New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14
KIRK,S SUPPLEMENT.
ALLIBONE'S DICTIONARY OF AUTHORS CON
TINUED TO THE YEAR 1853.

SUPPLEMENT TO ALrIBoNE's CRITICAL DIG
TIONARY OF ENGLlsH LITERATURE MD i,klI-
1911 AND AMERICAN AUTHORS. by John Foster
kirkc. Two Volumes. Pp y, lJO.' D. b. LIP
pncott ~ Co.
As stated on the title page of this work, over
a. 600 authors are mentioned to whom arc
credited $3.50 separate works Taking count
of 1872 pagcs near the middle OF the work as
basis. il appears that the proportion OF EngilSh
IN American authors is a little over two 10 one
In tsis estimate. Of course. Canadian ana Aus
,ral,an writers are properly included with those
of England The discrepancy seems large for the
pcriod since 1880, undoubtedly the hioHt
productive one in American history. But the
disproportion is not really great as 1t looks.
Down 10 the present time, II has always Decn
more difficult 10 complete photography oil any
norton Of The United States than Of any portion
Of Western Europe. The system by which trace
can he kent Of any ard MI books in all the Older
countries was perfected in Europe while the
United States were in what might very justly he
called the medieval stage Of culture. Cata-
Iooucs devices for exchange and all the means
that can hc used ~ prevent book title from
follinc into Oblivion have long been IN use
there buy are comparatively recent here. Even
those which are in Gsc in This country do not
cover the whole field of book production, mt
only certain very large percentage OF II "h,h II
tie domain Of recognized ard wcll-'stabliShcd pup
fishers Ervond the boundaries of this domain
there is a misty region, large or small, oil pfi'&"
publications, Of books issued from obscure PRINT
inr-houscs at the authors own cost. ana 81 others
witch arc FORGOTTEN in the downfall Of some small
nublisLinc-housc which issued them. There are
80 many elite, in this country where DOCKS ol
more or less value have ben published mat IL
will he next 10 impossible for years 10 come l"
make a photography Of thc United States mat
will no without omissions MI. MIX undoubtedly
has fclt tbc enormous difficulty Of the task. l'c
has probably come rcarcr 70 mastering II 'n"h
any other man could But il is safe 10 suppose
that he is nearer perfection in the list OF English
works than in that of American books, simply
because he has had moro Trustworthy appliances
A. bis df.nosal in the ono case than in tho other.
7. couycys no censurr on this valuable addition
to Allibore7 10 call the attention Oi Americans
generally 70 defects in The literary machinery oi
thc Nation In the year 1852 il j. likely that
oven sane people will spend part Of their time
wandering how il was that certain books were
90 popular among their ancestors IN 1892. ana
will devote SONG other portion IF their 'iWe 70
locking about in ancient libraries and bookstaIIS
for books u real value that were almost IN
known in the latter half Of the nine
tenth century. II they do not act in this man
ncr then there will be q surprising change ~
human nature during tie coming years. They
will be lust NJ Ekcy 10 yalrc highly and to guard
a. a treasure some book that came into the world
unhcraldrd through the portals Of a seventy mine
printing -oHcc the more prctcaiou7 products
of thc Great publishing houses. Now these hyper
critical descendants should he convinced that ia"
present age not merely consulted it, own taste,
l. q IL lao
ouircmcnis Of future times photography per
feet in all IL details will w. for better evidence
in an argcal 10 po.tcriy than vast shelves full Of
,hc hooks whose title, it rcciie1 WITH that in
hand posterity will say: What excellent people
those nineteenth century anccnis were. 10 be sure
Now shall find inst what want
II has been tie experience Of the writer Of this
ortirlc-aud doubtess there are others who,
examination OF Mr.. Kinks work will agree with
hip-that what defects are 10 be found in it
mainly due TO the difficulties pointed ont. Titles
here and there far far between viii bc missed,
but at thc same time The reason will be obvious.
In the nature Of things. they could hardly have
reached the editor. Some obscure writer rises
into the notice Of some important publisher His
subsequent titles are noted. while his earlier
writings fail 20 attrnct attention Some man
whose name il familiar enough in other phases
Of life happens also to have written three or
,onr hooks IL he does not ird his name in this
collection lie has onlv 10 remember tie American
lack OF system and 10 glance at the bottom OF his
title pages No one person, however hooEsh he
may be, could add many 70 the list. Many we'll
informed people from different parts OF the coun-
try if they happened 10 get together IN consulta-
ton might perhaps make a formidable showing,
though this is doubtful The present writer notes
nuy pi0 oh
titles that are missing. and in every case these
must have escaped the great trade catalogues
or course if one ventures TO critcisc this col
lection. he must beware cf the restrictions made
by the editor NO entire class Of works" says
Mr. Kirk, has been excluded but single ser
mons. lectures and addresses, pamphlets in gen
! eraI. and school books, have been admitted only
when they seemed for one reason or another to
nave stronger claim 10 insertion than the general
mass Of such productions, on when as must some
times have happened. their form and character
were unknown
1t is almost startling to one looking over the
list OF names in these volumes 20 observe how
many names that were famous in the past rccur
One finds here Shsllcspcarcs. Millions, Daniels,
Goldsmiths Spenecrv Swifts. ilerberts, lIeywoods,
and Skeletons. There are Gays, and Irvings, and
Nordsworihs. and Byrons, Macaulays liallarn,
{ranknS and other instances without number o.
this recurrence; but it is, perhaps, rare thing
10 find any Close analogy between tic particular
field OF letters In which name was made famous
end that occupied by those who bear the namt
now. Another thing 10 be observed is the large
pToportionatc number OF clces in which name
rccurs more than once. There are, of course, many
cases IN which writer stands alone. bat the
instances 10 the contrary certainly fill larger
SPACE before the view. One might draw from