The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-20
The Age OF Books.

The nineteenth century is beyond uues-
ton the greatest century of all the years
of time. Sitting in the sunset glory OF
its latest decade. and looking back 10 us
hopeful dawn. the path that lies between
has been rich In ten thousand victories
of peace. more 10 be desired than all
the warrior conflicts of ancient years.
The word civilization" If not exactly
created by this century has at least De-
come endowed with a larger life and
diviner meaning, while progress that
has limped and Jagged through many
generations. has marched subiimely on
toward that
zone far-off divine event,
To which the whole creation moves
The revolutionists of the last ninety
wears have been revolutions OF mdacu-
ulous progress, not year OF all the lime
~ but has lifted high some banner OF
advancement TO the wondering gaze OF
men. And il is not Il little interesting
to note that representatives OF all I'M
portant departments of life have claimed
this century as their own. To the men or
science this century has been beyond
a doubt the century Of science; bat the
inventor, with equal enthusiasm, fas
claimed this age as above all things else
the age of invention The philan.hcopist
declares that 1t has been the destiny OF
the last half of the nineteenth century
TO spell out the word humanity" with
full resonance and meaning. Is II Ie-
markable that lovers of art, in music and
painting. in literature and song, should
claim this century as their own? Nay.
has not this age been superlaively an
age OF books? More and better BOOKS
could be bought for hundred dollar
to-day than could be bought for ten thou
sand dollars when this century was
young. In those days the author, pub
Usher and the book seler, knocked at
only a few doors; the secondhand book
seller and the old book-stall did the rest.
The Bible, Bupyan's pilgrims Progress"
Culpeppers Herbal" and here and
there a stray number of an ecclesiastical
magazine, with steel portrait OF some
cody minister suffering from dyspepsia
often constituted the whole library or
ordinary households Now see the
change. Every home has its pictures, It's
music. its books. A hundred years ago
the old hand-press, working at Il terrific
rate of a "token"-two hundred and fifty
impressions-an hour, managed TO
satisfy the literary wants OF the world,
but now steam presses are at work by
tens of thousands, working as the an
gels sing day and night without oeas-
ing" pouring forth millions Of books.
where thousands once would have been
regarded as a drug on the market. Al
the rate things are going IL would be
well 10 begin and plant trees. :or in
half a century hence more lumber than
We dream OF Will be needed for book
shelves for the studious America Of 1850.
But how can books be read intelligently
or inteiigibly without the aid Of AN nc
curate reliable Dictionary? thoroughly
reliable Dictionary has become an abb
solute necessity TO every reader, and in
these days all men read more or less
But TO what end do We read, II We do
no; understand? And how can we un-
derstand unless We are taught? And how
can we be taught. unless We have a
teacher. A dictionary Is a necessity OF
the commonest modes OF education. Time
was when a ponderous dictionary was
regarded as the necessary ala Of labor
ious scholars doctors in law, in divinity,
In medicine. teachers, and professors in
public schools, students I'm colleges, and
occupants Of editorial chairs. But 4 die
tionary that Is not thoroughly exhaustive
and reliable IL worse than useless. A
good dictionary should contain al you
want, and should define, explain ard
illustrate II correctly. giving at the same
time the correct pronunciation II every
word. With these Views we have roth
pride and pleasure In announcing n at
we have made arrangements by which the
American Encyclopaedia Dictionary. tho
greatest work OF the nineteenth century.
III brought within the easy reach Of every
one Of our readers.
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