THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
No. 143. | 
JUNE 1; 1806. [No:5, of Vox, 21. 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
T is not my intention in this letter to 
pourtray the merits of the Dictionary 
of Dr. Johofon, nor to launch any ftric- 
tures at that ‘* ftupendous effort of human 
induftry,’? as your correfpondent G. H. 
has inaptly termed it, in the 224th page 
of Number 141, but to acquaint him, 
that I have been fifteen years engaged in 
the compilation of a New Dictionary of 
the Englifh Language, and wifh to append 
to his obfervations a few remarks that 
have fuggefted themfelves to me during 
my progrefs. 
Thofe who have profeffedly treated on 
the fubject, or taken a curfory furvey of 
lexicography, muft admit the plan on 
which 7 intend to publith my Dictionary 
to be original, if not methodical, or prac- 
ticable to carry into execution. 
The drowly inobfervance of Dr. John- 
fon is no where more confpicuous than in 
the diverfity of his mode of fpelling. I 
fhall attempt therefore to render ortho- 
graphy lefs verfatile and fluétuating, by 
retaining the z in candouwr, labowr, favour, 
honour, becaufe in the pronunciation of 
the words it is more required than a: but 
not being the cafe in author, governour, 
perturbatowr, &c., it will be removed. 
Out of publick, critick, mufick, the k 
will be effaced; as will d out of alledge, 
colledge, knowledge, pidgeon. 
No werd compounded with able, ment, 
ly, er, ance, nefs, or ending with a double 
/, will receive elifion. I therefore purpofe 
retaining the e in chargeable and cureable ; 
acknowlegement and judgement ; chafiely 
and wholely ; oftener and fattener ; enter- 
rance and rememberance ; the s in pitilefs. 
nefs and regardiefsnefs ; and the final / in 
foretell, bridewel/, miicall, waterfall, 
dunghil/, and handfull. 
Cloth, and broth, when compounded, 
will retain the fame orthography. John- 
fon inconfiftently writes fackcioath, flefh- 
broath. 
Tie common accent will be ufed ; and 
inflead of fufpending it over the vowel of 
~ Montrriy Mac., No, 143. 
the accented fyllable, the feat of it will be 
at the clofe: andif the pronunciation of 
a word cannot be readily afcertained by 
it, the word will be accentuated and di- 
vided after the manner of Walker and 
Sheridan. 
Etymology muft ever depend much up- 
on conjecture. Words are often fortui- 
tcus, or fo obfcure and uncertain that they 
cannot be traced from their origin. The 
fenfe and grammatical application of a_ 
word being afcertained from the citations 
annexed, the etymological ftudent will 
have more exercife for his ingenuity, and 
may poffibly elicit out a derivation new 
and important. For this reafon, in the 
Number that 1s firft ifued, no etymology 
will be given; but in the amended edition 
the moft plaufible etymology will be ap- 
pended to every word. The fame obfer- 
vation is applicable to the definitions. 
Exemplifications will be copicufly taken 
from our poets, as they fo effeétually con- 
tribute to precifion of pronunciation, a 
juft harmony of words, and a true quanti. 
ty of fyllables. But where a word ap- 
pears affectedly ufed, deficient in polifh, 
unlicenfed, or unidiomatical, or where an 
accent is wantonly tran{planted to ferve the 
cadence, or the orthography altered to 
affilt the rhime, it will be noticed accord- 
ingly. 
The comparative and the fuperlativ > 
degree of adjectives, and adjectives relat‘ag 
to itates, vegions, fects, authors, moun- 
tains, rivers, feas, &c., will be inferted in 
the feries; likewife all participial ad- 
verbs 5 all veroal nouns, as firhizve, an- 
Sling, bunting, dancing, fwimming, &e. 3 
ali plurals, as howes, analyfes, vertebra, 
agnes fatui, &c.3 all provincial words ; 
the names of beaks, birds, fifhes, infe&s, 
plants, minerals, fofiils ; and compound- 
epithets, as giddy-headed, tafte pleafing, 
fun-refifiing, &c., wiil meet with a ficua- 
tion. The compounds of zz and ex, ux 
and in, de and di, co and coz, will be ac- 
curately diftinguifhed ; but the com. 
pounds with the adverbs qwei/ and z// will 
have no glace, being diftinct words, and 
2D uniting 
. 
