New-York tribune., 1885-03-13
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
sroRxoSTH's DICTIONARY.

W"rds iy the Rev JAMES SToRMoNTH. The pro
nnnciatlon carefully revised by the Rev. +. II.
raeR; protRers w. !" 0""'''' ~
Harper g. Brothers have completed the issue VI
Stormonths Dictionary, which they now puo.''N
In handsome volume of 1888 pages In its oo"
petc form the extent OF the re Vision anu au"'', -
which have been made can be tuily realized. ana III
I. Main that the editor may Justly clam that the
work is to all practical intents new one oro"'
care has been exercised to keep pace with the e4-
pausiou of the English language. which OF late
years has been rapid by reason OF the contnuai in
portation and coinage OF new sciehtlhc anu
technical terms La tho etymoogies full advah.aeo
has been taken of the work of the best pbiolosSis
aad the recent progress made ia the study OF Ahso
Saxon has been utilized more fully than ID any o'ho'
dictionary extant. A feature OF the work. ihdcou'
is the large vocabulary Of old English wor"S:
vocabulary which comparison will show 10 DC iar
richer In this respect than are many more preten-
tious and yoluminous photographers. The recognl-
fion of new scientific terms must commend the
work to modern students also in a speciai way, ana
it may he said that regards thoroughhess vi
chronological researc, and breadth OF modern lncIu-
sion, Stormonths new dictionary surpasses all It's
predecessors. not excepting the Imperial.
Less space is necessarily given 10 definitions but
a very much larger vocabulary than would at hrst
sight bo guessed at is represented, because Ine
system Ol grouping ucrlNdtNcs io'(""ANN
adopted here really enables great many succinct
definitions to be packed into a very small COMPASS
In a former notice we explained the plan of group
ing and therefore it need only be said that 1t Is
particularly convenient one facilitating eonsuita-
tion and relieving tho eye much as possible
somewhat careful examination and comparison OF
a number of the definitions justhes the conclusion
that unusual pains have been taken not only to
secure accuracy but to put the explanations SO
lucIdly that misapprehension is rendered almost
impossible Tho work of Littre, Max Muiier'
Wedgwood, Skcat DIR. faTrar. Kitchen ana Others
has been freely employed in the etymoogies. to the
distinct enrichment of the work. In tho derivatives
from old English tho root-words are always care
fully indicated and in the case of Latin and Greek
derivation similar care is exercised In 50 COM
pound q language as the English there must DO
M my doubtful ctymologies, and phologists VIII
dliler concerning them but DR.. StOr1nonth ana MS
editor have shown sound Judgment Ill the majority
of instances. The pronunciation Is generally satts-
factory. In several cases American custom appears
to have been preferred to the common English
custom. Alternatives are always given when there
is serious doubt as to the best usage. but prefer
ences are at the same time clearly expressed.
There are four appendices, viz: III preiixes and
postGxes- though given IN the text in their proper
place these are here reproduced in body for con-
letters-this is fuller than usual; l3l foreign
phrases and quotations; a. proper names. Scrip
tural classical historical and common These have
all been respolt TO indicate their pronunciation.
With all these appendices the care that marks
the whole undertaking has been used, and the
IIarpcrs have added copy OF the Constitution OF
the United States.
Great credit is due to tho publishers for the OK
ceent printing of the work. For tho most part
dictionaries are vexatious and trying to the eyes,
but Stormonths is really pleasant to consult
because it is so clearly and well printed In such
honest bold and comfortable type. The grouping
system adopted undoubtedly adds to the facility oi
research but the printers have done their full duty
by the volume. and it IS a frstcass specimen OF
modern Typography of the most conscientious
school Iu fact Stormonth's Dictionary possesses
merits so many and conspi cuous that 1t can hardly
fail to establish itself standard and favorite
MIND-READING AND BEYOND BY WILL WILLIAM A.
HovEY 16mo pp. 20l. Lee shepard
This volume consists almost entirely OF material
taken from the published proceedings of the London
Society for Psychical Research. 1t is not well put
topethor SO that we are often left in doubt whether
we are reading reports from the society OF Mr..
Hoveys compilation from the reports, or Ar Hoyeys
original contributions to science. Quotations Tor
instance are never indicated by quOtaton-marks
AS the value of the testimony depends entirely upon
the character and capacity of the witnesses this is
an unfortunate blemish Nevertheless the array OF
fact bearing upon the phenomena OF mind-reading
is undoubtedly impressive. The various anecdotes
related of LadyG-,"" the wife of General R."
and other persons not identified, may be passed
over; there rcmains. however a large body OF evi.
donce, collected by the society in question. which
tends to show that in some one mind exerts
m influence upon another apart from any recognized
modo of perception. The society, whose president
is Professor Henry Sidgwck, of Trinity College,
Cambridge. is engaged at present IN collecting re-
cording and studying the phenomena, and the con-
ditions attending them, without proposing any
theory of explanation; and Its operations appear
to be conducted in a scientific and dispassionate
temper which promises important results Ihe
precautions against deception and the play OF con-
sc;ous OF unconscious muscular action seem. If the
reports are full and accurate, to have been COM
plete and yet tho instances are abundant in which
the percipient is recorded naming or describing
objects words and even short phrases, upon
which another person has silently fixed his mind.
The power IS not constant, there - many failures;
In several series of experiments the failures have
largely predomnated; and so far no certain light
has been thrown upon the laws. If laws there be.
which govern the occurrence of the phenomena.
One of the reports indeed says: "We&ay conceive
of nervous energy acting by induction across space
as well as by condaction along the nerve fibres La
fact the numerous analogios between electricity and
nervous stimuli would lead to some such Inference
as the above. Or the brain might be regarded as
the seat of radiant energy like glowing or a
sounding body. In this case the reception
of the energy would depend upon posi-
bility of synchronous vibration in the alb
sorbng body; which, moreover, may be con-
stituted like a sensitive flame in state OF unstable
eouilibrium 90 that distant mental disturbance