924 Improvements in ‘Fobnfon’s Didtionary.—Longevity. [April 1, 
- Sevity P 
that prevailed between Egypt and Greece, 
not to mention the travels of Pythagoras 
and «others; the authority derived from 
the criginal Hebrew itfelf, the unity of 
the context, and the fimplicity of the nar- 
rative; le: us hope'that-the opinions of 
men will be candidly and ferioufly revifed, 
and that they «ill thoroughly invetigate 
the arsuments vpon which the do&trine sf 
Moia‘c Immaterial fm-is founded. Let 
them reflect, (oo, that in making this re- 
vifion they abridge not one atom of the 
aitributes of the Divinity, fince to reduce 
inte that beauteous order and fymmetry 
which we daily witnefs, what was origi-' 
nally nothing but chaotic confufion, muft 
furcly demonftrate as much power and 
wildom as the creation out of nothing, 
both being equally beyond the reach of 
any thing but Diviniy. Iam, Sir, 
Your’s, &c. 
A SOUTH-WEST Briton. 
Feb. 3, 1806. 
—_=a Se 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR; 
I AM jak informed by my bookfeller 
that the quarto edi:in of Johnfon’s 
Diétionaiy is out cf print. In the inte- 
rim of a new edition being publithed, 
I beg leave, through the medium of your 
vaiuable publication, to fuggeft a few 
hints relative to that ftupendous effort of 
human induftry. 
When a work has received the fanction 
of half a century, when it is univerfally 
confidered, and has even been recognized 
iv our courts of judicature as tne fandard 
of the Englifh Janguage—to enlarge on 
its merits would be idle and fuperfluous. 
But great as are the excellencies of this 
Diftionary, great alfo are its detects ; and 
in proportion to the confidence placed in 
it as the criterion of purity and elegance, 
wili be the difappointment of the ftudent, 
if he finds it, as no doubt he mutt in .ma- 
ny inftances, defective and erroneous. 
Ic has often been a fource of regret, 
that there is no fociety in this country 
formed (iike that under the old monarchy 
of France) exprefsly to preferve the pu- 
rity of our vernacvlar idiom, and to tranf- 
mit it to the pubiic in a fandard DiZten- 
ary. Til fucha fociery be infituted, it 
is furely defiiable that every endeavour be 
made to improve the labours of Johnfon, 
by the addition of fuch words as he has 
omitted—by diftinguifhing fuch as are 
cjaffical from words cf doubiful autho- 
rity or ci vulgar and common ule—by 
tracing more accurately the etymology of 
4 
our language, which may be done with 
peculiar aivantage after the light that has 
been thrown on this tubjeét by the inge- 
nious au. hor of ** The Dive: fioas of Pur- 
ley,” and by incorporating the whole un- 
der one alphabet, fo that the young ftu- 
dent may not be obliged to have recourfe 
to three or four volumes in order to trace 
the derivation or difcaver the meaning of 
a fingle word, but may at one view ob- 
tain fatisfalion on the fubject of his in- 
quiiy. 
I am aware that the above has been in 
part attempted by feveral hands, but do 
not know any that fully come up to the 
plan I have formed. At leat, I believe 
no edition of Johnfon’s Diétiosary, in 
which the improvements are incorporated 
into one alphabet, has been publifhed, 
though a propofal of this kicd was made 
to the public f{.me years fince. Should 
“any reader of your Magazine be able to 
inform me of fuch a work now ex:ant or 
in agitation, it will be deemed a particu- 
lar favour. 
Ata peried like the prefent, when the 
Engiifh language has probably attained 
its h:gheft polifh—when philclogical eritt- 
cifm has received many valuable accefli- 
ons, and a tafte for literature is fo widely 
differsinated and generally encouraged, a 
work cf the nature 1 have heen 1ecom- 
mending muft Be highly fea‘onable, and 
cannct fail of receiving merited fupport. 
Soliciting the attention of your numerous 
correfpondents to this important fubject, 
I remain, Sir, your's, &c. 
G. H..- 
See ] 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HE duration of human life is a fub- 
ject fo univerfally interefting, tnat it 
is rather furprifing more attempts have 
not been made to alcertain the circum-< 
ftances under which it may be prolonged 
to its greateft exren*.. The ancient affer- 
tion, that ‘* the days of our yeais are 
three-fcore years and ten,” feems to have 
fatisfied mo! perfons that they have little 
hope of living beyond that period; and 
certainly an inhabitant of any of the large 
cities of modern Europe; who attains to 
the age of feventy, bas great reaion fo 
thisk he haS-enjoyed an ample fhare’ of 
human life; but that there are fituations 
and circumita*ces in which it may be pro- 
longed much beyond this term, every one 
mutt admit, though few obfervations have 
been made on this head from whies any 
ufeful conclufons can be drawn. 
Haller, 
Buffon, 
a a 
