23 MAY 1903, Page 21

A New English Dictionary. Edited by Dr. James A. H.

Murray. Vol. VII., " Onomastical-Outing." (The Clarendon Press. 5s.) —Dr. Murray intervenes, with no little cogency of argument, in the Shakespeare-Bacon controversy. Shakespeare uses freely verbs compounded with "out "—he has fifty-four, being our first authority for thirty-eight, and our only authority for nine— Bacon is cited but for two, one of which, "outshoot," was in common use before his time. This is a significant instance of the value of this great work. Vols. VI., VII., VIII., are in pro- gress under different editors, the parts still wanting being " L " from "look" onwards ; "M," "N," " 0 " from " outing " onwards ;

"H," and part of " S." The rest of "S" and " T "-" Z" will occupy IX. and X. The end is not very far off.