Jacob, Giles, 1686-1744.
Jacob's New Law Dictionary : English Law
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The Law Dictionary
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Giles Jacob was deeply affected by the philosophies of Locke and
Hobbes. Both wrote often that it was essential to reach a general
agreement about the definitions of words, especially complex or moral
ideas in words such as "justice." Especially a follower of Locke, Jacob
was inspired by his Essay Concerning Human Understanding,
in which Locke suggests that the advent of an authoritative, precise
dictionary would greatly aid human society. In Jacob's early published
works one can perceive his Lockean political theory: his growing desire
for protection of liberty and of the rights of people, and the
prevention of tyranny. Sensing that confusion about the law's meaning
would endanger the rights of the people, Jacob attempted to reduce the
perplexing language of the law to plain and easy language whereby the
people could know their law. His triumph was his dictionary.
Jacob's dictionary, begun in 1720 and published in 1729, was a more
ambitious effort than other such works, as it attempted to combine a
dictionary, an abridgment of the law, and a vocabulary of Anglo-Saxon
and Law-French words in one piece. He wanted to give an account of the
whole law. He claimed that, unlike other compilers of law dictionaries,
he had not transcribed verbatim from his predecessors, and that
two-thirds of his work was new material. His abridgment included writs,
judicial proceedings, forms of deeds and conveyances, as he felt these
"contribute to the right understanding of our law." Although much of the
material was not really new, the work was a stunning improvement and
provided a model for later dictionaries. It went through five editions
before the author's death in 1744, and six more editions were published
before the end of the century.
Gary L. McDowell has written an illuminating article about the
politics and philosophies behind the creation of law dictionaries which
focuses on Giles Jacob, "The Politics of Meaning: Law Dictionaries and
the Liberal Tradition of Interpretation." American Journal of
Legal History 44 (July 2000), 257-283. See also John D. Cowley,
A Bibliography of Abridgments, Digests, Dictionaries and indexes
of English Law, to the year 1800 (London: Quaritch, 1932).
Bibliography
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Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of E. Sayer) for J. and J. Knapton
[etc.], 1729. CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1729 (Gift of Judge
James W. McClendon, UT Law 1897)
- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 2nd ed. [London] In the Savoy : Printed by E.
and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling (assigns of E. Sayer, Esq;) for J. and J.
Knapton ... [and 13 others], MDCCXXXII [1732]. CALL # Oversize KD 313
J32 1732
- A NEW LAW-DICTIONARY. 3rd ed. [London] In the Savoy : printed by E.
and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edw. Sayer, Esq;) for J. J. and
P. Knapton [etc.], M DCC XXXVI [1736]. CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1736
- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 4th ed. [London] In the Savoy : Printed by E.
and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, 1739. CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1739
(Gift of Joseph D. Jamail, UT Law 1953)
- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. [Abridged ed.] [London] In the Savoy :
Printed by Henry Lintot, (assignee of Edw. Sayer, Esq.) for R. Ware ...
[and 9 others], M DCC XLIII [1743] CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1743
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Henry Lintot (Assignee of Edward Sayer, Esq.), for R. Ware, A. Ward, J.
and P. Knapton [and 7 others], MDCCXLIV [1744]. CALL # Oversize KD 313
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- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 6th ed. [London] In the Savoy : Printed by
Henry Lintot, Law-printer to the King's most Excellent Majesty, for R.
Ware ... [and 13 others], MDCCL [1750]. CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1750
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Henry Lintot, Law-Printer to the King's most excellent majesty, for R.
Ware, T. Osborn [and 18 others], MDCCLVI [1756]. CALL # Oversize KD 313
J32 1756
- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 8th ed. [London] : Printed by T. Osborn,
1762. CALL # Oversize KD 313 J32 1762 (Gift of Joseph D. Jamail,
UT Law 1953)
- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 9th ed. London : Printed by W. Strahan and M.
Woodfall, for J. Beecroft, W. Strahan [etc.], 1772. CALL # Oversize KD
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- A NEW LAW DICTIONARY. 10th ed. London : Printed by W. Strahan and
W. Woodfall for W. Strahan, J. Rivington and sons [etc.], 1782. CALL #
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Jr.)
- THE LAW-DICTIONARY / now greatly enlarged and improved ... by T.E.
Tomlins. London : Printed by Andrew Strahan, for T. Longman ... [et
al.], 1797. 2 vols. CALL # KD 313 J32 1797
- THE LAW DICTIONARY / greatly enlarged by T. E. Tomlins. 2nd ed.
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- THE LAW DICTIONARY / now greatly enlarged and improved, by many
material corrections and additions ... by T. E. Tomlins. London : C. and
R. Baldwin [?], 1810. CALL # KD 313 J32 1810 (Gift of Joseph D.
Jamail, UT Law 1953)
- THE LAW-DICTIONARY / originally compiled by Giles Jacob ; corrected
and greatly enlarged by T.E. Tomlins. 1st American from the 2nd London
ed. 6 vols. New-York : Printed for, and published by, I. Riley ;
Philadelphia : P. Byrne, 1811. CALL # KD 313 J33 1811
