12 FEBRUARY 1898, Page 25

The Orford English Dictionary. Edited by Dr. James A. H,

Murray. (Clarendon Press.)—The first instalment of the Dictionary for 1893 appears under the care of Mr. Henry Bradley, and includes " Frank-Law—Fuz " (completing " F ") and " G—Gain coming." We have now, therefore, the first half of the fourth volume, comprising the letters " F " and " G." A pre- fatory note referring to " F " tells us that in this letter there are 9,339 main words, with 1,419 subordinate entries and 2,849 special combinations, making a total of 13,607, of which almost exactly a quarter are obsolete. The note gives us some idea of the unsparing labour which is being and has been for man? years expended on the Dictionary. A preliminary arrangement of the material was made more than twenty years ago.