New-York tribune., 1884-12-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

AeAttsibh,lls, ,MllsfNlS3hMAh, il9Gs f8A
fhAsaa RGiisi9is ,)Aitts 81 tNe psYSlS t,teS aiM
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The ei,pgs ei this important WeFk Nh'eN "
Fnglsh prisin but eniarset w Ams'tN" Nv
ditiousl, instead OF attempting tq mare se"p's'e
ecclesiastical encyclopaedia, have expended mos, 81
therIlabor upon the pecullaTites OF Roman pa'ho-
lie belief and practice which are either mperiee'l'
or at least unsympatheically, treated in works OF
more general character. The points IN con'ioNerH
between tho churches are more OF less eo"P'o'oy
covered but the articles are not usuaiiy ars"i'h"
tive. and what We may call the frotcs'ah' 'tcS
are omitted unless they have dlreet cohhcct'o"
with Roman Church history Thus there are
o,t;c,es ON Calyinisln Luthcransm, the Anglican
Church. the Reformation, and so Oh (articlcs 10
xrbich protestants OF course will take exception;
while there are none on Daptists or Mcthodsts and
none on Protestant doctrines generally except as
mart of the history of controversy. Ample room Is
thus saved for the consideration OF the matters
which form the special province OF the work. Inc
plan seems to Ms wise one The Protestant view OF
all the points in dispute has been amply set forth III
various works OF sterling excellence, while Tor the
Catholic side we have been obliged to trust for the
most mart TO the statcmens of hostile interpreters
Candid students will probably be glad to see how
each party states its own case; ana TINS Dictionary
being published with the official appreciation OF
Cardinals Naming and McCloskey. may be re-
Carded as an authoritative exposition OF Cathonc
opinion We believe that it is the only work of the
kind in the English language on scale large enough
to be of much practical use.
As examples of the critical discussion Of difficult
themes we NAV refer to the articles on the Insplra-
fiop of Scripture, Loretc and Scapuar: and among
fhe most important of the other titles are BiDie'
Church of Christ. Eucharist. Grace. Hell, lndulg-
ence Marriage, Pope. and Vatican Council besides
all the principal religious orders The arrangement
of the matter is not always satisfactory the editors
having apparently begun to compose without hTst
systematizng the distribution of topics. Some sub
iects are there fore treated a single compendous
article while Others are broken up into too many
sections and the various heads printed in their re-
spective alphabetical places. often without the
necessary crossreierences Thus there is an article
on Decretas and another apparently an after
thought. on False Desretals. The second article Is
not referred to in the first and placing 1t under
was at any rate an obyious error. Information re-
spectinc the confessional is distributed under Alb
solution Confession. General Confession under Gl.
Sacrament of Penance under P). and Seal OF Con-
f,ssion under 81. the most complete OF these hVe
articles being that on nenance; none oil the I'VE con-
tam references to all the Others. two are not re-
ftrred to in any of the others and one OF the cross
references is wrong. The article on Marriage must
he supplemented by Mixed Marriages and lmpedi-
lnents Marriage. lne StncIal liukihV"t ~ h'""-
yeniently divided between Judgment and Last
pay. The second article apparently intended to
cover what was forgotten in the first. Much that
ought TO have gone under Bible is to he sought
undcr anon pouay Bible. Inspiration. and Nugate
tbe only cross reference in all these five articles is
from Bible 40 Canon of Scripture vet the article
Vurate il by far the most important and scholarly
of the Eve and the only one which covers the gen
cral subjects of Biblical criticism and the Catholic
doctrine of the authority of Scripture. We doubt
whether ANYBODY would think of looking for these
topics in the leuerv nor would anybody expect
60 find Eschntoloay under Last Things. Under Dead
tNnss fotl we read SEQ Mass of Requiem" but
there IL no Htch title IN VI, nor is there anything
about Mass iof tho Dead in the article Mass Under
Che title Requiem We dnd :" 300 Mass
lhofe arc three appendices of omitted articles
two oi them hsna devoted largely 10 American
mattors Twenty eight pages are hlled with an
article on the Catholic Church IN the United Nthleh
giving by far the most compact ahd : o freshest
statement OF the history Of Roman Catholic ehort
In this countTy that We have met with Tie review
of the present condition of the denomination III
different parts Of the Union is particularly interest
ing and the account of Catholic progress III the
Western States gives great deal OF novel ihioiina-
ton In the body Of the work there are articles
more or less comprehensive, on the Church IN Eng
land ireland, Scotland and France but strange to
saw tho Catholics of Belgium. Germany aud Italy
not to speak of less important countries passed
over in silence. With all its defects, however the
Dictionary is a most useful book-so useful that
there must soon be delnand for its revision and
enlargement.
GAYS STANDARD HISTORY OF TIE WORLD ;
GREAT NATIONS Two volumes. William Gay
Co. Pr. 2,23l
In these large volumes an attempt has been maze
70 squeeze histories Of the principal nations OF the earth
The system followed that of abr lgement and contensa-
ton The histories OF Macaulay, Knight, Guzot Gibbo
Muller Cusaok and Yonse have been taken as the
groundwork Tie space given to Greece ana Rome Is so
small that historians whose works are here employed
can hardly be recognized. In the history OF England
knights Popular History has been mainly depended
upon For such have not time To read the standard
histories I'm full yet desire TO obtain some definite con-
cepion OF the past these volumes are calculated 10 oc
useful and the more particularly since they contain
chronological and historical charts, together with maps
plates arms, flags etc. and much general statsuc
Information In accessible form. or course sueh com
platons are without value works OF reference save
for outlines OF events, but they unquesOnaDy
offer a wide scope OF historical knowledge within com
paratiyey small compass, and at Price wh'ch should
put within the reach OF all who nave any serious