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Spanish; and by the Latin also: if the words be of Northern origin, by the German, Dutch, and Swedish; with the Anglo-Saxon and Gothic also. One comprehensive interpretation, upon the principles already explained, subserves for the whole family this, I repeat, was the rule-instances have occurred, demanding a deviation from it, when this general interpretation did not comprise some especial usage of a sub-derivative; then that usage has been remarked and accounted for. No one surely needs to be told that an agent is, one who acts; that a student is, one who studies; a seller, one who sells. It will, however, tend most effectually to a better understanding of his native tongue, if the reader will previously subject the different terminations to a careful examination. They will be found in their proper places. Tooke has observed of some of these terminations, that "they will afford sufficient matter for entertainment to future etymologists;" they have afforded something better than entertainment to myself; and I hope I shall not be singular in the gratification I have derived from the pains with which I have endeavoured to trace them to their source. It may, perhaps, be worth while, at another time, and in another place, to present a more connected view of these essential particles of our specch.

The mode of classification pursued in the New Dictionary, does not, however, reach the refined and scientific speculations of your "occasional correspondent;" he is a sturdy contender for a radical reformation upon the plan of the Greek Thesaurus. My objection is simply this, that an English Dictionary so constructed would be useless in the hands of any, but the already learned scholar, or of the student whom no difficulties could dishearten. The middle path, in which I have persevered, though it is obstructed by no formidable impediments to an easy progress, still leads by ascending steps to more commanding views than by the ordinary road can possibly be attained. I received with much satisfaction from the lips of Sir J. Mackintosh his congratulations upon the happiness of the thought.

Div. of Purley, v. 2, 459.

The ease with which it enables us to place in close comparison different branches of the same family, and the advantage, as far as the increase of our vocabulary is in question, have been already noticed. Let any one, for instance, take the trouble to compare the two compound terms, conduce, and deduce; he will perceive that the subderivatives, which have crept into current use from the former, nearly double in number those that have been received, perhaps required, from the latter. Let him pursue this investigation, through other words of a similar description, (such as tract, with its compounds, contract, detract : form, with its compounds, conform, deform, inform); and he will see with what a running pen our Dictionaries may be swelled by the addition of thousands and tens of thousands of words-all formed simply by affixing our common terminations, upon regular principles of analogy,-and which seem merely in waiting for the decision of rashness or discretion upon their claim to admittance among those to which they are manifestly allied. Even under the one of the two first named, so much more copiously supplied as it is than its fellow, he will find room for an increase. In short, no task of dull diligence presents a more prompt reward than that of augmenting our catalogue of words. Latinisms, Græcisms, Gallicisms, Americanisms, all formed upon the same principles of construction which guided our early scholars in the choice of words, now in ordinary use, might be struck off as if by the magic power of machinery: our language might be crowded with swarms, to satisfy the cravings of pedantic affectation; and a new and erudite Euphuism be created, which "the flower of our youth," to use the expression of the Oxonian biographer, would no doubt eagerly learn to" parly." I am not speaking of terms in science; they are formed by scientific

+ By the addition of two regular terminations in ly.

"All the ladies (says Wood), were scholars (to Euphues), and that beauty in court who could not parly Euphuism, as those now there, that cannot speak French." The readers of Sir Walter Scott are well acquainted with the parly of an adept in this school.

men, who feel the want before they attempt to supply it.

In my endeavours to collect and settle the vocabulary, I have enjoyed and availed myself of the large store of materials accumulated by Johnson and his editor, Mr. Todd, the various supplements and provincial vocabularies, and the notes of commentators upon our older poets. In addition to these, a very abundant coacervation was methodically amassed for my own peculiar use. But I have directed my exertions rather to those sources which would enable me to ascertain the meaning, and deduce the application of the established body of our language, than to add to the number of those upon which, for the sake of distinction, I have so often bestowed the title of sub-derivative. Our rules and principles of analogy are so well understood, that, by adhering to them, good sense ought never to be at a loss to make any serviceable addition to the abundant copiousness of our speech. Some, perhaps many, words of this description, may be found in this Dictionary, that have not hitherto been inserted in any other; and I believe that the same increase may be affirmed with respect to words compounded with prepositions both of our own and of foreign growth. These latter, too, would readily admit of a multitude of their own kind.t

