National Republican., 1876-12-22
LITERARY NOTES.

JoHNsoN's NEW UNIVERSAL CTCLoP KDIA: A
knowledge. Illustrated with Maps, Plans and
Engravings. II Great Jones street, New York:
A. J. johnson Son. -Four volumes.
What with the Edinburgh" !" the Britannica" I"
"Chambers's," "Appletons',n and others, It may
be conceded that the English-s speaking people
are pretty we'll supplied with Encyclopsdias
So We thought when our attention was nrst
called to Johnson's New Universal Cyclopedia
There hardly seemed to be room for this new
claimant for favor and patronage. But, on the
other hand, we were struck with the array Of
distinguished names among the contributors to
Is pages. DR.. Barnard, president Of Columbia
OJllege, and DR.. Guyot, the eminent Professor Of
Geology and Physical Geography at Princeton,
are the editors In chief.
On further inquiry, We learned that the origin
Of this undertaking was suggestion Of Horace
Greeley's. That hard.working and ever-busy man,
who had no time to waste, had often expressed o
wish for an encyclopedia In which there should
be no prodigality Of words in diuse dissertations
but the largest amount of Information should be
boiled down to occupy the smallest possible space.
formed by scholars. Second-class writer's would
be incompetent to the task. Furthermore, In
some departments none but specialists are quail
value vail and Interest. There was another feature in
MIR Greeley's scheme-that the size Of the work
should be such that it could be conveniently ham
lie upon the table and be conveniently referred
to- This whole plan was q hobby with Mr.. Gree
ley; .-....
Usher, Mr.. A. ]. johnson, induced the latter to
undertake the work. 1t was thought that the
EncycloP@dia couldbe produced In three volumes,
each little smaller than Webster Unabridged.
But this was found impracticable, and before the
first volume was completed it was decided TO add
fourth Three are already issued, and fourth
The writer for an encyclopedias who has for his
theme political, philosophical or religious topic,
has a task beset with d1ficulties which do not
meet him in other departments Of his work. He
must, of course, be true to his own convictions,
and yet his statement Of facts or arguments in
ing his cause. What his readers want is not his
opinions, but facts or the statement Of principles
With his personal convictions the public are sup
the departments just named must therefore, Of
necessity, be thoroughly acquainted with his SUBJ
iect, and capable Of giving an honest and un-
willing to have the pages Of an encyclopedias
made the medium Of advocating the tenets Of any
one religious party The same t principles l apply
and even medicine. :
The plan Of the publisher has therefore been to
Of aeknowiedged standing, and generally W repre- repre-.
sentative men of the denomination, or class OF
which they write. Thus, the Rev. Prof. Ander-
B ss aa Of
York, OF Congregationalism; the Rev. 3. r. Belts,
librarian Of Columbia College. Of the Episcopal
FTssSytsriani' and d. Abel steSons Of lie Meth: tn
odists. '..'
tent to write of them. Thus, for example, Gen.
eral Newton writes q full and descriptive article
on He'll Gate. An admirable paper on acoustics
was written by Prof % Rood, Of the department Of
The article on aeronauties is by General ard,
United States army. There Is an exhaustive
naEia ace se
ject Of music in any Of its departments is by DR..
Staunton, than whom there is hardly more
competent authority In the country. On interna-
tional law there are two articles-one by David
Dudley Field the other by the Rev. DR., Woolsey,
,fspIssdsn, Il q Yale College Pr Hedge writes
i, BY General q. A. Gilman, ofths United States
@ was One Of r. the % last works % Of Horacs GrseleS ~
Running our eye over more than five hundred
pames we find those Of Prof. Dana, Of Yale; Prof.
son, of Cornell; Prof. Youmans, Prok Alexander,
ofPrineeton; Draper, of the New York Uniyer-
sity; Kendrick, Of the Rochester Uniyersltyi
the Union Theological Seminary; General De
Peyster, g. w. Blunt, Richard n. Dana, DIR.
Draper, Dr: QuaekenbSs, Bishop R R9rintasd, DR.:
others equally distinguished. -.- .... :
The publisher, we understand claims that
there is fully as much matter In this work as In
larger type, make many more volumes. he Ger.
tainly has succeeded In producing, in compare
lively small space and at very reasonable cost,
O irstclass encyclopedias. Any family owning Q
copy Of this work WIN md itself In possession Of
Let us add that Johnson's New Illustrated
Universal Encyclopedias would be q yalua-
bic, and, we are sure, most acceptable Christi
mas gift.-The Nev York Church Journal and
Gospel Register. o.. .
The following Endorsement of this work from
Hon. Joseph p. Bradley, Justice of the Supreme
Court Of the United States, viii be read with in
terest: .ft .r-
wAsHISGroS, Dec. is, 1873.
A. J. Johnson, Esq.,:
DEAR SIR: / have just received the third vol
ume of your encyclopedias, ?, and the more ex-
anime 1t am more and more pleased with the
manner in which IL is executed. 1t 10 the best
work OF the kind for daily and ready use that l
know Of. No pains seem to have been spared TO
make 1t fresh, reliable and complete. 1t contains
much more than the usual proportion Of original
and is abreast with the time In every depart
ment. Many Of the articles are monographs Of
original research which cannot fail to take q
place in the permanent literature of the country.
So much useful Information on every branch Of
buman knowledgeI do not think have ever seen
crowded into so small compass. 1t is Just such
Dictionary Of Knowledge as every scholar
OF his hand, and Is in itself library OF iuestimsole
vnlue to those who are In the formative period oi
life. ttfif
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
| JosEPH p. BRADLEY.
NJ. L. @. Fairchild, the agent for the above
can be seen at so n street northwest.
We have received from Munro o., New
York, the FGmfIy Story Pepper full OF funny and
thrilling stories for the boys. A new feature 4