Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-08
THE AMERICAN CTCLOPEDIA.

The publication of the sixteenth volume of the
American Cyclopedia by D. Appleton & Co., OF
New York, completes the great national work
This volume includes the titles from TROMBONE"
to "Zymoss." While it is nominaly a revision of
the old edition, it is in all essential particulars
new work done anew. A large proportion of the
articles are absolutely new in their present form,
and all others have been subjected to the closest
scrutiny and correction. While it has been re-
cessary to condense in many places, the introduce
ton OF new matter has expended the whole work
to more than thousand pages beyond the limits
originally contemplated. For four years the best
talent available not only in this country but abroad
has been concentrated on this undertaking, and un-
der the untirug supervision of Mr.. Geo. Ripley and
his able assistants, it has been brought to its COM
pletion in a manner alike creditabe to American
enterprise and scholarship. 1t has drawn heavily
on the ample resources of the publishers, costing
not less than one million dollars, but its is
already such a. to make it probably the most
profitable literary undertaking ever ventured upon
in this country.
The American Cyclopedia must stand for many
wears as the most valuable book Of reference, at
least for Americans, and for all others on subjects
pertaining to America, anywhere to be had.
feature of especial interest is to be found in the
illustrations, which are fine specimens OF artistic
work, while they are intended chiefly to elucdate
the text. The volumes particularly rich in the
illustration of articles pertaining to the animal
and vegetable kingdoms, machinery and the pro-
cesses Of manufacture, architecture and the me-
chanic arts, while scenes, buildings, monuments,
and other objects of interest in various lands are
| pictorially presented. A large folio volume has
been prepared for the Centennial Exhibition con-
tanning all the maps and illustrations, CLASSIFIED ac-
cording to their character, and contains nearly
| 500 different representations.
| No promise was made of furnishing general
| index to the Cyclopadia, and 1t was found i'm
| possible to compress 1t in the sixteen volumes
announced. The value of such an addition was
fishers or the subscribers. and there has been such
a strong demand for it that a supplementary
volume is to be published containing it. 1t has
been carefully prepared during the progress of the
| work by DR.. T. j. Conant and his daughter, Miss
| Claudina Conant, aud is to be published IN the
fall. 1t will form an Invaluable key to the
trea sures of the sixteen volumes, enabling one to
find any reference to matter OF interest under
| whatever title it may be mentioned. This index
will make the work absolutely complete and leave
nothing to be desired. Tue publishers wish it
understood that the American Cyclopgdia will be
held strictly as subscription book, only to be had
of themselves and their agents by actual sub
scrbers. The general agent for New England is
Mr.. H. Vincent Butler of AZ Franklin street,
Boston, who has CD exhibition of the very
few copies prepared Of the large folio containing
all the illustrations.