New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-06-22
JOHNSON's CYCLOPEDIA.


JoINsON's UNIVERSAL CYCLOPEDIA, new
III and ~ New-York: 4. J. Johnson Company.
"Johnson's Cycopeda' is not a new work
There have been several editions Of I: since its
first appearance in 1874. Its name its outside
form. and in fact many articles to be found In
It's pages are familiar. Nevertheless, new cdi-
ton. particularly an edition involving so many
changes as the present one. is worthy Of note
In the first place, the cyclopedia Is revised 10
date That does not mean that every event con-
corning any man or matter noted has been on
tered up to the time Of binding. cyclopedia
is not a morning newspaper and is not expected
to be one. But the editors have taken care 20
add every essential fact up to the latest possible
moment. This moment varies in different cases.
Dr. Briggs had not been pronounced a hereto
by the PRESBYTERIAN General Assembly when his
name passed. and if ne was convicted later.
namely on May 81, 1888 1t was not thought worth
while to GO back. Hamilton Fish. however. died
on September last and the editor learned this
in time to round out the record II his life. X
Is a pity that he did not also learn the place
Of his death. II was not Of great importance 10
tel in such book just where he died hut II
stated it should be stated correctly. Mr.. Fish
did not die in New-York City. but at Garrisons.
For The most part the entries are quite as recent
as may reasonably he required. The maps par
ticularly excel in that rcspcct-sOmethinG which
maps DO not very often do. because the making
Of new maps for the sake Of Slight changes is an
expensive concession 70 accuracy. The most
noticeable execution to this general excellence
IS the map Of Europe which shows in the Balkan
conditions that have not existed since the Berlin
conference Of 1871.
The publishers have kept 70 the golden mean
between mere cyclopediac dictionary and an
alphabetically arranged collection Of treatses.
In doing SO they have made popular reference
book one of the most generally useful Of its kind
In the English language. It's topics are suited ~
the needs Of the average man The scientific
articles are written with a view 70 outlining
subject for one not familiar with 1t and 10 giving
references for more extended study. As In for
mer editions the scientific side Of the cyclopedla
preponderates This is. It would seem, unavoid-
able The things capable Of treatment In book
Of reference are facts. and nowhere-not even in
history-do definite facts mean so much as In
science A paragraph will sum up the life II a
man or the events Of a war. More words are
needed 10 tell how a dynamo works. For the
most part these explanations are clear and cor
rect; but sometimes even the sharp-wittcl
scientist mods. one is completely mystiAed ~
first when in Professor Thurston's most inter-
Of Professor Langleys experiments concerning
the self-.ustanng power Of rapidly moving
mates he reads: 1T was promptly shown that
the time OF fall Of a horizontal plane is less when
moving horizontally than when falling vertically.
and that the time increases as the lateral motion
Increases" For time Of fall" read rate u fall"
and the statement becomes a. once ineligible
and true.
Efforts have not been wanting TO bring the
strength Of the literary side II the cyclopcdia
up 10 that Of the scientific. and in pursuance Of
that plan Professor Benjamin Ide Wheeler. with
the assistance Of numerous specialists. has pre-
pared a series Of articles in pathological subjects.
/ and Professor Marsh has taken charge Of the
/ work in comparative literature, which Is - IN
| cude articles on the writers Of various corntres
| including a new nell-Spanish America Cana
dian literature. both French and English. is
treated by Goodwin Smith and q. Mercer Adam
| Why they should have omitted to mention
/ Jesuit Relations" as a whole among the French
historical works Is not apparent Certainly these
old documents are important. and It would be
| difficult 10 catalogue them under any other head.
In the English article more careful prOOf-reading
would have insured correct spelling OF the name
Of Bliss Carnan. English literature receives It's
due share Of attention. but not always with
entirely satisfactory results. Professor Corson
contributes an article on Browning which for a
cyclopedia Is little II any better than the short
notice in former editions or the paragraph in
the general article on English Literature" as
revised by Professor Beers after Richard Grant
White The fault may be with the editing for
internal evidence suggests cutting and somewhat
disjoined piecng.
The biographies In general are exhaustive in
number If not in depth. Every name Of the
past that might Justly claim place has one.
and many names Of the living whose calm might
be disputed are noticed. The weakest feature Of
this department IS the minor sketches Of men for
some time dead. Many OF them are transferred
bodily from former editions. and DO not seem to
/ have been revised with the care given 10 other
parts OF the work; for several old errors Of names
and dates are to be noted. On the other hand,
the new and more elaborate sketch OF John
/ Rjgelow departs from the correct statement Of
the last edition that he was Secretary Of State
/ in New-York from 1876 10 1875 and says that he
| held that Office from 1861 10 1868
All these are minor errors, but the excellence
OF cycOpedia depends in measure on its
unvarying accuracy. II matters little to say that
Thomas L. Beddoes died in consequence Of a
dissection wound" when 1t is pretty generally
understood that after he was nearly recovered
from the wound he committed suicide with the
poison curari; but such little things tend to
diminish the weight Of authority which the gen
eral excellence Of the work and the character
OF It's editors give It, But. after all. these things
are minor Page after page Of these
volumes Is without blensh and fully up TO the
high mark set by the editors for themselves.
The cyclopedla does In the main give, and give
/ correctly, the Information that one is likely to
wish TO lay hand on at minutes notice.
II IL does not tell everything about something. 1t
does what is far more to the purpose tell some-
thing about everything
Ncw pnbhfatlons.