d
upon Dr. Furnivall devolved the entire editorship in
addition to his other onerous duties as Secretary of the
Philological Society. He projected the admirable system of
sub-editing, which proved so successful. As the work
proceeded several of the most energetic and most competent
workers undertook to sub-edit the materials already
collected, each one taking a separate letter of the
alphabet. Some two million quotations were amassed, but
still the man was wanting who would devote his life to
forming the Dictionary from these materials. In course of
time Dr. Murray came forward, and in 1878 he prepared some
specimens for submission to the Delegates of the Clarendon
Press, who agreed to publish the Dictionary. The first part
was published in 1884, and the second in 1885.[17] It is
hoped that in future it will be possible to issue a part
every six months. At present the alphabet is carried down to
Batten. This is one of the most magnificent pieces of work
that has ever been produced in any country, and it is an
honour to every one concerned. To the Philological Society
who conceived it, to Dr. Murray and his staff who have
devoted so much labour and intellect to its production, and
to the Clarendon Press who have published it to the world.
It is, moreover, an honour to the country which now
possesses a well-grounded hope of having, at no distant day,
the finest Historical Dictionary ever produced.

In this connection the _Encyclopaedic Dictionary_, now in
course of publication by Messrs. Cassell, should be
mentioned as a valuable work.

Up to a few years ago it was impossible to obtain any
satisfactory etymological information on English words from
our Dictionaries. Mr. Hensleigh Wedgwood partly removed this
reproach by the publication of his very valuable "Dictionary
of English Etymology" in 1859,[18] but in this work Mr.
Wedgwood only dealt with a portion of the vocabulary.

Professor Skeat commenced the publication of his
indispensable "Etymological Dictionary of the English
Language" (Clarendon Press) in 1879, and in 1884 he produced
a second edition. In 1882 Professor Skeat published "A
Concise Etymological Dictionary," which is something more
than an abridgment, and a book which should find a place in
all li