79. Worcester (Joseph E.) A dictionary of the English language, first edition , inscribed presentation copy from the author, with A.L.s. tipped in , ?original half morocco, 4to, Boston, 1860.
est. £1000 – £1500
Inscribed: "Prof. Asa Gray, M.D. / with the respects of / J.E. Worcester." Also with autograph letter dated January 30, 1860, signed J. E. Worcester, thanking Professor Gray for his assistance, which had made the work "less unworthy of approbation than it otherwise would have been." Asa Gray (1810-1888), who is credited in Worcester's preface, was the foremost botanist of his generation.
The first American dictionary to incorporate illustrations, this work represents the culmination of the career of Joseph Worcester (1784-1865), the chief competitor to Noah Webster. The pair's differing views of pronunciation (Worcester followed current London speech versus Webster's American) led to a fierce rivalry, often termed the 'dictionary wars,' lasting even after Webster's death in 1843. With this 1860 work, Worcester briefly held the pre-eminent position in the dictionary market until the Merriam brothers produced a revised Webster's in 1864.