasionally in A
msrcan periodical literature, attained this
point Of excellence. But rejecting men
among the present host Of Gterati are be-
ginning to see evidences Of a retrograde
tendency in this very matter of style and
we take the opportunity presented and
suggested by the consideration of synony-
mes, to sound a note OF warning to all the
parties in interest in politicians phrase,
we announce that the Republic of Letters
is Sin danger;' y and, in another phrase,
we warn our American writer's to take
heed what Il, e., h0'0) they write The
author OF reputation who either affects or
allows himself to fall into carlessness of
style, will one day be compelled to pay
for his carelessness out of his reputation.
o,.t ne pIrtoilai pHa,t illustrations OF "or-
c, ccster pic'iohary 90 not impress US so
l"so,piS s'StS oi IL" @ o'nor ana less prominent
toaaIre5, to;rI T In many instances, thcy Ger
I amy uo convey Information more readily
'na ana sa'.siaclorliy "a s 'nah descriptive words
al nIu a,a 80 .hi VIC approve 'nenl pIt, on the
" SI' nuie' 'noy striAe us as ey1" "'g' LOT
pUr'Iy |n Ilal'1 S oi '"o thousand thousand pages
on Wv otiei manu- 40 'uo uepalGr' aooGt
.Ia say oi ".""eeS"'" "1se'' III
,ney ~ ~ gpou 'h'y ''ah 10 no harm
inu' dSIu'ouiS' II 'iicy Snouiu induce one
tLn r1h " 1 psoouie Il PGrcn1Sof oi inc Oook'
no o.nel"lse "oulu uo without IL, we