WEBSTER, JOHN

(fl. 1602-24), Eng. dramatist, about whose life scarcely any authentic. facts are known. The first great tragedy he composed was the White Devil, a drama of astonishing power and pathos. This was followed by The Duche of Malfi, whose supreme tragic excellence Lamb so well extolled. The Devil’s Law Case is inferior in plot and style. American lexicographer, born at W. Hartford, Connecticut. He began life as a schoolmaster and, published A Grammatical Institute the English Language (1783-85), which had an enormous sale. He then began preparing his famous Dictionary which appeared in 1828. ‘W. became editor of the Minerva (1793) and the Herald and wrote A Brief History of Epidemtcs (1799), A Philosophical and PracBene, English Grammar (1807), and other works.