Lexicographer, etymologist, and editor (1864–1938) who worked for Funk & Wagnalls. TLS, two pages, 8.5 x 11, The New Internation Encyclopaedia & Year Book letterhead, October 18, 1933. Letter to Carol Bird discussing variations of spoken English in response to a question of “where the best English could be heard.” In part: “I know of no region that can be selected as speaking better English than another, except, and here I must go overseas, such regions as have been tainted by an overplus of Cockney immigrants….It is very difficult to live any length of time with a people without absorbing their linguistic peculiarities. That it can be done has been demonstrated very faithfully by those good people who masquerade as the work of some of the English universities. After all, good English flourishes beside the bad, just as the weeds flourish along side of the flowers. We in New York have faults of our own, and probably do not blush for them for the simple reason that so many of us make mistakes. The perfect man has yet to be born; the perfect speaker is still a long way off.” In very good condition, with small edge separations at mailing folds, tape-repaired paper loss to the right edge of the second page, a rusty paperclip mark to the upper left, and some stray ink blots. RR Auction COA.
