EDITOR’S PREFACE

TO THE ENSUING ENGLISH AND MANX DICTIONARY.

Dr. KELLY left no English and Manx Dictionary corresponding to his Manx and English Dictionary. He had, however, prepared a Triglot of Manx, Irish, and Erse, based upon English ; and had commenced the printing of the work when a fire broke out in the printing office and destroyed the sheets that were worked off. This put a stop to its publication at that time. Had the Triglot been published, it would, though necessarily a large and expensive work, have superseded in some measure an English and Manx Dictionary.

The Manx Society had for some time entertained the design of publishing the learned Doctor’s Triglot entire ; the manuscript of which had been generously put into their hands by Mrs. GORDON KELLY. But on deliberation this design was abandoned.

Their attention was then directed to an English and Manx Dictionary, in manuscript, which purported to supply the place of a second part to Dn. KELLY’S Dictionary. This was the work of Mr. JOHN MOSLEY, of Manchester, a gentleman who without any of the advantages of a residence in the Isle of Man, had prepared a Dictionary which reflected great credit on his intellectual acumen and philological research.

It became, however, a matter of inquiry, how far an English and Manx Dictionary might be drawn from the Doctor’s own more copious work ; and on examination, it was found that the English and Manx portions of the Triglot were well adapted to form the groundwork of the required sequel.

The Society thereupon decided on availing themselves of the Doctor’s learned labours, and requested the Rev. W. GILL, and the Rev. J. T. CLARKE to revise that portion of the Doctor’s work, adapting it to form the second part to his Dictibnary, and adding thereto all such words from CREGEEN’S and MOSLEY’S Dictionaries as would improve and enrich the volume. This labour has fallen chiefly into the hands of Mr. CLARKE, who has brought a life-long acquaintance with the language to bear upon the performance of the task assigned him. He has judged it advisable to make numerous alterations on his own responsibility, which cannot in all cases be acknowledged. His own additions are distinguished by the letter U affixed to them ; those from CREGEEN by the letters Cr. ; and those from MOSLEY by the letter M

Notwithstanding these alterations and additions, the work may still be received as entitled substantially to the sanction of Dr. KELLY’s name.

WILLIAM GILL,
VICAR OF MALEW.

JANUARY, 1867.