n
his day represented the best and most historic pronunciation. The first
ministers had been educated at the universities, and the respect felt
for them had led to a general acceptance of their mode of speech. He
himself said _vollum_ for volume, and _p[)a]triot_, and _perce_ for
pierce. He regarded Sheridan, Walker, Perry, Jones, and Jamieson as
having, in their attempts at securing uniformity, only unsettled the old
and familiar speech,--a curious commentary on his own performances in
orthography. He does not here, either, forget his loyalty to America.
"In a few instances," he says, "the common usage of a great and
respectable portion of the people of this country accords with the
analogies of the language, but not with the modern notation of English
orthoepists. In such cases it seems expedient and proper to retain our
own usage. To renounce a practice confessedly regular for one
confessedly anomalous, out of respect to foreign usage, would hardly be
consistent with the dignity of lexicography. When we have principle on
our side, let us adhere to it. The time cannot be distant when the
population of this vast country will throw off their leading-strings,
and walk in their own strength; and the more we can raise the credit and
authority of principle over the caprices of fashion and innovation, the
nearer we approach to uniformity and stability of practice."

The absence of the finer qualities of scholarship in Webster's
composition is indicated by his somewhat rough and ready treatment of
the subject of pronunciation; perhaps no more delicate test exists of
the grain of an educated person's culture than that of pronunciation. It
is far more subtle than orthography or grammar, and pleasure in
conversation, when analyzed, will show this fine sense of sound and
articulation to be the last element.

If any one had asked Webster upon what part of his Dictionary he had
expended the most time and now set the highest value, he would
undoubtedly have answered at once the etymology, and whatever related to
the history and derivation of words. The greater part of the time given
continuously, from 1807 to 1826, to the elaboration of his Dictionary
was spent upon this department; his severest condemnation of Johnson was
upon the score of his ignorance in these particulars, and the credit
which he took to himself was frank and sincere. There can be no doubt
that he worked hard; there can be no doubt, either, that he had his way