Wharton, J. J. S. (John Jane Smith), 1816 or 17-1867.

Wharton's Law Lexicon : (English Law, 1872)

The Law Lexicon, Or Dictionary Of Jurisprudence, 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 very brief and precise indeed, 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 The historical references in the work are considered a rare weak point, as they are not always accurate.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.

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