Sf.ct. IV.] German Lcmguage. 317 



ha\T all contributed a share, to reiuler a lano-uage 

 pnce but little esteemed ia Europe one of the most 

 copious, energetic, and lich of modern tongues. 



But among late German writers no individual is 

 ejUitled to more honourable mention than J. C, 

 Adelung, a celebrated pliilologist of that countrv. 

 His labours in studying and improving his native 

 language have been extensive, persevering, and 

 successful to a degree almost without precedent. 

 He has produced works, in this department of li« 

 tcrature, with \i^hich the productions of learned 

 academies, and royal societies, can scarcely be 

 brought into competition. His Grammar of the 

 German Language * is an elaborate and systematic 

 work, unquestionably superior to all preceding 

 works of a similar kind, and has contributed much 

 towards forming and regulating the language of 

 which it treats. But his greatest work is a Corn- 

 plate Dictionary of the German Language '\. lu 

 the composition of this extraordinary work he 

 spent the greater part of thirty years, and it is 

 pronounced^ by good judges, to come nearer to 

 the idea of a perfect dictionary than any other 

 effort of human diligence hitherto published. It 

 contains a larger number of words than any other 

 extant: the definitions are singularly lucid and satis- 

 factory; every word is scientitically arranged, with 

 respect to its literal and metaj)horical signification ; 

 the etymologies of words are pur«>ucd with an acutc- 

 ness and a skill which render them highlv instruc- 



* In two volumes large octavo. 



f It consists of live volumes large quaito. 



