Abridgment; that the whole forms the most extensive vocabulary ever published; and that, in consequence of the additions introduced by Mr Todd, it becomes a complete glossary of the early English writers. Mr Chalmers's work,' says Mr Worcester, was formed from Mr Todd's first edition. His second edition, which was published in February, 1827, contains nearly a thousand additional words, and was received in season to have these inserted in the Appendix of this Dictionary. These, together with the other words newly added, increase the excess above the number of words in Dr Johnson's Abridgment, to upwards of fifteen thousand.'

Johnson, indeed, in his Abridgment, omitted, we believe, at least three thousand words, which were contained in his great work. But still it must be quite an appalling fact to the common English reader, that so many thousand words are added, that were not before contained in his manual; and he will be apt to think it very marvellous, that he is able to read and understand everything in his own language, while he is furnished only with a vocabulary which is so defective. But the mystery will in a great degree vanish by a little explanation; and it will be curious to those who have not examined the subject, to see how such an unknown treasure has been acquired.

It is a fair subject of inquiry, how far back the Lexicographer should go for the materials of his work. If Chaucer is fairly entitled to the appellation of Father of English heroic verse,' it would seem to afford a sufficient reason for inserting his words, however antiquated or obsolete. Though much of his poetry comes so near a dead language, that some of the poets of the last century translated portions of them into modern phrase, yet certain words and expressions of his are often revived, and contribute their share to preserve that distinction, which exists between the language of poetry and the language of prose. The language of Britain, which had undergone so much revolution, seemed in the time of Chaucer to have gained little consistency in orthography or grammatical construction. Though he wrote nearly two centuries after the Norman conquest, yet so heterogeneous, in the mean time, were the materials of which the language was composed, and so little had it been cultivated, that it was a kind of wilderness, that required the hand of art to subdue it, and demanded great efforts to polish and adorn it, after it had lost much of its VOL. XXVII.-NO. 61.

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former rudeness. Chaucer perhaps did less than might have been expected of him towards the accomplishment of this vast work. The subjects of his poems were of a popular kind, and, like most other poets, his object also was to please. And we cannot but think, from a comparison of some of his poems with the gleanings of other writings in prose, nearly contemporaneous, that a mixture of phraseology is found in his compositions, more unnatural than was required by the state of the language when he wrote, if not bordering upon affectation. Like many other poets, in attempting to shun what was trite, he appears to have fallen into some ungraceful singularities; and in avoiding vulgar diction, to have been occasionally betrayed into the use of pedantic phraseology. It is difficult, however, to form a very precise judgment in the case; for so little can be gathered from contemporary writers, that Chaucer himself is generally referred to, for ascertaining the condition of the English language, at the time when he wrote. One thing, however, is sufficiently manifest, namely, that his writings contribute a portion to that old thesaurus of poetic phrase, which, combined with more modern diction, produces a luxuriance of style, that gives to the English language a distinguished emi

nence.

Another copious source of increase to the English vocabulary is the improvements and inventions in arts and sciences; the extension of commerce and the prevalence of war; and a growing intercommunity of fashion and literature among the nations of Europe. Now there can be no question, that the more general terms, such as the names of the arts and sciences, and their subdivisions, should be introduced, though it is difficult even here to preserve consistency and relative proportion. But any endeavors of the lexicographer to collect and explain all the technical terms in medicine, law, commerce, arts, and general science, would result in additions more cumbrous than useful. Dr Campbell maintains that technical words are not to be considered as a part of language, and are not entitled in general to admission into a dictionary, claiming the merit of a standard. As a general rule, this is the most safe; and the exceptions must be left to the judgment of authors and compilers, who will find it sufficiently hard to satisfy themselves. Upon any plan, however, words of the kind we have mentioned, must be somewhat numerous, and must increase from age to age, as long as a language shall live. Thus, to take a

palpable instance, since the time of Johnson; to the word Galvanism, which is introduced, as it should be, by Mr Todd, he must add, as he does, Galvanick, Galvanize, and Galvanometer. Without any careful search or effort, many words of this sort must present themselves, which demand a place in a dictionary. Akin to these are the names of sects, and what pertains to sects and parties, in philosophy, and religion, and politics. Johnson was very sparing in the introduction of these even as they existed in his time; but to show what a fruitful addition they make, we need mention only a few words first. inserted by Todd, which will suggest many more of a similar kind. Thus Pythagorean, substantive and adjective; Pythagorical, Pythagorick, Pythagorism. Arian, substantive and adjective; Arianism, Arianize. Jacobin, substantive and adjective; Jacobinical, Jacobinism, Jacobinize. The few words of this kind which were introduced by Johnson, as far as we have observed, were inserted rather as common appellatives, and as expressive of the qualities, of those who resembled a sect, than for the sake of the sect itself, or the founder of it; as may be seen in Cynick, Cynical; Epicurean, Epicurism.

