which express a perfect and
superlative sense in themselves, do not admit of comparison."--_English
Gram._, p. 81. Now, according to Murray's definition, which Kirkham adopts,
none of these words can be at all in the superlative degree. On the
contrary, there are several among them, from which true superlatives are
frequently and correctly formed. Where are the positives which are here
supposed to be "_increased to the highest degree_?" Every real superlative
in our language, except _best_ and _worst, most_ and _least, first_ and
_last_, with the still more irregular word _next_, is a derivative, formed
from some other English word, by adding _est_ or _most_; as, _truest,
hindmost_. The propriety or impropriety of comparing the foregoing words,
or any of the "_many others_" of which this author speaks, is to be
determined according to their meaning, and according to the usage of good
writers, and not by the dictation of a feeble pedant, or upon the
supposition that if compared they would form "_double superlatives_."

OBS. 8.--_Chief_ is from the French word _chef_, the _head: chiefest_ is
therefore no more a double superlative than _headmost_: "But when the
_headmost_ foes appeared."--_Scott_. Nor are _chief_ and _chiefest_
equivalent terms: "Doeg an Edomite, the _chiefest_ of the herdsmen."--_1
Samuel_, xxi, 7. "The _chief_ of the herdsmen," would convey a different
meaning; it would be either the _leader_ of the herdsmen, or the _principal
part_ of them. _Chiefest_, however, has often been used where _chief_ would
have been better; as, "He sometimes denied admission to the _chiefest_
officers of the army."--_Clarendon_, let us look further at Kirkham's list
of _absolute_ "_superlatives_."

OBS. 9.--_Extreme_ is from the Latin superlative _extremus_, and of course
its literal signification is not really susceptible of increase. Yet
_extremest_ has been used, and is still used, by some of the very best
writers; as, "They thought it the _extremest_ of evils."--_Bacon_. "That on
the sea's _extremest_ border stood."--_Addison_. "How, to _extremest_
thrill of agony."--_Pollok_, B. viii, l. 270. "I go th' _extremest_ remedy
to prove."--_Dryden_. "In _extremest_ poverty."--_Swift_. "The hairy fool
stood on th' _extremest_ verge of the swift brook, augmenting it with
tears."--_Shak_. "While the _extremest_ parts of the earth were meditating
submission."--_Atterbury_. "His writings are poetical to the _extremest_
boundaries o