New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-22
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
NOAH WEBSTER.

302. Boston; bOushtou' M'hllu ~ W.
This is one OF those books of minor and condensed
biography which are now in fashion-sorne""a'
fuller than the notices of biographical dictionary
and rather critical estimates like those when might
he found IN a quarterly rovicw. MI ScuddeF G'VeS
ms a good dra! Of his own moral and philosophical
reflection. for which taose who like Such th'nss
will he much obliged q him; but the man interest
Of tho book is in such biographical climps's a. we
may get of a man who would probably nave o'ei'
rema, kahIe in any age and who was particularly
remarkable in his own. Small a. the Oook IS mere
is TOO much writing IN 1t, blt 1t h\eS lac's an"
dates. ami NAV be regarded as preliminary TO
something better and fuller by and by.
Dr. Webster WAS true scion O. the old Ne"-tnG-
land stock. Upon his mothers SIDE ne was W.
scendant OF William Bradford. the F2 mou 'n'-
ernor. Tn clever boys Of New-Ensi&hH 'ah'''s
were then sent TO college and Noah Webster natur-
orr onter,d Yale College in l77i. His studies were
,onewhat interrupted by the Revolution; but he
snccce1ed in graduating. Aitorwara he taught
school and studied law, being admitted TO the Oar
in 1871. in I7S2 he kept q classical sch'oi at
Goshen. y. Y. and there compiled two Nlna eIe,
meutary DO Ks for teaching the English hnIuaIe.
Tn I7S3 he published his First Part OF a Gram
mafical Institute of the English Language lo'-
lowed in the course Of the next two wears 10y 'he
second anl third parts. The FIRST Farl was 'ne
basis of the spelling books which he aiterWard pun
lshed. lie had an idea tuat Americans 'hou'u
have school books Of their own. ana ne oiScu HIS
compilations upon this. He adhered to ms wa Il
he published his l;ca Ter, and many OF Inc sc'e-
lions are from American writer's ana orators HIS
books were popular enough to maze hIh le'i 'h'
need of q right law and to secure this 10y the
legislation of the several states be STUDIED a'sn"-
onsly. Congress under the Confederation having 30
$500, protpct literary prOpcrtV. II dlu not
enact a copyright Law until 1890 The Spelling
Pink aseycryb DIV knows, was enormously success
ful I'm 1877 twenty-fOGr million copies oi the
hook had been published, the sale averaging one
million per annum. Upon TINS Dr. Webster re-
ccIved premium for copyright OF Hve mills a
CODY and il was the profits arts n from lLlS OJ'A
which during the twenty years IN which br'
Webster was engaged upon the American NC
tonary" supported hun and ms family. Subsequent
fo the Revolution Webster won no little rrputa ION
asa political writer and pampheteer. In $50 ne
went to Philadelphia, at the invitation OF frahhHh,
md STAYED there year. teaching an Episcopal
academy, and taking great interest IN me uep'eS
oftbe Constitutional Convention Heestablished The
american Mnord newspaper in NeW-loIk IN u.s.
"A paper devoted to the defence Of General Wash
ington's Administration. The NinTrI was con-
Timed for five years. and then abandoned a. m
profitable Afterward he was engaged IN various
SCHOLARLY enterprises, and particularly IN ms
revised version of the Holy Scriptures IN winch
Le anticipated some Of the conclusions of modern
revisers.
But all this time Webster's studies were gcavitat.
ing toward lexico graphy. He published - Com
pepdous Dictionary Of the English Language III
1906. which contained five thousand more words
than could be found in the best English coulpehds'
This was accompanied by promise of fuller and
ln u ~lf
the purpose of consulting men and books. He
worked for some time at Cambridge. finding rather
barren sympathy from English scholars, and small
encouragement from English publishers lie
finished the Dictionary at CambT lse II January,
1875. He SAYS: When arrived at the last word
was seized with tremor that made 1t dIihcuit TO
proceed. |, however, summoned up Strength TO
finish the work and then walking about the room
soon recovered" Three years after his return to
America the Dictionary was republlshed. 1t I'M
derwent one revision al the authors bands IN $40
and he was still az work upon 1t when he died III
1913. Indeed, the work of preparation revision
and publication occupied the rest Of his llle He
made an abrdgment III octave, and compiled a
Dictionary for Schools, Counting Honses and
Families" TIE was constantly revising the
Smelling Book He issued editions of his
GHstoly OF the United States" his Teacher" his
lmprc we'd Grammar" -; and he pre- JARED a" Manual
of Useful studies" He worked 10 the last. On
the 2sth of May, 1913, death surprised him at his
labors, in the eghiy-ffth year of his age, Il sur
rounded By his family and cheerful with the sense
of a full life and of Christian trust and cxpecta
ton
MIR. Scudder's book will doubtless awaken a good
deal of popular interest. No name is more familiar
To- the American publc than that Of Dr.. Webster
His Dictionary is considered almost necessary
thing IN every American household; and those who
daily consult its pages will be glad TO know more OF
one whom they have been accustomed to regard as
o benefaCtor