514 Mr. Pickering on the present state of the English language 
RETORTIVE. This is called “ anew word” in an American review of Barlow's 
Columbiad. See Monthly Anthoi. vy. vii. p. 117. 1 presume no other A- 
merican author ever used it.* 
ROCK. This is much used in Vew England instead of stone: We often hear 
the phrase heaving rocks, for throwing stones. . 
Yo ROIL.; “to render turbid by stirring up lees; to disturb the mind and ex- 
cite anger.” Webst. New England. 
This verb is often used, in conversation, in the first of these senses, by 
people ofall ranks ; but the second sense is confined to the vulgar. I do 
not find it in the dictionaries, with either of these significations. Grose has 
it as a frovincialism thus : “ Roil or royle ; to perplex, fatigue. Vorth.’’ 
ROILY ; turbid, thick. 
ROMANTICALLY. Thisis ridiculed in the Monthly Anthology for 1806, p. 92. 
as “an Indianism.” It is not in use in this country. I haye, in one in- 
' Stance, met with the still more extraordinary word, romanticity. 
RUGGED ; hardy, robust. ew England. Englishmen remark upon our use of 
this word in conversation in the above sense, as one of our peculiarities. 
Thus we often hear the expression, a rugged, i, e. robust boy.. 
RUN, 2. “A ‘small stream,” Wik Kew England. This is sometimes used 
in conversation, but not in writing. The English dictionaries do not give 
this sense of the word: Most of them, however, have runnel, which John- 
son defines “a rivulet, a small brook ;” jbut Walker says this is “ little us- 
ed :” I may add that in America it is never used. ee 
RUNGS, x. flur. A very common name in New England for the rounds or steps 
to charge these reviewers with ignorance because they have in this very review given 
our countryman Minot the name of Minor. 
* Mr. Barlow has used a great number of words which no other American writer per- 
haps would have ventured to employ. Many of them have been condemned in the Edin. 
Review, vol. xv. p. 28, and by almost every one of Mr. Barlow’s own countrymen. As 
these words may, with the strictest propriety, be said to be peculiar to Mr B. and 
will probably never be used again, I have thought it — particularly to men- 
tion them. 