I have, in a former letter, explained, that for the sake of preserving some regularity in the quotations, the authors themselves were divided into periods. I ought then, perhaps, to have added, that, upon this division, after the quotations from Chaucer and Gower and their few predecessors had been disposed of, the order of proceeding

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was this to produce the subsequent quotations according to the arranged series of the words; as many from the first period, as my collected stores would supply; these ended, then to commence the second period, and pursue the same order; and so with the two remaining periods. It may be proper further to observe, that when usages of the sub-derivatives had been furnished in the earliest periods, it was deemed expedient not to load the pages of the book with a succession of examples of all these, through all the modern periods of our literature, but rather to reserve these posts of honour for the primary members of the stock.

I hope, Mr. Urban, I have made myself intelligible upon this point without the aid of examples; for, in mercy to your columns, and to the patience of your readers, I must forbear to trespass upon either.

I have still to give some reasons for the state of the vocabulary, as it will be found in the Dictionary. In the first place, then, words called Archaic, and which are now obsolete, have been diligently sought for; and all such as could contribute any aid to the investigations of etymology, have been as carefully preserved. Provincial terms have occasionally been summoned to bring the weight of their testimony in support of the same cause; and the very useful little Glossaries, from the learned Ray to Mr. Brockett and Mr. Moore, have been duly consulted, and the assistance derived from them as duly acknowledged.

Various pedantic and scholastic terms have also been received, which have now grown into disuse: some, because they cast a light upon others

GENT. MAG. VOL. VI.

E

still in continued currency ; some, because they inform us of the topics which formerly employed the pens of philosophers and divines, whether they were engaged in amicable discussion, enforcing accredited doctrines, or, more commonly, in polemical strife combating the friends or the antagonists of disputed theories. Some again,

،، For all an example, a pattern to none, '' Swift:

because presenting instances of failure, and even thus teaching a lesson of caution to ourselves; and all because they may extend our knowledge of the many changes, which the language has sustained in its descent to these times; when change is at work upon it, with all the wild energies of a restless and indiscreet spirit of improvement.

There is another class of terms, which must not be passed without a specific notice. "They are," as Ben Jonson calls them, "a kind of composition (he should rather have said of apposition), wherein our English tongue is above all others very hardy and happy, joining together, after a most eloquent manner, sundry words of every kind of speech." Our poets and divines abound in words of this description, and the utmost care has been taken to remark upon those few that gain an import by their combination, which they do not possess when employed disconnectedly; and a full interpretation of their manner of signification has been reserved for the word hyphen in the body of the Dictionary.*

There are other sorts of words of which it remains yet to speak, with relation to the propriety of admitting them into an English Dictionary, professing to be a Dictionary of words merely, and not of Arts and Sciences.

The first, and indeed the only question, really isnot whether there should be any Dictionary comprising these words; but whether there should be one Dictionary or two; whether technical and scientific words should

not of themselves constitute an entire work.†

That a separation into two would have a very strong claim to preference, may be maintained for these reasons:

1. Upon the unquestionable fact, that, by a division of labour, the several works would be better performed.

2. That those who are scientific and not literary, or who are literary and not scientific, might want the one and not the other: that if there be but one book, to obtain what they do want, they must encumber themselves with what they do not : if there be two, one or both may be procured.

These appear to be sound and sufficient reasons against the union. In the mean time, I can only add that all the powers in my possession, all the means which I could control and manage in the exertion of them, have been held in requisition, and devoted to the performance of my own work. Another Dictionary of other words, must be the labour of another and a younger hand.

With these impressions, I feel little disposed to offer upon this head any excuse for inconsistency and incompleteness. My sins of omission must be ascribed to necessity on my part, and to a conviction that they ought to be supplied from another quarter. My sins of commission may be excused, because I have been the only sufferer; the public are gainers by the surplusage or over-measure: and my acts and deeds exhibited in proper place, may be regarded as patterns to follow, not examples to shun.

I have already encroached so largely, Mr. Urban, upon your pages, that I

must hasten to conclude.

I have left the orthography and accentuation as I found them; though a few errors in the former have been noted as they passed. From the various modes of writing or spelling formerly practised, and sometimes also of placing the accent by our poets, each aspirant for distinction as an or

Did