HINTS ON THE FORMATION OF A NEW ENGLISH DICTIONARY.
READ BEFORE THE PHILOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
May 20. 1858.
In 1857 the Council of the Philological Society called the attention of the Members to the urgent want of a new English Dictionary to be compiled in a more comprehensive manner than those now in use. Almost all the Members and many persons not connected with the Society promised to assist in this undertaking, and several Papers were read containing suggestions for the consideration and guidance of those who took part in the work. The aim of the following Paper was to urge the necessity of ascertaining the real and ultimate derivation of words, as well as their primary signification in English.
In the 5th Vol. of the Philological Society's Proceedings there is an account given of the Etymological Society of Cambridge established there upwards of 40 years since, and in the list of original members it is highly pleasing to my mind to find my name recorded (p. 133) in association with so many of the most eminent scholars of our times. I venture to advert to the circumstance principally to offer it as a warranty, if required, for the assumption of such a task as I have here undertaken. When so much credit is indisputably due to our Lexicographers for the industry, learning and ingenuity they have displayed, it might well be considered a presumption in any one to attempt to pass a judgment on their defects, who had it not in his power to refer to years of attention to the study as entitling him to do so. Though their merits may be acknowledged to be very great, their deficiencies must be acknowledged also, and it is by no means in any disparagement of the former that some of the latter may be pointed out. At the same time whatever may be judged of the extent and character of those defects, we may yet certainly claim for our English Dictionaries a marked superiority over those of any other country. Other civilized nations of modern times have equally recognized the importance of having some standard work in the nature of a Lexicon to refer to, as an authority in respect of their respective languages. But to effect their object they have been obliged to have recourse to the assistance of their Governments, and the co-operation of their learned Societies, and
