New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14

rnius using this word in the all-includlhs g
conveniently given TO il in some scientihc -,
But the lists seem rather to indicate tha' stnr
aptitude is an average sort OF quality
all and is distributed with approximate lmpa'
throughout the mutitudes OF mankind
WISE how is il possible to account tor u'c r.
dominance of the more common names? o"i.p
nobody would venture on a theory oil hoi' 90.
that would dole out ancestral pecullarities 10 co.
Smiths, 70 2lj Browns, to LOG Johnsons, 10 loo
Joneses. 70 l13 Campbells. TO l22 ClarSes, OF ,U1
Clorks IN 100 Moorcs or to 100 Taylors. Nhiio
tbcro oro names nnmerousy represented WHICH
heonr 10 a single, wel-ascertained ancestral
stem IL is certainly worthy of notice thau ."'
names that occupy the greatest space IN " ivy
directory for example, are the very ones '"'
are most numcrously represented IN voluui'o''
LIST If authors. curious phenomenon also Is '''e
prediection for certain forms Ill p
donvms. Apparently. in the ratio OF NUMBERS
GRAY is the favorite with those who choose pen,
names. Perhaps the choice is to be assooia'cu
in some way with color with the emotion causeo
by color in various persons.
The nlan Of cmbodying critical extracts under
the names Of the more noted and even of the less
Obscure authors adopted by Alhoone has pcen
! continued in the Supplement In view OIL III,
vast number, 1880, they are slngnlary wen
| chosen. within a somewhat limited field III IL oe
,,ro "a is often said that the Judgment OF for
eixners is like that Of posterity, one might wen
wish for some German and French criticism Oh
contemporary English and American literature by
way OF varying the somewhat marrow round oil
English and American literary weekos. IL would
| be q great help for one who sought TO anticplte,
say the verdict Of the next half-century on writers
| who occupy almost as large position now IN the
eve Of the Anglo-Saxon public as they do in their
| own esteem In the vastness of literary produc-
ton and amid the trumpctings Of fame which are
so cleverly sounded in these days-when the most
perfect of the is the art of adverfising-s0me
Trustworthy means Of anticipating the verdict OF
the future should be devised. If we cannot have
| prophetic certainty, we should be thankful at
| least for an approach to probability Consider
merely that fraction of the more than $4,000
writers mentioned in this book whom one must
know something about 10 he up" in contemporary
literary history, and the need of discrimination
more thnn human becomes obvious.
/ Mr. Kirk points ont that in the original
| work the number Of authors named was
only $4,000. and argues from the comparison
| with the number in the present addition the
enormous increase i'm authorship. The argument
leaves ont Of account the sitting process that had
been going Oh for centuries prior to Allibone'S
|
provcmcnt in photographed methods Of late
years. Bat the conclusion is overwhelmingly true.
all the same The point has been attained when
| an author who has reached the scattered hundreds
| interested in his theme has douc all that he can
DO for the world-that is 10 say, an author who
aims at permanent achievement OF the books
that are glanced at to-day and forgotten tomorrow
titles numerous IN these volumes But Mr.
Kirk is hopeful. He writes:
II must hc Acknowledged that. while the
| literature Of the present day is more remarkable
for its quantity than for It's quality, yet tho gen
eral level in this latter respect has been steadily
rising. In purely imaginative productions.
skilful construction. artistic finish, adherence
- nature. all the results and evidences OF culture
are far more common than they were in the
eighteenth cent ~ or in the earlier part Of the
nineteenth In works designed 10 convey. in
structiOn and information the Improvement Is
perhaps still greater ard more general In
short, Literature. like the social system. hut to n
far greater extent, has lost the old class dis
| tinr'ions and become democratic The Re
worthy % it, name, with an equality Of citizen
ship, continuity Of rights and mingling and
| Iostling OF its component members 10 which no
| political system offers parallel.
Practically the information in these volumes
| is brought down uniformly to 1883. For future
workmcn In the same field. the uniformity will be
| very convenient They will know where 10 begin
| whereas the scrratcd date line left by Alllbonc
| must have been Of great trouble
to thr present compiler Tic death Of an author
| however since 1883 is usually recorded and in
! rare cases, like that Of Mr. Stanleys last work
| title is given for the years ! sso or 1890 What
is either error n curious coincidence occurs
on page $50. Two entries axe made II the title
Baptism Tested by Scripture aud History In
| one the book is attributed 10 W Hodge in
the other to William Hodges, and the place is
| given The one hand a. Philadelphia, on the
| other as Ncw-York. The Phiadcph book il n
| first edition apparently the NcwlYorl book
specifically a third edition. Whether the two
are really identical not, the example illustrates
one Of the difficulties in work like Mr. Kinks
II row some capable person should add anothcr
volume to these. containing an accurate index,
Aibonc plus Kirk would be an almost priceless
treasure. But, il will be said the work as it now
stands is virtually an index SO il is. But no
book is more likely to be improved by an index
| than n cyclOpcf d.. In tho present case, If one
knows the name Of the proper author. he has
no difficulty in finding the title hc is seeking
| But If he lacks thai KNOWLEDGE or IL his memory
! is defective. he hoS resource except patient
search. The literature Of ENGLAND and America.
for example i rich in TRANSACTIONS. These vol
umos contain u satisfactory record of this class
| Of works Hut to discover whether given book
has been translated or not, one may have TO 20
on quest that Will Inst for days With thor
ouch topical index, comprising also the names Of
persons not alphabetically placed, not only those
| Of Americans and Engshmcn, but Of all Others
these troubles and delays would be at an end.
|