New-York tribune., 1879-10-17

n.
4 Brothers oxford; Clarendon Press.
IL is now more than quarter of n century
aimee the original work. ON which this magnificent con-
trhution 10 Latin lexicograpy based introduced
into the schools Of rmany and in the trans
lation Professor Andrews. iuo those OF the oh'eu
States and England. The first volume of Professor
Frcunds great dictionary was issued Ia the year lsSs
aud the last in ls45 while the edition prepared 10y ITO
fessor T.. II. Andrews dates nom $50. The experience
of a long srace of time has put the practical value of
the WORK 60 thorough test and the result IA the ni-
versRl opinion the intelligent students "i tue
latin language that for coarness precision copous-
ness and accuracy, surpassed by no Latin dictionary
IN ANY tongue II has. Indeed. found rivals among the
books which form the apparatus Tor classical s;uoy III
the higher sennnarics learning hut most OF them
have derived their materials from the resources pre-
sented in that work. and are In fact, essentially rephs
or abrldgements of It's afiucnt contents. Win ohN
unimpOrant changes in method or FORM The prominent
classical scholars upon the stage IN this country
viii recall the influence of the wcli-thumbed manual
with a grateful sense of obligation. while those who
preserve hut faint remembrance other Horace ana
JAvy have not forgotten the imey ana they h"N"re
ceivcd ~ many critical j.. ,iUrc IRON tie welcome
light Of Its " friendly pGlcs
Meantime since the eflr Introduction OF the work
into the American scho,t colleges, the science of
lexicograpny has advance with rapid strides. New
meanings and shades OF mknug have been revealed III
multitude Of words by the progress OF phlological
learning. The Latin grammar has been made the sab
iect OF a profound analysis, and q fresh light has
beeu thrown intricate nicetic The STUDY OF
Roman archaeology has accumulated ch Treasure oil
novel information with regard the history Of the na-
ti0n the domestic and social lie OF the people and the
prevailing intellectual habits and beliefs, Of which the
knowledge indispensable to the student OF The present
day.
In order 10 meet so legitimate and so urgent d 'tnd
the edition Of the Lexicon now offered 10 th, rh' "S
been prepared under supervision Of enincut classical
scholars and win the thorougAUcs, cOupeeiess ana
CONSCIENTIOUS patience required by The importance "nd
the difficulty Of the work. Several years ds" thr D
tionary Was submitted the original author Professor
wilhelm Frcuud, ny whom 1t was diligently rrN's %, "
few Of the articles were rewritten. and list 90 about
two thousand valuable additions supplied from LIS s
sesuOns. The matter thus furnished was then placed h
the hands OF Or. Henry Driser. DISTINGUISHED c'-
steal professor IN Columbia Cvog, who soou found Oh
more complete reconstruction of The work was co.i-
able than was consistent with his pr fcssional ens-
mtnts The materials were afcrward committed TO tae
present editors with the view OF csmbnng them wilA
ali other available sources in the preparation OF Latin
Lexicon which should meet the demands OF the times
The results OF their assiduous iabcrs for several years
are now given 10 the public N Tins admirable volume
The greater portion OF the work fallen tae snare
Of Mr.. Charlton Lewis who has prepared the lasi lso0
pages while the whole OF the words under The letter
are from the hand snort editor being
exclusively responsible FOR his spective portion
Among the peculiar features NulCu distinguish th'
presen; work be noted the comparative breadth Oi
It's scope and the cOprehcns OF its details. Tie
list OF Latin authors - whose works II affords key
contains more than thirty names not referred 10 IN
Freud or Andrews, many Of winch have never been
used before IN the preparation OF general lexicon OF
the language. While II gives no undue prominence to
the ecclesiasucal writers. to the historians OF tho
Brazen Age" but finds its standards of Latin compo-
tltion Ia purely classical writer's, noting all devle
tions from their usage exceptional cases, 1t forms
complete guide 10 the entire literature than any
previous In regard to The Lain photography the
present Dictionary, moreover claims the attention OF
students the only work which eubodcs the results OF
recent Investigations by phlOOglst IKE Rtschel Cors-
sen, Bambach aud Others and which are accepted as
authorities the latest aud best edOns OF the Latin
classics. Batter and Cicero, Munros Lucrctus.
Ribbeck's Virgil, aud 80 forth. While the correct cas-
steal spelling Of most words has now been ascerIaued.
and adopted in nearly all textbooks used Germany,
and IN those Of the highest class recently published IN
the United and in England, yet Tor the sake OF
reference. all iOrms in present
in the vocabulary, list Is prehXed OF the words
differently spelled different manuscripts and editions.
Thus the student accustomed the Incorrect forms,
arena 6ed DANA epistOlG. J0ctuS, heIs,
hts. niG. Heio ociuDl, peeT. qtu, rcthgo. sUccUs.
fcer, urgteJ. IrgUs will nave dlthculty IN finding
the wOid he wants, and at the same tme Is
constantly reminded OF the proper spelling; h0rena,
belUd cdccus cOmaHUs dGnG, epSfttd. yetWs, eJtts,
Htus Btd. HW,tio otipD Ia,I, c'tBa, rcgio, sucus.
taeter geo TcrgluS. Tue present state o the science
Of etyiDology completely represented IN this
work than previous Dictionary. Even the great
LatnGcIman LcXicons OF Freund klOtz, ana Georges
are IN this respect OF no value etymoogy which
they merely traditional and often the result
o. fuciful conjecture Tue La;inEnglsh LexcOns are
satisfactory. but OF them before the present
have had the Dcueht Of the important works ii which
recent German scholarship has brought together the
conclusions OF than na century OF discovery III
comparative phology. The present editors nave
adopted Curuus and COrssen their principal stand
ards. aud without giving place TO long discussions
disputed questions. have condensed into the smallest
compass the OF the inquiry, agreed upon by
the most learned recent Investigators.
In the collection, classification and dc1uitiOn of the
words Latin language the editors have evInced
DO less critical sagacity. than intelligent industry No
one man. hundred men, OF course. would be ade
Quate the accomplishment OF such task for
tire literature MANY generations OF aboous and patient
scholars have contributed 10 the work the hrst
gigantic effort made by Stephens to produce Latin
Thesaurus. Modern photographers can only he re-
Quired make Gd cious use OF the mass OF nforma-
tOn collected by the predecessors and to enlarge nd
by contributions OF their own FOrceln. be
ginning in the early part Of the eighteenth century
voted forty years the of his great Lexicon
but since his day. scholar has been bold enough to
attempt a general work OF the kind from materials
gathered by himself alone The Latin Dictionary OF to-
day must take from Fore elni whatever st of value
his work, while II must also bear traces Of the hand
OF devoted iaborers who have followed him In the
field, adding. correcting improVng rs there has
been opportunity tho successive years The editors
of this Dictionary nave evidently made Tree OF the
labors OF their predecessors apprOpriaDg what OF
value the results OF their nvestig ,tons but,
addition. however, they have Incorporated with the
book large OF new and important matter. which
must have been collected by digent study of the
Original authors There hundreds of words, the
treatment OF which, in all previous dictionaries. has
h.en nsaiLsfaclnry. and 10 Mhich IhcY have de-