New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-07

4
OF ENGLISH And AIERICAE AUTHORS. Vol ILL., 81 -
AUSTIN ALLIBoSr. a,o pl. 3lm J. B. LIpinco0 d Co.
The patient industry with which the editor
OF this work has prosecuted his Ecrculean task for
period Of twenty years is worthy of signal commenda
ton It is seldom indeed, that literary enterprise Of
80 great magnitude and demanding fors successful com
pletion so vast an amount OF minute aud ungateul
research has been conducted by the lab0rs Of single
Individual to prosperous issue. Nothing but an intense
conviction Of the Importance Of the undertaking, ana
zeal for gathering facts of apparently trivial consequence
which throws the enthusiasm Of Dr. Dryasdust into the
shade could have inspired the energy that necessary
for the accomplishment Of The plan. The editor although
often showing marked deficiency in critical TASTE and
OF tie Of proportion in the arrangement OF
the articles appears To have grown weary Of his
work. pursuing the most Insignificant details with "a
much vigilance and fidelity, if the establishment
Of a great moral principle the decision Of pregnant
historical fact depended tho result. With regard 0
the practical utility OF such q vast expenditure Of
labor, there may well be a question when We
reflect the shOrtness Of life, and the infinite
compass Of the knOwedges OF which the supreme value
does not admit of doubt. The purpose of tie work is
furnish record OF the writings OF every English and
American author Notwithstanding the profound obscurity
and forgetfuuess into which large number of them
have necessarily fallen OF course very considerable
part must be occupied with details which can have no
Interest Tor any reader, except 10 crafty the dlest
curiosity What avails IT, for instance TO meet with
which take up disproportionate space in the work
Thomas, Ben, Shooters Guide, Lon. 1909, svo"
Thomas, Edward VI D.. Papers in Mem. Mid 1882 1905"
Thomas, Captain George, Local Militia Paymastcr.
1912, syo' Thompson, Charles, Rules for lad Horse
men, Lon, 1868, 12no' CnWin, Jos, Materialism
Refuted, Lon, syo." Upton James Serm. Acts Xxx.
56s, I'd ed Lon. 1906, Isyo." Usher G., Letter on
Fellowship in oxford, Ion. 1922 Anon" Specimens
like these, which are taken at random from the bulky
volume, in the aggregate Nil many pages with ~ little
interest attaches 20 obsolete catalogue OF a pub
Usher boOksuctioneer The reader i, lperpetuaiy
confronted with names and titles, which nobody now
on the stage heard Of which nobody 10 come can
ever possibly inquire about and which are "a copleel,
dead and forgotten though they had never breatbed
the breath Of ephemeral e They contribute nothing
whatever to tho history OF thought or the history ~
literature, they have passed away without leaving
shadow Of remembrance, and the attempt 10 rake m,
their moldering remains is as idle furnish table
with the fragments Of forgotten fessts Apart
from this intolerable amount Of rubbish, the more
elaborate articles in the work furnish good
deal of valuable, and often curious, linform nation.
Tho biographical portions unequal sometimes spun
ont 70 supernnOus length. and then presenting only
oea0er skeleton OF dates with no sembance Of flesh and
blood In the photographed accounts, on the contrary
there s for the most part great completeness Of detail
with general accuracy Of statement, that could not
have been attained rave by diligence in research no
less rare than praseworthy The opinions Of the author
are seldom expressed, although he LOT uhrequehy IN
duges in touch Of inappropriate sentineninii' While