Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-06-16
Johnson's Revised Cyclopmdia


on lines originally suggested by Horace
Greeley, first appeared in 1874, and, be-
cause of its completeness, conciseness and
reliability, at once took a leading place
among works of reference. Its editor-n-
chief was the late President Barnard of
Columbia college. Ten or twelve years
later the work was revised so far as could
be done while retaining the original plates,
and necessary supplemental matter was
added. So rapid, however, is the progress
of our literary necessities, the accumula-
tion of important facts, and the general
advance in human knowledge that it soon
became evident that only a complete and
thorough going revision could keep the
cyclop@dia up to the standard which had
been set for it, and early in 1892 it was de-
cided to undertake this work. The revision
was placed in the hands of Charles Ken
dali Adams, LID, president of the Uni
versty of Wisconsin, as edtor-in-chief.
With him were associated 80 eminent
scholars, including four members of the
original staff, and to these the various
each availing himself of such contributors
and assistants as were found necessary.
The distinctive characteristic of the origi-
nal Johnsons cyclopedia was that all its
more important articles were given per-
sonal authenticity by having them signed
by their authors names, thus placing be-
fore the reader the authority and RESPONSE
bility for the statements made. In the
revised edition the same method has been
followed and its pages therefore possess a
degree of authority which it would be i'm =
possible for them to have otherwise.
AS showing the character of the men who
have given the public the benefit of their
own knowledge and achievements in pro-
ducing this work, it is of interest to give a
few of the names. The department of gen.
eral physics, for example, is in charge of
Edward L. Nichols, professor of physics in
| Cornell University, who has prepared for
this edition some 200 articles on electricity
and its applications. Besides these other
prominent scientists have written on cleo
trio railways, electric motors, terrestrial
magnetism, and kindred subjects. Prof
Simon Newcomb of Johns Hopkins Uni
versity is in charge of the higher mathe-
MATES and astronomy, while Prof. c. A.
Young of the College of New Jersey has
written on the sun and the spectroscope.
Prof. Remsen edits the department of
chemistry. Geology, mineralogy and ply
sica geography are written upon by men
of worldwide repute. The comparatively
new science of meteOrolOgy and climatol-
ogy is in charge of men who have done
the most practical and useful work in tn e
national and state weather bureaus. A
good illustration of the thoroughness of
the work which has been attempted is
found in the department of political or
descriptive geography which is in charge
of Prof. NJ. w. Harrington, chief of tn e
| United States weather bureau, who had S
| his collaborators such men as Gardiner G..
| Hubbard, president of the National Geo
graphic society, Cyrus c. Adams, preside Mt
of the department of geography in the
| Brooklyn institute of arts and sciences,
and Herbert II. Smith, naturalist who
has been engaged for 20 years in special
geographic and scientific explorations in
tropical America, South America, Mexic @
and the West Indies Special articles on
! Africa, Constantinople, London and Paris
are contributed by men whose fitness fol
their task is self evident. In the same wa
the departments of biology, zoology, botany,
Greek and Roman literature, English lit.
erature, history, education, agriculture
medicine and surgery, biography, law, tn e
ology, and on to the end of the list Of
topics, are covered and treated by men o.
unquestioned fitness and ability, each in hi:
own department.
The breadth of view which has marke {
the preparation of the work is well illu S
trated by the list of distinguished write ri
who have contributed the articles on theo
logical subjects. These include DR.. Will
j. Beecher, professor of Hebrew language
and literature in Auburn Theological Sem
mary; DR.. George p Fisher, professor o.
church history in Yale University; BishoI
John F. Hurst of the Methodist church;
DIR. Henry E, Jacobs, professor of churcf
history in the Evangelical Lutheran Theo,
logical Seminary, Philadelphia; Bishop
John j. Keane of the Roman Catholic
church, rector of the Catholic University
of America; Bishop Perry of the Prote S
tant Episcopal church; DR.. William H
Whitsitt, professor of church history il
the Baptist Theological Seminary, Louis
vile, KY, and Rev. John w. Chadwick
the well-knOwn and accomplished Unita
rian minister of Brooklyn, N. Y. Tn,
article on Christian Endeavor is by Rev
F. f, Clark, the founder of that movement
and that on the Salvation army is by Mr.
and Mrs. Ballington Booth.
A large number of miscellaneous articles
which do not come within the scope Of an,
of the editorial departments, have beel
arranged for, those on base ball and foo
ball by Prof, Alonzo A. Stagg, on cricke
by Prof Gummere of Haverford college
on gymnastics by Prof, d. A. Sargent, an,
on whist by r. f. Foster being instance
in point. Almost every elaborate artic
is accompanied by copious photographer
fnfo q, 4