Noah Webster

Dr. Webster has leen a long time before llie public as a prominent individual in the vorious deparlments of society, nnd a short notice of the rrincipal events of his life cnnnot be unncceptable to the public. He wns born in West Hartford in this State, October 16th, 1758. He 'vas o descendant of John Webster, one of the first settlers of Hnrtford, who was a msmber of the colonial council from its first formation, and subsequer.tly Governor of Connecticut.Noah Welster eniered Yale College in 1774. In liis Junior year, in the time of Burgoyne's expedition from Canada, iie volui.teered his services under thecomtnand of his fatlier, wlio was captain in the alarm list. In thatpaign all tho members of the family. four in number, were in thearmy atllie same time. - Notwithstanding tliis interruptiun in his i ies, Ilr. Webster cfraduatcd witli high reuotalion in 1773. Dnring tho snmmer of 1779 he retided in the famüy of Mr. afrerwards Chief Justice Ellsworth at Hartford, lic was adrnitted to the bar in 1781. Stibseqiiently, hè engnged in ihe business of intruclion and bein; strongly impres-sed with tlio defccts ot such books a3 were ihen nsed in elent-ntary school.-, pubiishnd in 1783, at Hartford, his Hrsl part of a G ia mino tica l lnstiiule of ihr ÈitgUëk Langyagê. The success of this i wnik, and of olhers of the same cl;i?s preparcd by him. ia well known. Mr. Webster early hecame a political writer. His fir.-t publication in this character was at Hartford is 1733. when theStme was greatly ngitatcd on the suKjt'Ct of half pay for life lo the revolotionarynriiiy. Por a series of papers n the Connecticut Courant urder the signalyes of ïïonorus, he received the ihüiiks ol'Gov. Trumbull in person, and was h'gWy coniplimented by otlier pentlenien of disunction. At various oilier periods ofpiiblic excilemont and.difficul ly, theaid of liis pen was soliciícd by tlioso who were best ncqunintéd wuli Jiis full nnd rorrccl inforrnation un questions of public interest, and his ability lo cxplain and defendhis wn views. His 'Sketches of American Policv,' publishift 1784, his writings in favor of tlie adoplion of the Fede-al C-mstit'Uion, in c'efence of WashinytoiVs prpclainafipn f neirmÜty and of the troaty nogociated with Great Britain, bv Mr. Jay, liad greal influence o;i uublicopin i-m, and were liighly appreciated. Varions otlier topics during llie samo penod were pub liclv ]ctl.;sed by liim. In 1793, he conimcticed a daily paper in New Yoik, which is now called the Commercial Adverteer and New Yo:k Spectator. Mr. Webster removed to New Haven in 1798. and in 1S07 cnlered on the Lreat business of liis life. the compilalijon i)f a new and ccmplete Dictionary of the Englisli langiinge, ' This work he prosecuted amidst various difficulties and disci'iiragemen'.s, and publishvd tle first edilion of ït in 1323. In the preparation of this D.ctionary he was led to inveslignte to a great ex'.ent the subject of Etymolotry, and the relations rf various languages to each othpr. This Dictionary hus been! more favorubly rereived, than, as is beücved, theiiuthor ever anticipated. His ether pubhcations are too numerous to bc parücularly meniioned here.Dr. Webs: er formed ro opinión without in vest'gation, and such opinión, on any subject as appearod to l.im, after full consideration, to bv correct, !ie never fearcd to express. - IJestrongly lovod hts country, and wa a patriot of the Washington school. He lived ind died Ha the fa i h ftf the gospel. For the last forty years of his life, though he had been long I befniR a diligent student, lio devoted liis lime to literary pursuits with an ardor rarely seen in nny country, and especially m this. His sludy was his horue; his books and pen liis constant companions; and liis lcnowledge to j the last was consinntly on the inercasc. - ! Wiien sncli a man is taken frora life, 'much léarniog' dieth willi liim'. Dr. Wrbstcr had onjoyed remarkably vigorons liealtli, t'll witlñn a few days of his death. On Monday of last week lie was sliijlit !y unwell, but no alarm w'aa feit by his family. His disorder, howcver, poon look the form of plonrisy, and he gradually sank under the attnek, ti!l, at the time nbove mentioned, in thf fnll possession of his reason, he died witli cntire composure and rösüghiv'fiöDiThe Vicksbutg Sentinel snys: "Wc sec liundreds ot' thonsnnds of acres ofl.iiid ndvertisod to ho fctild fortaxes in ihis Sfnte, vvhere ilie tax amounls to te cents and the printer's fee for advorti&ing the same to fourteen dollars."