Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1871-02-04
Worcester's English Dictionary.

we nave received from Mesars. BREWEn u
TLEsToN, Of Boston, says the NJ y. EeenInS
FoR, "A Dictionary OF the English Language,
by JoaEPH T. WORCESTER, L. L. D." in a
magnificent quartz volume Of 1854 pages.
The first appearances Of this work, Zen years
ago. was an ERA In English lexicography.
1t was The first Epglisb Dictionary which
had any claim TO be regarded as presentation
OF our entire mother tongue, us II exista In the
apesch and literature of this century. ns q fact,
and apart from all theories and DEVICES for i'm.
proving 1t. In this point nf view II was vel.
comed heartily by scholars, and through their
influence rapidly gained favor among the pro-
pie, 80 that Il became almost at once the gen.
orally acknowledged standard Of correctness
both in writing and In speaking, both tor the
form and for the meaning of words. It has
now been long enough in use. by thousands of
critical minds, N have been tested thoroughly
at every psint and ii is saying far less than
might be sustained to say that il has fully
maintained its pre- eminence.
A detailed review of SUCH work Is of course
impossible here, and could only be undertaken
properly by one who should carefully reyise 1t
for new edition. Such revision will be
needed at no distant day for although there
is no point in which the superiority of this to
every other English dictionary is more unques-
ionably than in its etymology, yet the more
careful and thorough study OF this subject in,
late years has created demand for a still
mere scientific and accurate digest of the re-
suits already obtained. MaAy Of the etymolo.
gies here given are incomplete or unsatisfacto-
ry some, but very few, can be positively call.
ed errapeous. But the true value Of such an
chronological account OF each word as can be
given by general dictionary of the language
does pot seem TO have been kept clearly in
view. THUS curisus analoges, speculative
deriyati0ps, and isolated comparative forms in
sister tongues have very limited value indeed
in such work. The object ought 70 be to
give, in the most general outlines, tue history
OF the word indicating, in the rough Ut least,
how II came TO haye the form and meaning it
bears.
DIR. WorcestePs book 10 always Suggestiye
ana interesting on this head often lull and
usually accurate, but it is still lar beyond the
ideal vi ALI English Lexicon and much labor
must be given 10 the Incorporation in II of the
best results reached by recent students of the
language, before we have in En- slsh a work
which can rank with the best dictionaries of
the Classical tongues, or even with those of the
French and German.
But the practical value of such work de-
pcnds more upon other features than upon its
etymology. 1t Is consulted, in nineteen cases
out OF twenty, to determine either the mean
Ing, the spelling, or the pronunciation of
word.
IN the first of these uses, definition, DR.. Wor.
cester's dictisnary mas formidable rival in
the later improved editions Of that of his pre-
decessor, Dr. Noah Webster. There are
great many words, to critical mind, better
defined in the latter work; which, indeed, ex-
hibits qEougbQAt much more ingenuity in de.
tectng and exposing shades of meaning. This
ingenuity, however, too often finds distinctions
where none exist in usage itself; and. at best,
becomes tIresome, if allowed for time in
practical use; while, in familiar acquaintance
with DIR. Worcester's work fpw the time of
its Sst appearance. we have found it in scarce,
ly an instance wanting in any good meaning
of COED word.
In spelling and pronunciation tiis book
stands alone. There is nothing with which it
can faiGly be ,compared, for theFc is no other
known i'm tlsis ,co'sptly aspFoaeislpg it Ru gem
prchensiveness which has any claim to au-
thority in these respects Without opening in
this paper controversy which car, at best, be
interesting to but smal part of its readers, it
is fair TO say that dictionary OF any living
In pnl, "a. =
than what it tends to become ought to be a
conservative power in it, rather than radical
one. it is the business of the faithful ltxico
grapher to report facts, and If he mixes up his
own theories with his report be diminishrs its
value and destroys It's authority. DIR. W4r-
cester's aim has been 20 present the form Of
words, both as written and as spoken, accord
ing 10 the prcponderance of usage among the
best writers and speakers and where that
usage is divided, TO say so without attempting
to turn the scale. This work he has done in
comparably better than any one else before him
or since and until Ihptt,distant day when somc
able scholar with a-still longer life and still
greater industry, if these be possible, or at
least with more npplerous and efficient assis-
tanls, shall have dey9ted incredible labor to
the production of more complete one his
dictionary is likely to .reman ip substance the
standard Of the English language.
THE Ga'ay for February. publish ed by
SHELDON d Co.. New York. well sustsins IFS
reputation f9r vigorous and racy writing, it
contains a;ikeness of Mrs. Edwards, author of
"s,eyen Lawrence" and has a continuation of
her new serial, Ought We to Visit Herr"
Mark Twain's humorous articles are read
with delight, especially the one on "The dan
ger OF lying i'll bed, compared with accidents
to travellers by rail. Mark has been hunting
up statistics concerning railroad disasters and
finds less than Mree. .hgHndyed people have real
ly lost their lives during the last twelve
months. The Erie road was set down as the
most murderous in the list-donble that Of
any other road But the fact straightwsy sug-
gested itself that the Erie was an ,immensely
long road, and did more business than any
other line in thecoopnry.i sorthe double num-
Der of killed ceased to be q matter of surprise