DICTIONARIES.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "STIBTETOR.1 SIR,—In the interesting article on the subject of dictionaries in the Spectator of May 27th, occur the words :—"Heedless of the hackneyed aphorism.that a definition should be simpler than its excuse, he (Dr. Johnson) changes `dry' into desicca- tive,' and burial' into ' sepulture.'" But in his preface. the Doctor carefully states his modus agendi as follows :—" To explain, requires the use of terms less abstruse than that which. is to be explained, and, such terms cannot a1tvits be found. For as nothing can be proved but by supposing some- thing intuitively known, and evident without proof, -'so nothing can be defined but by the use of words too plain to admit of definition. Sometimes easier words are changed into harder,' as `burial' into`sepulture' or internierit' .;:i 'dry ' into desiccative ' ; `dryness' into siccity ' or aridity.' • ' fit' into `paroxysm' ; for the easiest word, whatever' it be,' can never be translated into one more easy."—I am, Sir, &c.,
STANLEY C. ROWLAND.
Stanstead Hall, :Eli tehant, Ipswich, iraY39th. •
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