We have said, that war and the military art have been among the productive causes of new words; and it is not a novel suggestion. More than a century has now passed since the authors of the Spectator reprobated the corruptions that were taking place in the English language, in consequence of the existing war with France. Pontoons, fascines, marauder, corps, chamade, cartel, and others, are among the words which met and successfully resisted the vollies of wit and humor which were directed against them by those authors, and acquired a place in Johnson's Dictionary. These and others of the same class, it appears, were just creeping into our language, when Addison and his coadjutors were taking cognizance of literature, and morals, and manners, in the Spectator. That such words were then uncommon, appears from what the Spectator subjoined to a letter which purported to be written by a young gentleman in the army to his father. The father found it contained great news, but could not guess what it was. He immediately communicated it to the curate of the parish, who, upon the reading of it, being vexed to see anything which he could not understand, fell into a kind of passion, and told him that his son had sent him a letter that was neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring.'

The late wars and political relations between the countries of Europe have added somewhat to the list of similar words.

A very large number of words compounded with in, im, and un, for the most part in a privative sense, and some of them being mere varieties in the initial spelling, and being also interchangeable, are added to Johnson's list, by Mr. Todd. Of these we believe there are not far from a thousand. There are also seventy or eighty compounded with all, as all-admiring, all-approved, &c. And if we add to them other words variously compounded, such as high-aimed, high-swollen, slopseller, grass-green, choir-service, dram-drinker, plain-hearted, manor-house, manor-seat, &c. which are found throughout the book, we shall swell the catalogue of compounds to a great amount. How far such compounds are entitled to admission into a dictionary, we will not decide very peremptorily; but they scarcely deserve to be called new words, or additional words. There are many words of this kind in Johnson, and consistency seems to demand, therefore, that, as far as they are well authorized, a subsequent compiler should insert such as are not already recorded. But it is very manifest that there is no end to caprice and fashion in the composition of such words, and that it is impossible for a dictionary to keep pace with the fancies of writers in their formation and use.

Another prolific source of increase to the English vocabulary is the analogical formation of words of different classes. Such for instance as adjectives in able or ible. There is something worthy of a passing notice in this kind of words, denominated by Horne Tooke' potential passive adjectives.' This name is for the most part descriptive of their meaning. They were originally learned words derived from the Latin words in bilis through the French. But we have not been satisfied with forming those merely which we borrowed from the Latin; for having once found the convenience of the form, that analogical process, which is always taking place in some degree in the changes and improvements of language, has given the same form to many genuine English words; such, for instance, as the familiar terms teachable and tameable. When it was first adopted from the Latin, it was thought necessary to translate it for the common reader, into an equivalent expression. As in an old manuscript version of the New Testament, which we have seen cited, supposed to be written in the reign of Edward the Third, is found the following, among other examples

of the same kind; From henceforth, brethren, whatever things be amyable, or' (with the explanation annexed)' able to be loved.'

The dictionary before us shows, that, being in full possession of this form, words of this kind have been multiplying in our language, as occasion or convenience demands. Thus we find, forgivable, deprivable, unpleadable, bewailable, devisable, enjoyable, extirpable, and a multitude more.

Again words terminating in ful, denoting abundance or excess, constitute a considerable addition to this dictionary. Among these are abuseful, deviceful, taleful, faultful, toilful, &c. So also those terminating in less, expressive of the diminution or absence of something. We have witnessed the prevalence of fashion in this class of words, and their consequent tendency to increase. In the dictionary we are examining, we find, among numerous others added for the first time, flameless, waveless, brimless, rayless, passionless, passless, lossless, and many more.

Another class which we shall mention consists of substantives in er, sometimes or, denoting agency, such as blackener, blandisher, caller, desolater, despoiler, desponder, fluter, which are introduced among many others of the same kind, by Mr Todd. There are no limits to terms of this description, and a vast many pass without animadversion in conversation, and might do so in writing, which have not found a place in any printed vocabulary.

Then, again, there is that boundless catalogue of abstract nouns formed from adjectives, usually by the termination ness, sometimes ity. Words of this kind are constantly increasing, and must continue to increase. Many, it is difficult to form an estimate of the number, are added by Todd. Inhability, abstractedness, fabulousness, involuntariness, manifoldness, unqualifiedness, unsupportableness, are a sufficient sample of the additions of these long words.

So also adverbs from adjectives by the addition of y or ly make a considerable addition; as abstinently, bigotedly, calumniously, inherently, unobservably, &c.

Again, there are additions occasioned by repeating the verb, when it is used both as a transitive and an intransitive. Johnson was not very exact in this particular, and Walker was negligent, overlooking sometimes what his predecessor had done correctly in this way. There are additions also of verbs