The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1884-03-27
PERCIVAL, THE POET.
The Man Who Made Webstcr's Dc
tionary and Died in Poverty.

The Man Who Made Webstcr's Dc
tionary and Died in Poverty. ,
When the young ami accomplished
widow of Fairfield made the attempt
to support herself and children by the
publication and sale of Percivars po-
ems, the pious fort was announced in
az organ of the Boston iiterai under
the heading; Buy Broom! Buy 4
Broom! Come Bay of Wandering
Bavarian Broomr'
The gentle. sensitive Fercival barely
escaped falling Il victim TO this mode
of attack. Shortly after the first pub:
lication of his poems and the criticisms
upon the same, he was found insensible
in a stone quarry, where he had sought
to rid himself of the brains which had
against the rocky walls. His literary
assassins represented this attempt at
self-destruct:on rs the result of disap-
pointment in love. but there was not an
incident connected with his social rela-
tions to justify or gi:e color to this con-
clusion. His was emineatly an ethereal
nature-mind without passion.
He published no more but devoted
himself entirely TO scientific pursuits,
for which he had = remarkable -apti-
tude, until his physical necessities COM
PEELED him to become 4 hack writer for
distinguished literary men of more
practical ability. He was the sole au-
thor, compiler and editor of the first
edition of Wehster's Unabridged Die
tionary, giving not only the definitions,
but the root and history of over 10000
words derived from other languages,
including all the written languages Of
the worid-thirty in number of every
one of which he must have had some
critical knowledge. Regarded in this
light, it is the most wonderful literary
labor ever performed by one man. No
other photographer ever accomplished
it. DR.. johnson was the literary Won
der of his age. Horace Walpoie says
of him: His dictionary is a surprising
work for one man, but sufficient eX-
amples in foreign countries show that
the work is too much for one man, and
that society alone pretend to publish
a standard dictionary" Webs:er's
first dictionary was only a compilation
from standard authorities, with the ad-
dition Of purely American idioms and
etymolygy, exhibiting neither original
ity nor research, being adapted only TO
the use of schools-to the learners and
not to the learned-and was rejected
as standard by the British institu-
tions of learning on account of the
slang phrases, with onlya local signifi-
cation, which 1t attempted to introduce
into the common English language. In
regard 10 derivative words, which COM
prise so large 4 share of our language,
the dictionary eiited by Percival and
published in the name of Noah Web
ster, is now adopted as the highest
standard authority by all the universi-
ties of Great Britain and America. The
great fortune of Noah Webster in life,
and his worldwide fame as the great
est photographer of any age, are based
solely upon the unrequiied labor of
James G. Percival, who died in poverty
in a miners cabin in Western Wiscon-
sin, .'unwcnt, unhonored and IN
sung"
The only remuneration which PEREZ
val ever received for this unparalleled
work was q bare sutsistcnce-whch
probably did not exceed $500 Il year
q place to live and his necessary work
ing tools. books of reference. That he
'.lived in Il rarret after the manner of
the old poe,s. was probably true of
his student days. but when he under
took the work cf the dictionary his en-
ployers built him study after his own
model. Ii WAS 4 small bui ding, with
out window CT door facing any public
thoroughfara, lighted from the top-a
sort of monSiSh Gel in which, sur
rounded by his books, he could pursue
his labors uninterrupted by idle curl
osity. 1t WAS reported-wi:h what
truth l cannot vouch-that tn $ study
and the library which had been fur
nished him, when he had finished the
work, were reclaim by his employers.
They were not nominated in the
bond. "-Hoas Eerioh Eytacn, iz tise Sc
GtiIe W. Z. Hera