Jamail Center for Legal Research
Tarlton Law Library

Wharton, John Jane Smith, 1816?-1867.

Wharton's Law Lexicon : English Law

The Law Lexicon, 1848

Wharton was a barrister of the Middle Temple, and wrote several other legal treatises in addition to his dictionary. Wharton had noticed the backlash against the awkward, overly detailed dictionaries of Cunningham and Tomlins. In his preface to the 1848 first edition, Wharton stated that his objective was "compression, avoiding obscurity, and yielding information easily and effectively." His definitions are brief and precise, with succinct references. Later editors attempted to improve the dictionary by trimming the fat even further: unnecessarily long definitions and details were condensed, and Rules of Court that had been published in full were abridged or omitted.

Along with Bouvier's American dictionary, this work is especially useful for understanding obsolete terms given in older works. The historical references in the work are considered a rare weak point, as they are not always accurate. The dictionary passed through at least fourteen editions and several reprints, a testament to its merit and usefulness.

Editions: London: 1848; Harrisburg, Pa.: 1848; Albany, N.Y.: 1851; Philadelphia: 1854, 1860; London: 1860, 1864, 1867, 1872, 1876, 1883, 1889, 1892, 1902, 1911, 1925, 1938.

Bibliography

1. THE LAW LEXICON, OR DICTIONARY OF JURISPRUDENCE. [1st ed.] London : Spettigue and Farrance ; Dublin : Hodges and Smith, and Grant and Bolton ; Edinburgh : Thomas Clark, 1848. CALL # KD 313 W49 1848 (Gift of Bryan & Pan Garner, UT Law 1984.)
   
   
2. THE LAW-LEXICON, OR, DICTIONARY OF JURISPRUDENCE. 4th ed. London : Stevens and Sons, 1867. CALL # KD 313 W49 1867
   
   
3. WHARTON'S LAW-LEXICON, OR, DICTIONARY OF JURISPRUDENCE. Fifth edition, rev. and enl. / by J. Shiress Will. London : Stevens and Sons, 1872. CALL # KD 313 W49 1872 (Gift of Joseph D. Jamail, UT Law 1953)
   
   
4. WHARTON'S LAW-LEXICON. 9th ed. / by J.M. Lely. London : Stevens and Sons, 1892. CALL # KD 313 W49 1892
   
   
5. WHARTON'S LAW-LEXICON : FORMING AN EPITOME OF THE LAW OF ENGLAND. 10th ed. / with a new treatment of the maxims by J.M. Lely. London : Stevens and Sons, 1902. CALL # KD 313 W49 1902
   
   

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