Three years—1828 to 1830—saw the most prolific output ever by a lexicographer: Joseph E. Worcester. First came his abridgment of Johnson’s Dictionary. Converse then approached him to abridge Webster’s masterwork. Worcester declined, but when Converse…
Three years—1828 to 1830—saw the most prolific output ever by a lexicographer: Joseph E. Worcester. First came his abridgment of Johnson’s Dictionary. Converse then approached him to abridge Webster’s masterwork. Worcester declined, but when Converse…
Three years—1828 to 1830—saw the most prolific output ever by a lexicographer: Joseph E. Worcester. First came his abridgment of Johnson’s Dictionary. Converse then approached him to abridge Webster’s masterwork. Worcester declined, but when Converse…
This is Webster’s own copy of an infuriating document: a copyright jointly held with his nemesis, Worcester. The handwriting is Chauncey Goodrich’s. Not that he was a schemer, but Goodrich soon procured from Worcester a written disclaimer of any…
The feisty Lyman Cobb became fixated on Webster’s many flip-flops in spelling—caused in part by Worcester’s influence in the 1829 abridgment, which contradicted Webster. Cobb’s marginal strictures in his copy of the 1828 Webster resulted in this…
The feisty Lyman Cobb became fixated on Webster’s many flip-flops in spelling—caused in part by Worcester’s influence in the 1829 abridgment, which contradicted Webster. Cobb’s marginal strictures in his copy of the 1828 Webster resulted in this…
Given that Cobb minutely examined Webster’s books for inconsistencies, Webster, in the last year of his life, decided that turnabout was fair play. He issued this scarce broadside to demonstrate the many inconsistencies in Cobb’s own works. For…
In 1832, Abel Chandler received a patent on his stereotyped printing blocks. A year later, he printed Webster’s Primary School Dictionary. This letter illustrates a lexicographer’s attempt to enlist an ally. Lexicographers habitually call on…
Webster horrified his family by mortgaging his house to self-publish this book. All his ventures had proved disastrous, and this one was no different. Webster printed 3,000 copies; when he died, 1,420 lay in unbound sheets. Webster tried promotions.…
After his father’s death in May 1843, William G. Webster worked to ensure his father’s legacy and his own. Recently bankrupted, William struggled to find a footing. His name began appearing on the title pages of Webster “pocket editions.” There was…