Milton, master of majestic prose, under whose touch words became as living
things; Flaubert, who believed there was one and one only best word with
which to express a given thought; De Quincey, who exercised a weird-like
power over words; Ruskin, whose rhythmic prose enchanted the ear; Keats,
who brooded over phrases like a lover; Newman, of pure and melodious
style; Stevenson, forever in quest of the scrupulously precise word;
Tennyson, graceful and exquisite as the limpid stream; Emerson, of
trenchant and epigrammatic style; Webster, whose virile words sometimes
weighed a pound; and Lincoln, of simple, Saxon speech,--all these
illustrious men were assiduous in their study of words.

Many persons of good education unconsciously circumscribe themselves
within a small vocabulary. They have a knowledge of hundreds of desirable
words which they do not put into practical use in their speech or writing.
Many, too, are conscious of a poverty of language, which engenders in them
a sense of timidity and self-depreciation. The method used for building a
large vocabulary has usually been confined to the study of single words.
This has produced good results, but it is believed that eminently better
results can be obtained from a careful study of words and expressions, as
furnished in this book, where words can be examined in their context.

It is intended and suggested that this study should be pursued in
connection with, and as a supplement to, a good standard dictionary.
Fifteen minutes a day devoted to this subject, in the manner outlined,
will do more to improve and enlarge the vocabulary than an hour spent in
desultory reading.

There is no better way in which to develop the mental qualities of
clearness, accuracy, and precision, and to improve and enlarge the