Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.27.6

42.27.6

A Vocabulary, no more than a Dictionary, is not a book of a nature to be sought for by readers in general. Both are to be recurred to occasionally, sometimes, once in six months ; but neither of them can be read throughout, and of course both are utterly incapable of captivating the attention, id est of producing encomiums, and of opening purses. From Mr. Gladwin's Vocabulary in particular (and I have it) you must exclude four-fifths of the common herd of readers ; you must exclude women, and all those that read for amusement ; you must exclude all those that have neither inclination to, nor an insight in, oriental learning. To learned men, indeed, it will prove of much assistance, but only occasionally. If then so very small a work has produced so large a sum, it was because the Author's reputation, as an author, and a man of letters, is formed, known, and established ; whereas no one knows any thing of me. Secondly because he is an Englishman, a man high in station, and of course has many friends ; whereas I am next to nobody, and my station is immediately after nothing. Lastly because a tender regard was paid to his circumstances. Else, Sir, I maintain that in this country, any Vocabulary whatever, has no chance at all for so much as the thousandth part of the sum of eleven thousand Rupees. We may consider, Sir W. J—s, his ingenious Grammar for the Persian language, as a kind of Vocabulary ; and yet who ever thought of it ?