in the United States of America. 46% 
bodies in the United States, and has been supposed by some writers to bea 
pure Americanism: but this is not the case. The word, however, does not 
seem to be much used by good English writers of the present day. John- 
son’s authorities are, Hale, Collins, Atterbury, and Locke, the last of whom 
uses it also as a neuer verb, in the following sentence quoted by Johnson— 
“Find eut upon what foundation any proposition advanced, bottoms.” 
| Burke (who i is the latest, and only modern, writer in whose works I have ob- 
served it) uses it both as an active and a neuter verb—* But an absurd opin- 
ion concerning the king’s hereditary Tight to the crown does not prejudice 
one that is rational and dottomed upon solid principles of law and policy.” 
Reflections on the Revolut. in France, p- 15, Dublin edit. of 1792. All 
the oblique insinuations concerning election bottom in n this proposition,” &e. 
. -m ibid. 2 37. 
tes +1 Coch Ses 
) this verb can hardly be said to be in 
use in eee: Our using it is alluded to as one of our peculiarities, in 
the Monthly Review for 1808, yol. 56. See To Predicate. - : 
BOTTOM-LANDS ; used in Pennsylvania and some other states to denote the 
rich flat land on the banks of rivers, which in the Northern states is gene- 
ce of Britain was her scbkibiloes ee on tile importation oF eau: 
stuff,’ &c. Marshall’s Life of Washington, vol. 5. p» 519. The Annual 
Review (vol. 7. p. 241) points out this as one of the Americaniems of J udge 
- Marshall’s work. The term was first used; I believe, in some of the offi- 
cial papers of our government, soon after the adoption of the present Con- 
stitution. “The articles of exports... are bread-stuffs, that is to say, 
- bread-grains, meals, and bread.” Report of the Secretary of State (Mr. 
Jefferson) on Commercial Restrictions, &c. Dec. 16, 1793. It has probably 
_ been the more readily allowed among us, because we do not commoily (as 
the English do) use the word corn asa general name for all sorts of grain, 
_ but apply it almost exclusively to Indian corn, or maize. - Mr. Webster has 
“not the term éread-stuff in his dictionary. See Corn. airuorc> 
To B) R IDGE. A peculiar use of this verb in ‘Connecticut’ is. thas noticed by an 
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