The Portland daily press., 1880-11-04
THURSDAY MORNING. NOV. 4.
Making a Dictionary.
How M. Emile Littre Brought Forth the
Forty-f1rst Immortal.


lParisian.
In volume which he has just published
under the title "Etudes ct Glanures'" Mr.
Littre gives us the history of his dictionary
1t was in 1916 than the great savant signed
contract with Hachette for the publica ton of
"Dictionnaire historique, etymologique ct
grammatical de la langue franchise" This
dictionary comprises four enormous volumes of
about twelve hundred pages each. three COL
umns to the page, and supplement that fills
another volume. 1t took Mr. Littre thirteen
years to complete this stupendous work, from
1859 to 1872. He says: my wife and daugh-
ter, witnesses of my troubles, heartily offered
me to come to my aid This domestic arrange
ment had an advantage over the employment
OF strangers that valued highly, for these
aids of new kind were ever at nv side.
questioning me about that which puzzled
them and receiving Immediately and on the
spot the necessary instructions. 1 had ar
ranged matters so that by wise economy I
could allow myself the luxury of two domi
ciies-one in the country, the other in the
city. My country house was at Menil-le- Roy
(Seine-et Oise), little, old house, a garden of
third of hectare, well planted, producing
old man in Virgil dapibus nensas onerabat
memphis There, in half-solitude, my vii
lage being far from the road of the general
Partisan Sunday visitor, could dispose of nv
hours: L used to rise at s in the morning.
mat is late, exclanes the reader, for busy
man. But wait While my bedroom. at the
same Time my workroom, was being made II
said before that my house was old and smalD
used to go down to the ground floor taking
with me some work or other. Thus it was
that among other things l made the preface to
my dictionary. The Chancellor d'Aguesseau
had taught me not to disdain the moments
that appeared of no special Importance He
was the man whose wife always made him
wait for his dinner, and who, presenting her a
book, said: There is the work of the moments
before dinner!' At 9 o'clock went up stairs
again and corrected the proof that had lust
come in. This occupation brought me to the
hour of dejeuner. At o'clock | sat down to
my desk again, and until 3 in the afternoon
did my share in the Journal des Sayants.
which society had elected me in 1856, and to
the journal of which felt in duty bound to
contribute regularly. From to o'clock 1
toos the dictionary in hand. At 1 descended
for dinner, and my wife, unlike Nine
d'Aguesseau, did not make me wait
thought about an hour at dinner sufficient
The precept not to work mentally immediate
ly after meals had been recommended.
have always infringed upon this recommen-
dation after finding out that 1 did not suffer
by reason Of this infraction. 1t was SO much
time gained, SO much snatched from the nee
essities of the body. Having gone up to nv
study again at 7 o'clock, resumed my die
tionary aud did not leave it. A first relay
brought me to midnight, when my family re-
tired. The second ght me to 8 in the
morning. Generally my daily task was fin
ished at that hour. If it was not l prolonged
my studies and more than once, during
long days, put out my lamp and continued
my work at the break of day. These lucubra-
uons were not without some recompense. A
nightingale had established its home in lit
tie alley OF linden trees cutting my garden
1t filled the silence of the night and of the
country with its limpid and resounding voice.
Oh, Virgil, how could you, you, author of the
'Georgics, how could you make death song,
miserable carmen, of such glorious sounds?''