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Copyright 1923

By Martha Farr Purdon

Dedicated to My Father

ZACHARIAH PINCKNEY HERNDON FARR

Teacher of My Youth, Loving Mentor of My Girlhood and Inspiration of My Life

5267:2

PREFACE.

In accordance with your request, I have critically examined your book, "Purdon's Vocabulary of Words Constantly Needed," and endeavored to appreciate correctly its value to teachers and students of English, pure and undefiled.

It is quite clear to me that the volume has a distinct and indubitable value inasmuch as it is purposely limited to the explanation and illustration of such words as are in regular use and should be understood by highly educated and cultured persons who may reasonably be excused from acquaintance with the purely technical terms of the arts and sciences.

A first class dictionary properly lists every word recognized as good English, but, except as a book of reference, it is discouraging, owing to the very fullness of its vocabulary. Even a good dictionary or a book on rhetoric has nothing approaching the wealth of illustration afforded by the apposite and interesting sentences framed to uncover the meaning of each word included in the collection which is the outcome of many years' observation and study on the part of the author of this excellent book.

Having myself been a teacher of English for more than half a century, I have no hesitation in warmly recommending this veri. table thesaurus to Institutions of Learning and literary students. E. WALTERS, M. A. and S. C. L., Oxford, England.

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