Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-02-03

pays. Ahc Hist apPeaiah " ttliS
work, ten years ago, was an era in
English photography.
1t was the first English dictionary
which had any claim to be regarded as
a presentation OF our entire mother
tongue, as it exists in the speech and
literature of this century, as fact, and
apart from all theories and devices for
improving it. In this point OF view
it was welcomed heartily by scholars,
and through their influence rapidly
oained favor among the people, so that
it became almost at once the generally
acknowledged standard OF correctness,
both in writing and in speaking, both
tor the form and for the meaning OF
words. 1t has now been long enough
in use, by thousands Of critical minds,
to have been tested thoroughly at ev,
cry point; and it is saying tar less than
might be sustained to say that it has
fully maintained its pre-eminencc.
x detailed review OF such work is
of course impossible here, and could
only be undertaken properly 10y one
who should carefully revise 1t tor a
new edition. Such 4 revision will he
needed at no distant day; tor although
there is no point in which the superior
ity of this to every other English die.
tionary is more unquestionable than in
its etymology, yet the more careful
and thorough study OF this subject IN
late years has created demand Tor a
still more scientific and accurate digest
of the results already obtained. Many
of the etymolosies here given are m
complete or unsatisfactory; some, but
very few, can be positively called err
roneous. But the true value OF such
an genealogical account OF each word
as can be given by general dictionary
of the language does not seem to have
been kept clearly in view. Thus curl
Gus analogics, speculative deriva,ions,
and isolated comparative forms III SIS
ter tongues have very limited value
indeed IN such work. The object
ought to be to give, i'll the most gener-
al outlines, the history of the word;
indicating, IN the rough at least, how
it came to have the form and meaning
1T bears.
DR.. Worcestcr's book is always sug-
gestiye and interesting on this head;
often full and usually accurate, but 1t
is still far beyond the ideal OF an Eng
fish Lexicon; and much labor must be
given to the incorporation in 1t OF the
best results reached by recent students
of the language, before we have in
English a work which can rank with
the best dictionaries of the classical
tongues, or even with those OF the
French and German.
But tie practical value of such
work depends more upon other tea
lures than upon its etymology. 1t is
consulted, in nineteen cases out OF
twenty, to determine either the mean
lug, the spelling, or the pronunciation
OF word.
In the first of these uses, definition,
DR.. Worcesters dictionary has a tor
midable rival in the later improved
editions of that of his predecessor,
DR.. Noah Webster. There arc a
great many words, to critical mind,
better defined in the latter work;
which, indeed, exhibits throughout
much more ingenuity III detecting and
exposing shades OF meaning This H.
genuity, however, too often finds dis
tinctions where none exist III usage
itself; and, at best, becomes tiresome,
if followed for time in practical use;
while, in familiar acquaintance with
DR.. Worcester's work from the time
of its first appearance, we have found
it in scarcely an instance wanting III
any good meaning of a good word.
In spelling and pronunciation this
book stands alone. There is nothing
with which it can fairly be compared,
for there is no other known in this
country approaching it IN comprehen-
siveness, which has any claim to au-
thority in these respects. Without
opening in this paper controversy
which can, at best, be interesting to
but a small part of its readers, it is fair
to say that a dictionary OF any living
language ought rather to represent
what it is, than what it tends TO be.
come; ought to be conservative
power in it, rather than radical one.
It is the business of the faithful lexico-
grapher to report facts, and if he mixes
up his own theories with his report.
he diminishes its value and destroys
its authority. DIR. Worcester's aim
has been to present the form of words,
both as written and as spoken, accord
ing to the prcponderance OF usage
among the best writer's and speakers;
and where that usage is divided, to
say SO without attempting to turn the
scale. This work he has done incom-
parably better than any one else before
him or since; and until that distant day
when some able scholar with still
longer life and still greater industry.
if these be possible, or at least with
more numerous and efficient assistants,
shall have devoted incredible labor to
the production OF more complete one,
his dictionary is likely to remain in
substance the standard of the English
Language.-[N. Y. Evening Post.
The Trustees Of the Burlington Uni
versity are up to the times, if not a lit
tie ahead. They pay tho teachers OF
that institution, both male and female
alike.
The Professorship Of English Lit
erature and the Modern Languages
is filled by Miss f. L. Geiger, grad
uate Of Vassar, On. W college, and ono
of the most able teachers in the West
The trustees recognizing true merit
not in complimentary resolutions, but
in a pccuniarily tangible sense, have
rated that Prof Gcigcr's salary shall
be the same as the other members o.