From the QUARTERLY REVIEW, Oct., 1873. "Seventy years passed before JOHNSON was followed by Webster, an American writer, who faced the task of the English Dictionary with a full appreciation of its requirements, leading to better practical results." "His laborious comparison of twenty languages, though never published, bore fruit in his own mind, and his training placed him both in knowledge and judgment far in advance of Johnson as a philologist. Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, was published in 1828, and of course appeared at once in England, where successive re-editing has as yet kept it in the highest place as a practical Dictionary." "The acceptance of an American Dictionary in England has itself had immense effect in keeping up the community of speech, to break which would be a grievous harm, not to English-speaking nations alone, but to mankind. The result of this has been that the common Dictionary must suit both sides of the Atlantic." "The good average business-like character of Webster's Dictionary, both in style and matter, r, made it as distinctly suited as Johnson's was distinctly unsuited to be expanded and re-edited by other hands. Professor Goodrich's edition of 1847 is not much more than enlarged and amended, but other revisions since have so much novelty of plan as to be described as distinct works." "The American revised Webster's Dictionary of 1864, published in America and England, is of an altogether higher order than these last [The London Imperial and Student's]. It bears on its title-page the names of Drs. Goodrich and Porter, but inasmuch as its especial improvement is in the etymological department, the care of which was committed to Dr. MAHN, of Berlin, we prefer to describe it in short as the Webster-Mahn Dictionary. Many other literary men, among them Professors Whitney and Dana, aided in the task of compilation and revision. On consideration it seems that the editors and contributors have gone far toward improving Webster to the utmost that he will bear improvement. The vocabulary has become almost complete as regards usual words, while the definitions keep throughout to Webster's simple careful style, and the derivations are assigned with the aid of good modern authorities." "On the whole, the Webster-Mahn Dictionary as it stands, is most respectable, and certainly THE BEST PRACTICAL ENGLISH DICTIONARY EXTANT." WEBSTER'S GUINEA DICTIONARY Of the English Language, in One Volume, 4to. The Etymology by Dr. C. F. MAHN, of Berlin. Containing nearly One Thousand Six Hundred Pages, with Three Thousand Illustrations. Strongly bound in cloth, 21s.; half-calf, 30s.; calf or half-russia, 17. 11s. 6d.; russia, 27. The peculiar features of this Edition are- Fulness and Completeness. Scientific and Technical Words. Accuracy of Definition. Pronunciation. Etymology. Uniformity in Spelling. The Synonyms. The Illustrations. The Volume contains 1576 pages, and is sold for One Guinea. It will be found, on comparison, to be one of the cheapest Volumes ever issued. "For the student of English etymologically, Wedgwood, Ed. Muller, and Mahn's Webster are the best dictionaries. While to the general student Mahn's Webster and Craig's ⚫ Universal Dictionary' are most useful.”—Athenæum. The Half-Guinea Dictionary. WEBSTER'S PEOPLE'S DICTIONARY Of the English Language; based on Webster's Large Dictionary, and containing all English words now in use with their pronunciation, derivation, and meanings. In One Volume, large 8vo., containing more than One Thousand Pages and Six Hundred Illustrations. Cloth, 10s. 6d.; half-calf, 15s.; calf or halfrussia, 16s.; russia, 17. This Edition contains All Scientific Words important to Non- Important Phrases, with Explanations. Orthography. Pronunciation. A Glossary of Scottish Words and Vocabularies of Scriptural, Classical, LONDON: GEORGE BELL & SONS, |