PREFACE.

NO man was more competent to speak on the subject of lexicography than Dr. Johnson; he observes," Every other author may aspire to praise; the lexicographer can only hope to escape reproach." This observation holds out little encouragement to one inclined to tread in the steps of that learned philologist. The Compiler of the following pages has, however, been fortunate enough to gain some portion of praise for a former production of a similar nature; he is therefore induced to present himself once more before the public, with the hope that his labours may be found useful †.

See advertisement at the beginning.

"It can hardly be necessary to demonstrate the importance of the English language as a study. Too much attention, surely, cannot be devoted to a subject which not only forms the vehicle of thought, but is, in a certain degree, the instrument of invention. That writer, therefore, who freely contributes his mite of information to the

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Numerous observations might be cited to prove the importance of the subject now taken in hand, but the following perhaps will suffice.

"C'est une vérité universellement reconnue aujourd'hui; la cause la plus générale et la plus dangereuse de nos erreurs, de nos mauvais raisonnemens, est dans l'abus continuel que nous faisons des mots." Dictionnaire de l'Académie Françoise.

"Ce sont l'exactitude et le bon emploi des mots, qu'il faut considérer comme le criterium de la vérité c'est à leur caractère vague, à la manière incertaine et confuse dont on les emploie, qu'il faut attribuer les notions imparfaites, les préjugés, les erreurs et toutes les habitudes vicieuses de l'esprit." Cabanis.

"There is no greater impediment to the advancement of knowledge than the ambiguity of words. To this chiefly it is owing that we find sects and parties in most branches of science; and disputes, which are carried on from age to age, without being brought to an issue." Reid on the Intellectual Powers of Man, p. 1.

Of similar import to the last quotation is the remark lately made to the Writer by a clerical friend, relative to the words Unscriptural and Anti-scriptural. "Unscriptural doc

general stock of knowledge, has some title to the public regard. If he be able only to supply some defects, and afford something new in plan, or in matter, the growing importance of the subject will justify him ia soliciting the notice of the public." Grant.

trine," said he, "is that which is not in the scriptures; Anti-scriptural doctrine, is that which is against or contrary to scripture." [The prefix un, is from the Saxon, and means not the prefix anti, is from the Greek, and signifies against, or contrary to.] "Much needless controversy," he continued, "has been caused by a want of due attention to the exact meaning of these and other words."

"I find there is so close a connection between ideas and words; and our abstract ideas and general words have so constant a relation one to another, that it is impossible to speak clearly and distinctly of our knowledge without considering first the nature, use, and signification of language." Locke on the Human Understanding, Book II. chap. xxxiii. § 19.

"But, after all, the provision of words is so scanty in respect of that infinite variety of thought, that men, wanting terms to suit their precise notions, will, notwithstanding their utmost caution, be forced often to use the same word in somewhat different senses." Locke*, Book III. chap. xi. § 27.

"It may lead us a little towards the original of all our notions and knowledge, if we remark how great a dependence our words have on common sensible ideas; and how those, which are made use of to stand for actions and notions quite removed from sense, have their rise from thence, and from obvious sensible ideas are transferred to more abstruse significations; and to stand for ideas that come not under the cognizance of our senses: for example, to apprehend, comprehend, adhere, conceive, instil, &c. are all words taken from the operations of sensible things, and applied to certain modes of

"Etymology often serves to ascertain the original importance and nature of a word, to elucidate an obscure or doubtful point, and to throw an interesting and amusing light on the general laws, by which, in the subsequent application of primary or proper signs the operations of the human fancy are regulated." Grant.

Upon a right apprehension of words depends the rectitude of our notions, and in order to form our judgment right, they must be understood in their proper meaning, and used in their true sense, either in writing or speaking. For if the words of the speaker or writer, though ever so apposite to the matter, be taken in a wrong sense, they form erroneous ideas in the mind concerning the thing spoken or written of; and if we use

thinking. Spirit, in its primary signification is breath: angel, a messenger: and I doubt not, but if we could trace them to their sources, we should find in all languages the names which stand for things that fall not under our senses, to have had their first rise from sensible ideas; by which we may give some kind of guess what kind of notions they were, and whence derived, which filled their minds who were the first beginners of language; and how nature, even in the naming of things, unawares, suggested to men the originals and principles of all their knowledge: whilst to give names that might make known to others any operation they felt in themselves, or any other ideas that came not under their senses, they were fain to borrow words from ordinary known ideas of sensation, by that means to make others the more easily conceive those operations they experimented in themselves, which made no outward sensible appearances; and then, when they had got known and agreed names to signify those internal operations of their own mind, they were sufficiently furnished to make known by words all their other ideas." Locke, Book III. chap. i. § 5.

words in a false and improper sense, this causes confusion in the understanding of the hearer, and renders the discourse unintelligible. It ought, therefore, to be the special care and study of every one, who would have his mind furnished with the useful knowledge of things of any kind, to get a true and distinct idea of the proper sense and meaning of words, and terms of art, in which they are expressed, without which no good progress can be made.' Watts.

"Of the benefit of artificial language no one will think lightly who can use it: and without contesting the metaphorical proposition-that we think by the medium of words-we are at liberty to affirm, that-words are often used without thinking;—and that much of Education as generally managed, has a strong tendency to produce such a habit. Old as we are we too sufficiently remember the hardships of attending to what we did not understand, and acquiring what we did not value......we have a vivid recollection of the heartlessness of storing up words without ideas and which we could not possibly imagine to be of any use but to furnish occasions for reproach and chastisement. So much for our dullness it may be said. Be it so: but there are thousands in the samestate." Edinburgh Monthly Review, Dec. 1819.

"The proper mode of studying words is one of the most important means of knowledge. Many persons remain in gross ignorance all their lives because they are too vain or too indolent to turn to a dictionary." Intellectual Patrimony, by James Gilchrist.

"Johnson says, words are of earth, but things are of heaven.' For the very reason that words are not divine but human, much attention to them is necessary; because being, like every thing human, imperfect and liable to perversion, they occasion, without constant care, much mistake, deception, absurdity, folly, and mischief. Things themselves are in general simple and uniform it is the medium through which they are view