ntly had two
temptations to hasty composition--a copious vocabulary and complete
familiarity with his subject. There is an occasional impetuosity and
recklessness in his manner, and a general habit of tossing off his
sentences with an air of disdainful indifference, which characterizes
a large class of amateur southern writers. Such a style is often rapid
from heedlessness rather than force, and animated from caprice rather
than fire. The timid correctness of an elegant diction is not more
remote from beauty than the defiant carelessness of a reckless one is
from power; and to avoid Mr. Prettyman, it is by no means necessary to
"fraternize" with Sir Forcible Feeble. Mr. Gayarre has produced so
pleasant a book, and gives evidence of an ability to do so much toward
familiarizing American history to the hearts and imaginations of the
people, that we trust he will not only give us more books, but subject
their style to a more scrupulous examination than he has the present.

_Universal and Critical Dictionary of the English
Language. By Joseph E. Worcester. Boston: Wilkins,
Carter, & Co. 1 vol. 8vo._

The present century has been distinguished above all others in the
history of English lexicography, for the number and excellence of its
dictionaries. It is a matter of pride to Americans that so far the
United States are in advance of England, in regard to the sagacity and
labor devoted to the English language. Of those who have done most in
this department, the pre-eminence belongs to Dr. Webster and Dr.
Worcester. Each has published a Dictionary of great value; and that of
the latter is now before us. It bears on every page marks of the most
gigantic labor, and must have been the result of many long years of
thought and investigation. Its arrangement is admirable, and its
definitions clear, concise, critical, and ever to the purpose. The
introduction, devoted to the principles of pronunciation, orthography,
English Grammar, the origin, formation, and etymology of the English
language; and the History of English Lexicography is laden with
important information, drawn from a wide variety of sources. Dr.
Worcester has also, in the appendix, enlarged and improved Walker's
Key to the Classical Pronunciation of Greek, Latin, and Scripture
Names, and added the pronunciation of modern geographical names. Taken
as a whole, we think the dictionary one which not even the warmest
admirers of Dr. Webster can speak of