, 1863-04-21
ROCK NOTICES,

TIE NEW AMERICAN CYCLop I:DIA. popu-
lar Dictionary Of General knowledge; Edited By
Vols. New York, D. appleton & Company.
The1ast yolnmc Of the New American Cyclic
p@da has just been isBned from the press, ,andis
already cnEconecd amongstits noble compecrs
on the shelves Of hundred thousand libra-
rics throughout the United States. The enter
prising publishers who projected, and hare
now completed tits magnificent scheme Of
knowledge and learning, are worthy Of very
high praise, and an ample remuneration ; and
VIC heartily hope aud believe they will get
both, although 1t was bold venture to make.
at the best, and It required good deal Of
subseqent faith In the Intelligence Of tho peo-
pie 10 justify Its periodical Issues during the
progress Of the war.
The event has shown, however, that the pub
1ishera we're quito right In their calculations
Of support, and the fact is in the highest de-
gree crcditab1e, both, to themselves and the
people.
We do not by any means desire to traducc
the literary character and authenticity Of for
eign CyclopGdias- especially those Of Crest
Britain, which are confessedly Of vsry high
order Of merit-when We say that an Ameri-
can book Of this sort was much needed by
echolurs, as well as the great reading public,
and that the present performance supplies
vast fund Of information upon things purely
American, and pertaining to this continent,
which could not previously be met with IN q
collected and concise form. The Editors, VINO
have done their sharc of the work with adml-
rab1e skill and Judgment, have taken care
not only that this hsatus in the literature OF
previous Cyclopadias should bo well ana
choiccIY filled, but that no department COM
ing 1egitlmately within the range Of their horl.
zon, should be neglected. Hence, 1t Is mol
too pucl. to say, that America has, IN thls IN
stance, produced the completcst and best Cy'
clopndin eStant-
all the talent in the country has been con.
scripted, as it were, to build up this great III
tional work; and We ought to be proud Of it
the more 60, because it is genuine and be
longs to the soil. We hayc been, hitherto
in all our intellectual and imaginative crca
tions, ar too reminiscent and imitatiye-re1y
| ing too much upon European precedents
forms ard materials, for architecture and orna
! uleptation; but this successful attempt t.
compel America to speak tor herself, througl
her own oracles, is very cheering and hope
| ful, md cannot fail to conc to good, in al
ways.
We do not know how many thousands {
distinct topics arc discussed in this book, bu
they have swcEcd it out into sixteen stated
volumes, and Of come 75o pages, each. Fac
article was written also by the most comp
tent man that could be obtained, on the sui
iect to be treated Of; and thus, in all the d
pa,tments Of literature and learning, jurispr1
dence, science and art, commerce, manufa
tures, and agriculture, We have here . gre
body Of rcliable facts and iafornations, CO..
tributed by the most able men In tie countr
1t is nbrary,in itself, and no one engage
in intellectual pursuits, OF desirous Of brln
ing himself mp to the high water mark Of II
culture Of his time can afford to do y7ltho
: it. The last volume contains . supplcmc
!. which includes the historical records Of t.
war down to last March, and supplies 4 lar
, number Of new and omitted titles, iuclu1l
biographies Of the most eminent loyal Ge
erals, and the chief notorious leaders Of t
rebellion.