The "Dictionaire (sic ) Critique de la Langue Francaise" by abbe Jean-Francois Feraud (1725-1807) is incontestably the best-documented record of the 18th century French that has come down to us from that period. Published in 1787 (by Mossy of Marseille) it pursues the innovative aim of providing a comprehensive portable French dictionary designed specifically as an aid for foreigners, the young and people from the provinces. Data culled by the author from previous metalinguistic works are carefully compared, criticised, source-referenced and supplemented, particularly in the field of...