moderate degree of skill without examples and inftructions. I have therefore here given a collection of the moft artful games, the most critical fituations, and the most striking revolutions, that have fallen within my notice; which are fuch as may, in some respects, fet this game even equal with that of Chefs.

There is indeed one fecret boasted in the world, which I cannot teach. Some men pretend to an infallible method, by which he that moves first shall win the game; but no fuch hero has it ever been my fortune to encounter, and no fuch do I expect to find. Nor can it be proved that the first mover has any confiderable advantage over a perfon equally skilful with himself. In this opinion I have the concurrence of thofe excellent players Mr. James Randell, Captain John Godfrey, and Mr. William Wolly, my intimate and worthy friends, whofe examples have greatly contributed to my skill in the game; but in particular those of the great Randell, of whom it may with probability be afferted, that what he could not attain will never be discovered.

PREFACE

HAVING been long employed in the study and

cultivation of the English language, I lately publifhed a dictionary like thofe compiled by the academies of Italy and France, for the use of such as afpire to exactness of criticism, or elegance of style.

But it has been fince confidered, that works of that kind are by no means neceffary to the greater number of readers, who, feldom intending to write or prefuming to judge, turn over books only to amufe their leifure, and to gain degrees of knowledge fuitable to lower characters, or neceffary to the common bufinefs of life: these know not any other ufe of a dictionary than that of adjusting orthography, and explaining terms of science, or words of infrequent occurrence, or remote derivation.

For these purposes many dictionaries have been written by different authors, and with different degrees of skill;

but none of them have yet fallen into my hands by which even the lowest expectations could be fatisfied. Some of their authors wanted industry, and others literature: fome knew not their own defects, and others were too idle to fupply them.

For this reafon a small dictionary appeared yet to be wanting to common readers; and, as I may without arrogance claim to myself a longer acquaintance with the lexicography of our language than any other writer has had, I fhall hope to be confidered as having more experience at least than most of my predeceffors, and as more likely to accommodate the nation with a vocabulary of daily use. I therefore offer to the public an abstract or epitome of my former work.

In comparing this with other dictionaries of the fame kind, it will be found to have feveral advantages.

I. It contains many words not to be found in any other.

II. Many barbarous terms and phrafes, by which other dictionaries may vitiate the ftyle, are rejected from this.

III. The words are more correctly fpelled, partly by attention to their etymology, and partly by obfervation of the practice of the best authors.

IV. The etymologies and derivations, whether from foreign languages or from native roots, are more diligently traced, and more diftinctly noted.

V. The fenfes of each word are more copiously enumerated, and more clearly explained.

VI. Many words occurring in the elder authors, fuch as Spenfer, Shakspeare, and Milton, which had been

hitherto

hitherto omitted, are here carefully inferted; fo that this book may ferve as a gloffary or expofitory index to the poetical writers.

VII. To the words, and to the different fenfes of each word, are fubjoined from the large dictionary the names of those writers by whom they have been used; fo that the reader who knows the different periods of the language, and the time of its authors, may judge of the elegance or prevalence of any word, or meaning of a word; and without recurring to other books, may know what are antiquated, what are unusual, and what are recommended by the best authority.

The words of this dictionary, as opposed to others, are more diligently collected, more accurately fpelled, more faithfully explained, and more authentically ascertained. Of an abftract it is not neceffary to fay more; and I hope, it will not be found that truth requires me to say less.

THE

I DL E R.

N° XXII.*

ANY naturalifts are of opinion, that the animals

MAN

which we commonly confider as mute, have the power of imparting their thoughts to one another. That they can exprefs general fenfations is very certain; every being that can utter founds, has a different voice for pleasure and for pain. The hound informs his fellows when he scents his game; the hen calls her chickens to their food by her cluck, and drives them from danger by her fcream.

Birds have the greateft variety of notes; they have indeed a variety, which feems almoft fufficient to make a fpeech adequate to the purposes of a life, which is regulated by instinct, and can admit little change or improvement. To the cries of birds, curiofity or fuper ftition has been always attentive; many have ftudied the language of the feathered tribes, and fome have boafted that they understood it.

This paper was omitted when The Idler was reprinted. E.

The