The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that wouldlink Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so theyselected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literaryheir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, tobe their editor in chief. Webster's son William also served as aneditor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which waspublished on September 24, 1847.
Although Webster's work was honored, his big dictionaries had neversold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly.Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriamsintroduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirsinitially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that broughtthem $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced themthat the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.
The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim.President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor (hero of theMexican War and later president himself), 31 U.S. senators, andother prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 itsacceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusettsordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar orderfor 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state.Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. Inbecoming America's most trusted authority on the English language,Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of publicresponsibility demanded of few other publishingcompanies.
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