Arabic and Persian Lexicography [pp. 190-195]

.Irabic and Persian Lexicography.
not all. As a Persian lexicon, the work of Richardson, as
might, indeed, have been expected from the author's oppor tunities and aids, was imperfect. It was, in fact, as Mr.
Johnson well observes, a limited translation from the The saurus of Meninski. It was liable, therefore, to be want ing in two points, accuracy and copiousness. Mistakes in
translation were almost inevitable in so large a work; and the
translator was left to guess whether certain Arabic words
were likely to occur in any Persian writers. That he fre quently guessed amiss, is no discredit to his scholarship,
though a great disadvantage to the student who consults his
work. As a Persian lexicon, it was much improved by Wil kins, agreeably to what we have already stated. The Arabic
department, we believe, underwent no considerable change.
It was reserved for the present editor, not only to enhance its
value to the Persian student, but to give it a place among author ities in Arabic philology. It is now, in fact, an Arabic lexicon
of no small value-not for beginners,butfor thosewho aresome what advanced. A firm foundation cannot possibly be laid,
in Arabic philology, without the careful use of systematic
works like that of Golius. An attempt to learn the rudiments
by means of Richardson's Grammar, and to commence a course
of reading with the help of his Dictionary, even in its most
improved condition, would be worse than unsuccessful; for it
could hardly fail to generate a superficial scholarship, more
contemptible than unassuming ignorance. But to those who
have already learned to grope their way, with some success,
through the mazes of the most intricate and scientific grammar in the world-and especially to those who have their eye
upon the Persian, as a collateral or ulterior object-Mr.
Johnson has presented an expensive, but a very welcome aid.
It may here be proper to state the amount of the improvements, as asserted by their author, and partially confirmed by
a limited inspection of the work itself. As to the Persianmany thousand words of purely Persian origin have been inserted from the celebrated work Burhani Kati, and from a
manuscript dictionary compiled by a learned native of the
East, from twenty-four native writers, under the inspection
of Mr. Haughton, late Professor of Hindu Literature in the
East India College, Hertfordshire. This work, in which the
definitions are sustained by copious citations from the classics
of the language, commands the student's confidence in the results which it has furnished. As to the Arabic-Richardson's
voL. iv. No. II.-2 B
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