The Van Buren press., 1869-09-28
A popular Book.

Few books, at the present time, are attract
! Ing more attention. or receiving higher COM
mendations from learned men, or are meeting
with larger sales, than the Dictionary of the
! Bible" edited by VIM. Smith, Ii. d., Classic
al Examiner OF the University OF London.
There are. at least, three or four reprints OF
this work, entire or abridged, sold in this
country, beside the imports Of the different
English editions.
There Is but one expires sion--that of high
praise, respecting the great value ofthis work
Icompared with other Bible dictionaries. The
necessity for such Il work has long been. felt
by all Bible readers, u well rs by critical
Bible students.
The question naturally arises, which of
these editions IS the best and which viii le
most satisfactory to the purchaser? We slf-
pose every one willrequire that a work ofthis
kind should be sufficiently comprehensive
and thorough to embrace iull and satisiac-
tory exposition of the many topics introduced.
4 small abridgmcnt would be incomplete In
its exposition, and always dissatisiy the read
er. 1t would be necessary, also, that the book
should be sold at a price SO reasonable rs TO
be available for ordinary Bible readers, and,
ut the same time, furnish the largest possible
amount of reading matter for the price.
There Is one reprint of DR.. Smiths un-
abridged edition, published by New York
house, in numbers, and costing, complete,
about S25. Its cXpensiyeness will probably
limit it TO the libraries of few professional
critics.
Another reprint. by Hartford firm, is from
a small abridgment, first ISSUED in England in
duodeclmo form of about six hundred pages.
The reprint Is In larger type than the original,
occupies nearly eight hundred octave pages,
and Is sold for $3.50 being seventy five cents
more than the genuine London edition, im-
ported by the National Publishing Co, OF
Cincinnati
1t seems to us that work of this kind. that
Is to be used for a lifetime, and for constant
reference, should be comprehensive one, and
that this small abrdgment usually known rs
the juretils edition, Is altogether too condcns-
ed for popular Use.
The other reprint also issued by the Ma
tional Publishing Co.. Cincinnati appears to
combine cOmpreheRsiecRess and chedpgeSS, the
requisites that we consider essential for such
II work. This edition has over one thousand
closely printed octave pages, over two hum
dred engraynSs and maps, and more Md''
ttcice the readiay mGtter Of Tie small d6rid9e-
ueist. At the same time it has all tie matter
of the yoiuninous work, except numerous dis
quisitions and criticisms on original Hebrew
and Greek terms, which are Of no practical
value to the general English student. !; Is
sold, too. at a very reasonable price, and Is
thus made available To all who desire to pos
sess it. We commend this comprehensive
edition TO our readers and advise them to ex-
ercise proper caution, lest they should be mis-
led and purchase the jareaiie edition.
Sir. L b. ELY, who is agent ior this work,
Is row canvassing Crawford and Franklin
counties for subscriptions, and will call upon
oar citizens and present the work for inspec-
tlon. lie Is. also, agent for the Devotional
and Practical Family Bible" issued by the
same company.