588 - Noah Webster Handwritten Dictionary Draft Page: "Blockish" through "Bloodless"

Noah Webster Handwritten Dictionary Draft Page: "Blockish" through "Bloodless" Author and lexicographer (1758-1843) who published the first comprehensive dictionary of American English. Unsigned handwritten manuscript by Noah Webster, one page both sides, 7.75 x 10, being a fragment from a manuscript draft for the "B" section of his historic dictionary, in which Webster defines "Blockish" through "Bloodless." The lengthiest entry is for "Blood," which carries a thirteen-part definition, in part: "1. The red fluid which circulates through the vessels of the human body, & of the larger animals, which is essential to the preservation of life. If the fluid of an animal is not red, such animal is called exsanguinous. 2. Kindred; relation by natural descent from a common ancestor; consanguinity. 'God hath made of one blood all nations of the earth'...8. Fleshly nature, the carnal part of man; as opposed to spiritual nature or divine life...10. A sacramental symbol of the blood of Christ. 'This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for the remission of sins'...11. The death & sufferings of Christ. 'Being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him'...Temper of mind; state of passions; but in this sense, accompanied with 'cold' or 'warm,' or other qualifying word—as to commit an act in cold blood, is to do it deliberately & without sudden passion." Framed with glass on both sides to an overall size of 9.5 x 11.75. In fine condition, with a small, easily repaired detached piece to the upper right corner. Webster published his first dictionary in 1806, entitled A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language. This he followed by compiling an expanded, comprehensive dictionary that also traced the etymology of words-this, called An American Dictionary of the English Language, took 26 years to complete; in the final version, the entry for "Blood" was expanded to fifteen definitions.