New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A NOVEL CYCLOPAEDlA.

from Original Studies and Drawings ny Al4n g
Pejlev In Five Volumes. Vol. l. to f.iba
Pr 7sS xxi. Vol II. PIP 1911 56i Vol. Ill. PIP.
5G5-2S5s Springfield: The G. 4 Nichols Co
In scope and method most cyclopaedias copy one
general model Even in material they are found
to depend upon one another. the less important
compilations appropriating with scant ceremony
the original work of their betters. But now comes
e. book which is really original in lis method. lis
basis lies in mature experience Of the wants OF
readers as shown in the questions which they p"'
N q librarian One might almost imagine that
the work grew under tie cOmpiler's hand out %
what was at the outset meant 10 b" simply
topical catalogue Few intelligent persons care
10 read books without some aim in view that VIII
at least aid the memory. To have theme Tor
inves ga ton is the surest device for aWaklng the
necessary interest in books Of the weghtier sort.
Such themes are continually brought to the at
tention OF librarians by persons who do not 50
much desire advice how to read as 10 discover
what is accessible to them. The notebooks q.
many systematic student would show on cxami-
nation how minute and far-reachng topical an
alysis of books is when efficiently carried out.
But such students were probably at work only on
a single point in history science or literature.
A librarian works not in that way for himself DH'
necessarily keeps his notebooks with view to
suggestions In the field Of history and biography
Mr. Larred has done in print what he did before
for those who sought him. He has indeXed by
an alphabetical list Of subjects treated. library
NJ about 70 600 volumes This alone would have
been a boon to yeaders who like to have at hand
tho means of answering their own questions
without taking the time and trying the temper
Of busy librarian But II is really only the skeIe-
ton Of Mr.. Larned's plan as completed In
country where the distances are great and large
collections of books still comparatively few. many
a good scholar may be forced by his occupations
10 live where the books which he longs Tor are
beyond his reach. He has not the time to travel
far while ii is often the costly and painful Work
OF years to gather satisfactory working library
on a single theme.
Why not then. expand this topical index just
described BY treating as fully as possible the
more important subjects Of history? This ques-
ton appears to have addressed itself to the mind
OF Mr. Larned If he had responded by setting
TO work his own account or by securing
corps of contributors, 10 consult books and write
essays more or less original on chosen topics. he
would have followed the usual plan Of making a
cyclopedia 1t might have been good one. but
1t would have been open TO the usual criticism
on such ventures He chose instead to take
authors should be allowed in his scheme to speak
for themselves The paragraph that seemed in
the judgment Of the compiler the best a given
point should be taken Thus repetition would
be avoided Passages could be selected from all
the trustworthy writer's on a given topic in such
a way as to give fairly complete chronological
view of the subject To carry out this plan re-
qured the use of about 5000 volumes. The
method obviated the possibility OF misinterpret
ing an authors meaning in tho effort to work
his statements over into form. 1t also
gave the opportunity for keeping literary stand
ard above that Of average wOrkma nship. In the
words Of the compiler's preface. History writ
ten by those on one hand who have depicted its
scenes most wildly. and by those the other
who have searched its facts. weighed its evil
dences and pondered its meanings most critically
and deeply. is given in their own words" The
result Of prose cento thus constructed cannot
be uniform. Marked variations in style mus;
meet the eye on every page With every care to
prevent It, there must also be in many cases
abruptness Of transition from the style Of one
writer to that Of another But the variety in
style Is found to be pleasing rather than other
wise. The work is endless anthology II choice
extracts and those who began by censu~!ng the
compiler for his miscellany end by agreeing that
he has done better than if he had given what he
calls the "dry synopsis common TO encyclopaedia
works" They may concede that his method
holds the charm and interest Of many styles Of
excellence in writing. and it is read in clear
light which shines directly from the pens that
have made history luminous by their interpreta-
tons" A further evolution of the plan led to the
preparation Of maps not for some vague period,
but showing the condition Of a given country a a
must be tested by experience. are those described
as Logical Outlines" These are brief historical
summaries arranged chronologcally with mar
ginal headings. the information being classified
by means Of colors which show the different in
fuences. physical, chronological, social, POLITICAL
Intellectual moral, and so on. that have dOm-
mated nation at time or another in the
course Of its existence. These and a general
sketch OF the history Of Europe pointed out
by Mr.. Larned as the only writing Of his own in
the work. OF course he does include the intro
ductory or connecting sentences which serve 10
lind his vast collection of excerpts together As
gooc faith is everything in work intended 10
supply the place OF many other works il is i'm
portant to observe that mo liberties have been
taken with the text Of authors except to abrdge
by omissions" Taking the long article on Ameri-
ca. which covers thirty pages, the reader will find
nrst a chart IN black ana white showing the
routes OF discovery and the places of early settle
ment. In the text. The first paragraph should re-
late 10 the name. but in this case the reader is
referred TO another page. Then the prehistoric
speculation is summarized In an extract from an
article by Major Powell and in a few sentences
from essays by H. ". Haynes. l.. II. Morgan
and +. w. Putnam. The voyages OF the North
men are described in the words Of T. +. De Costa.
G. Storm. John Fiske and Justin Winsor H. II.
Bancroft and Sir A. Helps drawn upon for
the preliminary treatment OF Columbuss project.
Thenceforward the paragraphs relate to definite
periods of years and the number Of authors
quoted becomes more and more numerous As