New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-14
neiehbor's chai.s, but generally ride q. on
borseback,, Tas Quarterly Review remarks upon

boneback) Ihe QuaEtcrV now" ..,--.
what has been called the American use Oh 'nc "o''
that sit has been, for hundred years a nooU
vnlo.yism in England This 'noted vaigansm mas
ban .onntsn.need for more than "a hundred years
~ tha English dctionaries and it is sanctioned ~
The mo,t eminent English lexicosrephers' Danc'
defines the verb to ride, ogo on horseback, In
coach wagon. Sci johnson, to travel on horse
h.cl 70 travel in vshicle;' Richardson, to con-
vay or carry on a horse or other animal, or In any
sort of carriage; to sit upon such an ANIMAL or In
such carriage, whether the motion be slow or fast;
and Todd defines the noun ride, an excursion in
vehicle or on horseback, as 10 take q ride. :"
The word creole is treated in very unsatisfactory
manner, and from the inconsistent statements In
regard to il leaves the reader in utter confusion.
Instesd of tracing its origin to the Spanish word
criollo, used in the sense of natire, that word,
ogetber with the equivalent words in Italian and
French, creole, CREOLE is given without explanation,
and followed by the definition native Of Spanish
America or the West Indies, born of European
parents, or descended from European ancestors, as
dist6 guished from resident inhabtant born in
Europe, as well as from the offspring Of mixed
the mestizO, born of an Indian mother" In imme-
date connection with this ponderous definition
contradictory assertion is quoted from Notes and
Queries" but without comment or qualification.
"The Spanish and Portuguese apply the term to
the blacks born in their colonies, but never to thu
whites" To make the confusion complete, pas
sage, also without note or comment is quoted from
4 IL. Il ha rnp n
native Of West India colony, whether he be black,
,ehite or of the colored population" The last state
pent though imperfect, is more nearly correct than
either of the Others but amid this glaring contra
diction and uncertainty no clue is given US by DR..
Worcester as to the true sense
We notice that the prevailing, and in many in-
stances, perhaps the correct use of certain words,
in q specific sense, is passed over byDr. Worcester,
where an explanation would certainly be cOnve
nient, and would seem TO be necessary. Thus the
word armament ia restricted to ga force equipped
for war;" whereas ii il constantly used to denote
the number and weight of the guns in fleet or
man-of.war The use of the word attach as nsu-
ter verb in such phrases as "no blame attaches to
the conductor" "the penalty of death attaches to
certain crimes" is not alluded to, although it is
sanctioned by much better authority than the SINH
lar use of the verb to conduct. which is very prop
srly explained. No mention is made of the word
difficulty as denoting quarrel, controversy, mis-
understanding, as "Lord Byron had difficulty
with his publishers about the terms of Childe Har
DID," "Mr. Pryor and Mr. Potter will settle their
difficulty by duel;" nor Of operate, as an active
verb, sense which in these days of machinery and
railroads has become established, at least in this
country, as when it is said, "the road is operated
at great expense" "the sewing machine is oper-
ated by woman" and the like; nor of spy in the
sense in which it is constantly used in conversation
and literature at the West of an explorer Of nep
country without implying secresy hostility, as in
| the ordinary use. We certainly do not claim such
ute of the words alluded to as sanctioned by CLASH
cal English authority; but the attention Of the
reader should have been directed to it, according to
| the general plan of the work.
As regards orthography, DR.. Worcester adopts
the prevailing English usage, without any attempt
at improvement from considerations of etymology,
analogy, or philosophical significance. In etymOlO-
~ be gives little scope to ingenious or fancfu deri
vations; nor, On the ether hand has he made use to
any considerable extent of the conclusions attained
by the researches in comparative phiOlOgy, which
of late years have thrown so much light on the
affinities and relations Of languages His defni-
tons are generally marked by clearness, simplicity,
and brevity Of expression; greater degree of ex
pansion in some instances would have been advan
tsge; but, on the whole, they can be consulted with
pleasure and utility. In orthoepy he has succeeded
in rendering the best English usage in an ineligible
manner.
Although, as will be perceived from the above
structures we do not regard DR.. Worcester as an
nfallble guide, nor accept his decisions as an uh-
mate rule Dor consider his dictionary as perfect
standard Of lexcogaphy, we think he ha, made the
public his debtors by the diligence and zeal with
which he has long devoted himself to bis srduous
pathological labors, by the critical skill and excel
lent taste be has shown in enrching his work with
the results of modern study and BY the careful
elaboration with which he has brought an unwieldy
mass of materials into a shape admirably adapted
for popular use. His great work need not be re-
garded as an oracle; freedom frem imperfection
and error can no more be ascrbed to it, than to
any ether human production; does this derogate
from its numerous and undeDable merits; but
every candid scholar and intelligent reader must
highly prize its aid Indispensable part of his
literary apparatus.
THE LIFE OF JEREMY TAYLOR By GaORoa L;
UDion and Church S scoi socist, p''p'
The writer Of this volume has turned to excellent
| account the scanty materials which have been pre-