The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-06-13
BRIEF B1ooRAPH1cAL Dictionary.

& Co., OF both OF which we will speak on Sat
urday.
A BRIEF BIoGRAPHIcAL DICTIONARY.
Not long since we noticed a Biographical
Dictionary, issued by Charles Hole, revised by
William A. Wheeler, and reprinted by Hurd &
Hougbton. Alter speaking of the difficulties of
the task of issuing such a work, and how mach
easier il was to find fault than 10 originate a
compendium so universal as the one before us
we had occasion to speak rather harshly of the
preface to the work by Mr.. Wheeler. We said:-
"It is a dsagreeable task for an American reviewer
to decide in favor OF foreigner, and IN opposition
to ms countrymen. Yet must confess that a
more UNJUST introduction than was siened by Mr..
". A. wheeler cannot be conceived. While in
general terms he talks about the great industry,
Research, and general accuracy of the original au.
thor, yet he at once plunges INTO n'y improvements
corrections, and additions. de states that he added
one hunored American names, and mentions a dozen
IN alphabetical order. He states that he added some
European names 'omlttea, aha yves YES Us zen, all OF
no' lew II stances have been able to supply miss
ing dates; while OF dates erroneously gwen, or
still larger number 1t will thus be seen
that Mr. Wheeler calls the readers attention to the
detects, Sights all the merits ana takes as much
credit TO himself as possible. When 1t is remem.
bered that Mr.. Ho G compiled twenty thousand
names, into what iDsgnIfcance does Ar Wheeler's
hundred additional sink OF all the dates filed up
and corrected, we have no testimony except Mr..
WheeleI's own words, as he gives no means OF
distinguishing the original from the revised
UndeT the circumstances, we cannet but
the American editor of arrogating to himself undue
crt dit and deiracung unjustly from the hard
earned honor OF Mr.. Hole To the latter gente-
bS2s ing by far the @ gg9oF S P@ M S al the
praises he has done so too freely himself"
At this criticism Mr.. Wheeler has seen fit to
take exception, and copy OF his letter has been
furnished to us through Messrs. Huri d
Houghton:-
"RoxBURY 6 June, 1866
'The writer Ia friend OF Mr. Hole's
rather than an enemy OF mine, shall judge) mis-
repIes nts not only the statements of my 'lntrOduc
tory Note bnt the general tone OF it, / simply
told straightforward story about my connection
with the work. and in dong so was actuated as 1
expressly said, by desire to do Justice to the Eng
lsh eO1iIon, as weil as to the American public and
myself. MIR. Hole was left to tell lis own story, In
his own preface and there was therefore less need
OF my aylng much about his share OF the work. for
any one who read the two would see that the chIei
merit of the book was his, and not mine My object
my own praises. Now 1 think The Dictionary was
much improved in things small and IN things great,
by the revision it received The pretace-whica
have preserveO-wll attest that; aud Miss -
Is another witness in the cas-, equally impartial
and competent. thln< that she Ould say that the
book, as it now stands, not only revised but
largely augmented ana improved
CIVILIAN A. WHEELER"
Having thus allowed Mr.. Wheeler to tell his
own tale, we would say word. In regard to
our being friend OF Mr.. Hole, we have only to
say that we never heard of Mr. Hole until we saw
the American edition of his work; and as far as
Mr.. Wheeler is concerned we were predisposed
in his favor by his reputation assistant editor
Of "Webster's Dictionary" What we said was
founded entirely on what we esteemed the merits
OF the case. We we're told that British work
was reprinted, but that it had been augmented
and mproved;" that the original had 'defects, .
| deficiencies, and imperfections;" that a large
| number OF European names hnd been omitted
| which we would naturally expect to find in a
| work of this sort; that the list of American
names was 'meagre;" the photography had
| grave mistakes and some hardly less grievous
| lnconsistencies;n that In following the orr.
| ginal plan, the American editor had suffered
much mIsg1vIng and dissatisfaction All
| of these phases derogatory to the origina.
| tor of the volume are found in Mr.. Whee.
| lers preface; and if space would admit, we
would give the whole Introductory note entire.
And all the praise allotted is that 1t 'shows
great industry, conscientious research, and gene
raj accuracy" Considering that the great bod y
OF the work, $4,000 out of the 10000 names, at
least, must have been placed there by Mr. Hole
are We unjust in expecting of Mr.. VIII eeler q
little more acknowledgment?
His improvements aud corrections are not
designated, and if the writer desired really to
limit his responsibility" would he not nave
| had some mark for what he did and what he
| left untouched2 Does his preface limit the
| responsibility III the least We cannot see that
it does, except co far as adams, Burr OTIS
| and the dozen names he mentions, are con
cerned. We therefore must hold to our opinion
that Mr.. Wheeler has arrOgated to hms elf by
far too much credit 1t was his place either 10
have given modest preface, saying that wnere
| it was possible he had Impro yed good work.
or else to have, by some typographical sign,
design ated which was his and which was Mr..
Hole's-to have given the originator credit as
well as hlmselfior that part which was untouched.
We do not doubt that the work was much I'M
proved by the American reviser, yet the public
would have appreciated the whole better had
he not pressed his CLAIMS so loudly.
| The Harpers have published in a single
volume choicely bound and admirably printed
Goodwin Smiths six Lectures on the Study OF
History" which were delivered in Oxford in
the years 1859, 1860, and 1861; and another
lecture delivered by the same cultured gentle
man before the New York Historical Society, in
1864, on "1he University of Oxford" The work
is one well calculated to attract and merit the
attention fthe student OF history. The chapter
on the American Colonies throws a new light
ON the subject OF our early political status,
while the whole work is fraught with deep
. L interest tn readers foil uin ia ha