Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-22
From ST. Louis Republican, Dec. 8, 1873.
The American CyeIopedia, Vol. 4.

The American CyclOpRdia, now publish
ing rs a revised edition of the new Ameri-
can Cyclopedia, is a work of such excel
lenee and superiority, compared with the
first edition, that it deserves to lie called a
different work of a far higher class. Those
who are familiar with the great merits Of
the first edition win scarcely believe this
statement, unless they make an examina-
ton of a volume of the new work. They
will find a unique work of such value that
they can as lily afford to do without il as
formerly without its predecessor.
Whatever subjects can be rendered more
comprehensive by wOod-cuts, or by colored
photographic maps, are now thus accompa-
MED. The articles relating to zoology, bot
any. architecture, science and the arts, an
tiquitieS, cities, costumes, mythology, geo
graphy, are judiciously illustrated, and by
this means convey a far more vivid and
truthful impression to the mind than be-
fore. There are many devices to improve
the typography, such as the use of fulEfaced
type for titles to articles.
But the best of the improvement consists
in the careful revision Of the articles by
which they are brought up to the standard
of fo-day. The past thirteen years have
worked greater changes than any previous
thirteen years since Napoleon was sent to
St. Helena. Indeed, considering the scope
of these changes, they are not paralleled
since the reign of Charles the Fifth; for
they affect not only polite and civil his
tory, but ecclesiastical history as well. And
more than this, social intitutions, the whole
range of sciences, natural and spiritual, the
useful arts, and the commercial intercourse
o natiOns.
Let one reflect for a moment on the nu-
merOus articles and parts of articles that
must be modified on account of the civil
cOnvulsiOn that has come and gone in
America during that period of time; on ac-
count of the completion of great undertake
ings like the Atlantic cable and the Pacific
railroad; or on account of the wars of Prus-
STA with Austria and France. All articles
relating to modern Europe need revising to
make them true. They must be rewritten
from the standpoint of Berlin, instead of
Paris or London, as before. How material
ly current views have changed on topics
connected with political economy. How
widely have our American people drifted
away from the sentiments and sympathies
withwhich theyOnce listened to a Fourth OF
July Grafton, or read an account Of arevO-
luton in Parisl Our works on the early
history of this nation need to be replaced
il they are to be read by the rising genera
ton. So, too, many historical articles writ
ten previous 10 1860 for a Cyclopedia, must
change their tone as well as contents.
To speak Of science and the useful arts,
one needs only to call to mind the great
revolution made by the doctrine Of the Cor
relation of Forces to understand the neces-
sity of revision in that field. For ten years
each science has been studied and expert
mentally prosecuted in its relations to other
sciences. Nature has been looked upon as
a whole, moved and animated by forces in
interactiOn.
Think for a moment of the spectroscope;
of its revelations regarding the nature Of the
sun, the comets, and fixed stars of its use
fitness in the manufacture of steel. Think
Of the discovery of the identity of our mete-
orie showers with certain comets. Consider
the discoveries in photo-lithography; the
processes of printing from bicrOnated gela-
tine a picture phOtOgTaphically impressed
thereon.
In the first volume of this new edition we
have abundant evidence that its editors,