Shakespeare Lexicon. By Dr. Alexander Schmidt. (Williams and Norgate.)—No higher
and more appreciative compliment can be paid to the genius of our great dramatist than lies in the fact that a foreigner should, with much labour and research, deem his time and energies to be well employed in compiling a dictionary of the words to be found in his works ; and we know not which should claim the higher place in our admiration, Dr. Schmidt's accurate knowledge of the text of Shakespeare, or his intimate acquaintance with our language not merely as spoken and written in the present day, but as it was spoken nearly three hundred years ago. The language of Shake- speare is not easy for a foreigner to grasp, pregnant as it is with subtle meanings ; we think, however, that all who examine Dr. Schmidt's lexicon will allow that he has done his work thoroughly, and that his ambition to produce a book which shall be useful, not merely to his own countrymen, but to Englishmen, is accomplished. The dictionary com- prises words to be found in the thirty-six dramas and the poems usually ascribed to Shakespeare, our author rejecting all which are of doubtful authenticity. The plan of the work is good, as facilitating research, and it is no more bulky than so great an undertaking requires. Quotations given are from the "Globe Edition," the orthography employed is that of the present day, but with refer- ences to older editions, whether quarto or folio, in which variations may occur, thus offering to the student who is far from public libraries, in which such quartos and folios repose, a ready means of making himself acquainted with the text of early editions, which are rarely to be found on ordinary book-shelves. Dr. Schmidt is happy in his definitions, and his mental ear is attuned to so fine a harmony, that he perceives slight modulations of meaning which a less acute ear would fail to recognise. He gives first the definition of the word in its positive sense, with refer- ences to all plays, &c., in which it is so employed, but without quotation, since the meaning is obvious ; then follows the word bearing a differ- ence of signification, greater or less, and here quotations are given which shall render intelligible the sense in which it is employed. We have read of a notable personage who, under given circumstances, being debarred all literature save a volume of Shakespeare, and a Bible which accidentally fell in his way, managed to teach himself English by studying the two books ; a similar proficiency might be attained from a careful use of Dr. Schmidt's lexicon, and combining as it does diction- ary, glossary, and concordance, we feel sure that it will prove a valuable addition to the libraries of literary men and students.
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