The Concordia eagle. [volume] (Vidalia, La.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-31
NOAH WEBSTER.
Dill Syo Compares Noah webster's Books
with His Own

VIZ" 'b'S oWhs
Mr. Webster, no doubt. had the best
command of language of any American
author prior to our day. Those who
have read his ponderous but rather dis
connected romance known as ..Web-
ster's Unabridged Dictionary, or How
One Word Led on to Another" will
agree with me that he was smart.
Noah never lacked for word by which
to express himself lie was a brainy
man and good spelcr.
1t would i'll become me at this late
day to criticize Mr. Webster's great
work-a work that is now in almost
every library, sch00l-room and count
ing-house in the land. 1t is a great
book. only hope that had Mr.. Web
ster lived he would have been equally
fair in his criticism of my books.
l hate to compare my own works with
those OF Mr.. Webster, because it NAV
seem egotistical in mo to point ont the
good points in my literary iabora: but [
have often heard it said, and 50 DO not
state 1t solely upon my own RESPONSE
bility, that MIR. Webster book does not
retain the interest Of the yeader all the
way through.
lie has tried to Introduce too many
characters an'l so we can not follow
them all the gay through. 1t is good
DOCK 10 picK up and while away an idle
hour with' perhaps, but no one would
cling 10 L at night till The fire went out,
chained. to the thrilling plot and the
glow ig career of its hero.
lcrpin consists the great difference
be tween Mr.. Webster and myself. A
tftand of mine at Sing Sing once wrote
me that from the moment he got hold
of my book he never left his room until
he finished it. He seemed chaincd to
the spot he said, and if you cant be.
1ieve convict who is entirely out of
politics, who in the name OF George
Washington can you believe?
Mr.. Webster was most assurcdly a
brilliant writer, and | have discovered
in his later editions $4,000 words, no
two Of which are alike. This shows
great hucncy and versatility, it is true,
but we need something else. The read
Ger waits in vain to be thrilled by the
authors wonderful word painting.
There is not a thrill in the whole tome.
had heard so much of Mr.. Webster
that when ! read his book | confess
't'' 'tost l'piilA''ls II IL tblAi, llfil lptl-
ical and diSPassionate in the extreme.
As | said, however, it is Il good book
to pick up for the purpose of Willing
away an idle moment, and no one
should start udt on 4 long Journey with
'out Mr.. Wcbsters tale in his pocket 1t
has broken the monotohy of many a
tedious trip for me.
MIR. Webster's "Spcltcr'' was work
Oi loss ,,ar,ot,s opl ,-nt II
rhad I'm immense sale. Eight years ago
ahis book had reached a sale Of 10000
DCJ, and yet it had the same grave de-
feet. 1t was disconnected, cold, prosy
and dull. | read it for years, and at
last became a close student of Mr.. Web
ster's style, yet never found but one
thing in his book, for which there seems
10 have been such perfect stampede,
Fhat was even ordinarily interesting and
that pas !. iaiA gem. T. was 81 thrill
ing in its details, and so Numerically
different from Mr.. Wcbster'S style, that
j have often wondered who he got TO
write it for him. 1t related to the dis
coyory Of a boy BY an elderly gentleman
III the crotch of an ancestral apple tree,
and the feeling of bitterness and ami
mostly that sprang up at that time be-
tween the boy and the elderly gentle
man.
Though have been a close student of
Mr.. Webster for years, | am free 10 say.
and do not wish to DO an injustice to
II great man in doing so, that his ideas
of literature and my own are entirely
slisSimilar. Possibly his book has had u
little larger sale than mine, but that
makes no difference. When ! write Il
book it must engage the interest of the
reader, and show some plot to it. 1t
must not be icrky in its style and scat
tering in its statements.
| know it is a great temptation to
write book that will sell, but we
should have higher object than that.
do not wish TO do air injustice to a
man who has done so much for the
world, and one who could spell the
longest word without hesitation. but
speak of these things just As | would
expect people to criticize my work. If
ave aspire to monkey with the littcrati
of our day we must expect to be crit
icized. That's the way look ut it
Bill Nye.
p. 81 might also state that Noah
Webster was member of the Legislature
ri Massachusetts at one time, and
though ought not to throw il un to
g., him mt this date, think it nothing more
than right that the public should know
the truth.-BW Nye, in LoHiSciLie Cou-
rier-JoUFHdi.