The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-29

only stole the books entrusted to him
but sold them, and even opened the par
GELS OF quotations sent In by the readers
so hat he might make use of the ma
terial at his disposal and contribute 1t
to another work. This man not only
received his salary as Dr. Murray's as
slstant but was also in the pay OF other
employers who benefited by his thefts.
II Is sad to comment that conditions
even as bad as these, which prevailed in
England in the early sos, were shown
to exist also in the United States a few
years ago.
1t was not until 1856 that DR.. Muir
ray moved to oxford, by which time
the first instalment OF the dictionary
was printed. 1t had taken five years of
continuous labor After he had finished
the letter Il Dr. Murray determined
that speedier progress would be made IL
he appointed an associate. and so Sc
lected Henry Bradley. born In Manches-
ter in 1876. for this position. Dr. Brad
ley Is a self-trained philologist and
began work on the dictionary In 1888.
Prior to this he had been engaged In
teaching, and later was employed as a
clerk and foreign correspondent In Shelf
field. From Sheffield he went to London
and contributed reviews to the Academy,
tho Athengum and other periodicals, ard
among them several capable reviews OF
the dictionary for the Academy.
At the time OF his selection Bradley
was engaged on a new edition OF
Stratmann's Middle English Diction-
ary." which was publ shed In 1891. Or.
Bradley's work on Murray's diction-
airy Is recognized as marked by fine
photographed sense. supported by an
erudition Of high order. He was three
times elected president ~ the Philologi-
cal Society. and in 1903 received the title
OF Doctor OF Philosophy honoris causa
from the University Of Heidelberg.
The work which Or. Murray lived to
see completed practically TO the end OF
~" ana OF which there remains only
a small section " the letter 81 from
"subtcrranean' To "syzvry." and from
'turndown'' to the end Of a." will now
We continued by his assoc. ates Dr. Brad
ley. Dr. William A. Craigie. also a
Scotchman. born AT DUNDEE In 1867, who
has already been engaged on the die
tionHry for eighteen years, n G. T.
onions. Sir James Murray received the
honor OF kniGhthood as "A reward for his
labors In the year 1905. and in that very
year the Worshipful Company Of Gold
smiths contributed $4,000 toward the
production of the sixth volume. TO which
body il IL dedicated.
'NtuA ~ - "hS AZ io''s 'l '''''
MuFray's great work contains a vocahu-
larry OF 32S.3l9 words as far a pub
lished, but IN the thirty-hve years that
II has been in course OF production the
language has grown apace. The arts
and sciences have added thousands OF
terms to our speech which II was i'm
possible for DIR. Murray and his assist
ants to place on record. L. is 10 he
hoped that on the completion OF this
work the interest Of the English Pm To-
logical Society will he sufficiently keen
to permit of the production Of supple
mentary volumes. which shall contain the
latest additions To our tongue.
OF the men whom Sir James Murray
at IS left behind. Dr. Bradley is now
90 and DR.. Cralg.e A. the age 81 Mr..
e. T. Onions / do not know, During
the past five years England has lost
three Of the most brilliant lights that
ever shone In English ~lexicography /:
Henry sweet. the author Of The His
tory OF English Sounds Walter
Skeat author Of THE chronological
Dictionary OF the English Language"
and James \. II Murray, editor, the
master mind OF the greatest work that
English photography has ever known.
May they rest In peace,
FRASK II. NizErELLY.
New YoRX. July oS.