223 university honour merely, for the bursary, measured by pounds, shillings, and pence, was a very small modi- cum. Such as it was, however, it was enough, aided by a little private teaching, to clear off his college and other expenses, and carry him through his curriculum until he took the degree of A.M. A few years afterwards, on a teachership in Gordon's Hospital, Aberdeen, becoming vacant, he presented himself as candidate for the appointment, and carried it by comparative trial over several others whose qualifications were above the common standard. The lame peasant lad having thus fought his way to a comfortable position in society, could employ his lei- sure hours in those occupations to which his bias directed him, and in which he could win emolument as well as literary distinction. The commencement of John Ogilvie in author- ship was as a poet; and in the local press several of his contributions appeared, especially Imitations of Horace in the Scottish Garb, which attracted con- siderable attention. His ambition in this attempt had probably been awakened by the example of Allan Ramsay, whose Scottish paraphrase of the Maecenas alavis edite regibus of Horace must be known to most of our readers. But although an enthusiast in poetry, and an absolute worshipper of Burns, he was fitted for a higher distinction than that of a fourth-rate poet, or an occasional contribu- tor to provincial magazines and newspapers—and it was perhaps as well for him that the current of his genius and great acquirements was turned into an- other direction. While Messrs. Blackie & Son were publishing an edition of Stackhouse's History of the Bible, some contributions were sent by Mr. Ogilvie, which were of such a suggestive and satisfactory character, that he was requested to continue his communica- tions ; and when the work was completed, the pub- lishers entered into arrangements with him to pre- pare an English dictionary for popular use. This publication was to be mainly an abridgment of Web- ster's dictionary; but after many months had been expended in the task, it became evident both to edi- tor and publishers that a more ample work than any abridgment could produce was required. The great and acknowledged desideratum of the day was a complete English and technological dictionary, and nothing less would have proved satisfactory. In con- sequence of this conviction, the work already done was laid aside, and Mr. Ogilvie commenced anew upon, a greatly enlarged and more comprehensive plan. The result of ten years' unremitting labour and research was the "Imperial Dictionary, English, Technological, and Scientific." In recognition of the great merits of the Imperial Dictionary the Senatus Academicusof Marischal College, Aberdeen, conferred upon Mr. Ogilvie the degree of LL.D. The success of this work, and the direction it had given to his studies, was naturally followed by other cognate productions, in which he was employed dur- ing the rest of his life, comprising the long period of thirty years. During the earlier part of it he spent as much time upon these philological occupations as was consistent with his duties in Gordon's Hospital; and after his retirement from that institution, his whole time and that of several assistants was devoted to the works in question. Of the first and greatest of these works—the Im- perial Dictionary—something more than a passing notice is necessary. Notwithstanding the great and acknowledged merits of Webster's dictionary, which was adopted as the basis of the Imperial, it is not abreast of the present condition of literature, science, and art: many additions arid, emendations had there- fore to be introduced, and many Americanisms thrown out. These additions alone amount to 15,000 words, terms, and phrases, which were still further aug- mented by 20,000 in the "Supplement." In the Imperial Dictionary, also, the technical and scientific terms were revised by scientific and practical men who had devoted themselves to the several departments of science and art committed to them for revision, and who besides verifying the definitions of the terms included by Dr. Ogilvie, supplied a number of addi- tional terms, many of them of recent origin. On the appearance of the Imperial Dictionary, it was univer- sally welcomed as an invaluable contribution to our literature, and critical journals of every class were loud in its praise. It was pronounced not only the best existing English dictionary, but, so far as the actual state of knowledge permitted, to have made some approach towards perfection. "The extent and value of his labours," writes an experienced prac- tical educationist, "can be appreciated only by those who are acquainted with the condition of English lexicography before the appearance of the Imperial Dictionary. Todd's edition of Johnson and Richard- son's dictionary were practically the only works of authority in this department available for the stu- dents of English. But both of these works, admirable as they are, are limited in their scope; the former con- fining itself to the definition of common words, with illustrative extracts, while the latter essentially is simply a dictionary of derivations and extracts. In the Imperial Dictionary Dr. O. may be said to have inaugurated a new era in this branch of literature, not so much by his modifications and improvements on Webster's, and his addition of many thousands of new words, as by his having combined in it the char- acteristics of a word-book of the highest class, with those of a succinct but accurate and scientific en- cyclopedia." The Imperial Dictionary was published in parts, and first appeared in its complete form in 1850, but long before that period the necessity for a "Supple- ment" to it became apparent. Among the myriads of words defined and explained it was inevitable that many should be omitted; many new terms had sprung up in science and art; and it was considered desirable to introduce such obsolete words contained in Chaucer, Spenser, Shakspeare, and Milton, as had not been included in the dictionary, as also the Scottish words contained in the writings of Burns and Sir Walter Scott. These alone made an addition of 20,000 words, terms, and phrases to the original work. This labour of compilation occupied six additional years before the "Supplement" was finished, and as in the case of the larger work, it underwent a careful revision by writers versed in the different depart- ments of science and art, who also contributed and defined many additional terms. In 1863 appeared Dr. Ogilvie's "Comprehensive English Dictionary, Explanatory, Pronouncing, and Etymological," which is to a large extent a condensa- tion and abridgment of the Imperial. In this work the department of pronunciation was confided to the care of Mr. Richard Cull, F. S. A., London. Although less extensive in its range, it retains the principal features of the larger work, and is valuable not only as an English dictionary, but as a work of general reference on miscellaneous subjects. In 1865 was published the " Students English Dic- tionary, Etymological, Pronouncing, and Explana- tory." In this work the best evidence of Dr. Ogilvie's tact and versatility will be found in accommodating himself to the intellectual requirements of the public. Its appearance was met with universal approval. It was hailed as a great advance beyond any dictionary