Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable/Preface
Preface
To the New and Enlarged Edition
of
"Phrase and Fable," 1894.
It is now about a quarter of a century since the first Edition of "Phrase and Fable" was published, and the continuous sale of the book is a proof that it supplies a want very largely felt.
In the interval much new information has been unearthed on the subjects treated of in the Dictionary, many errors of philology have been exposed, and an exactitude has been reached which was almost impossible when the book was first undertaken more than fifty years ago. During this length of time the book or its manuscript has been always at the author's elbow, that new matter might be laid in store, errors corrected, and suggestions utilized, to render the work more generally useful, and more thoroughly to be depended on.
It has been thought by those concerned, that, as the author is now in the 85th year of his age, it would be desirable for him finally to overhaul the entire book—a revision not compatible with such clipping and verbal changes as can be made in stereotyped plates; this "New and Enlarged Edition" has, accordingly, been thoroughly recast, and every item has been printed in a fresh type. This has enabled the author to make additions and corrections, and to substitute new articles for less useful ones ad libitum; so that this "New and Enlarged Edition" is virtually a new work on the old lines.
The last ten years of this Nineteenth Century has been pre-eminently distinguished for researches in English philology. More dictionaries on our gigantic and magnificent language have been published in this decade than in any preceding one, and thousands of ripe scholars in Great Britain and America have "contributed to improve their character; so that now, no dictionary of any other language can touch even the fringe of our best English exponents of a tongue spoken by more than a hundred million of the earth's inhabitants. The research, the accuracy, the precision now demanded are quite unprecedented, and the great public interest taken in the matter might justify our calling the period "The Era of English Philology."
In this present "New and Enlarged Edition" of this "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable" advantage has been taken of this great literary movement from every available source. More than one-third of the book consists of entire new matter. Some 350 extra pages have been added, and all that has been retained of previous editions have been subjected to the severest scrutiny.
Thanks are most deservedly due, and are here most gratefully tendered to the many hundreds of correspondents who have written to the author on the subjects contained in his book. Some have been specialists; some have suggested new articles, some have sent apt quotations; and others have gone diligently through the edition in their possession from beginning to end, and have sent their observations to the author, with permission to use them according to his judgment.
Of these last, especial mention should be made of the Rev. Arthur M. Rendell, M. A., of Coston Rectory, Melton Mowbray, of Dr. Huxley of Bath, Mr. J. Edward Cooper, Stapleford, (a most judicious and painstaking critic), of Geo. Martin, Esq., Principal of Wirral Academy, Birkenhead, F. Tolhansen, Esq., a well-known author, and of a Barrister at law whose name I have not obtained permission to publish.
To set down the names of others whose correspondence fills a box of no inconsiderable size, would serve no useful purpose, and would not interest the general reader; but it may, without vanity, be hoped, with all this help, and all the pains of the author for more than half a century, that this Treasury of Literary bric-à-brac will become a standard book of reference, and a guide to be relied on
E. Cobham Brewer.
Edwinslowe, Newark.
Autumn, 1894.