New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-05
CENTURY CYCLOPEDlA.
NEW FEATURES IN A DICTIONARY OF
PROPER NAMES.

A Pronouncing ard Etymolog cal Dictionary o.
Names in Geography, Biograohy Mythology
etc Edited by Benjamin r Smith A. NJ
Ma1ss;e Editor Of the , EnSs,
PIP VII. los. The Century Co
Much will be found in this supplement to THE
Century Dictionary" which may be looked for In
vain in other books Of the class 10 which 1t be-
longs It's framework is. Of course, the bare list
Of names II biography and geography. sacred
classical and modern, which Is indispensable to
a complete work In photography. But mere lists
would not have sufflced to carry out the ency-
clopedic PIN upon which the great dictionary
was constructed. The words must be explained
II the name that of a man or a woman. or
Of NEUROLOGICAL character enough must be
added to satisfy readers who desire information
on the instant The same necessity existed In
the case Of place names. Thus from the outset
the book took the form Of gazetteer and bio
graphical and NEUROLOGICAL dictionary. But the
outlook in these matters broa6ens with every
year Of modern investigation. Mythology used
to be thought of as merely a review Of Greek and
Roman superstitions and legends about the gods
The nnumerable pantheons of other races were
left to the curious inquiries Of the learned. But
ut the present day one is as likely TO need in
formation about deity Of the Norsemen or the
Hlndoos or the Phoenicans or the Assyrans. the
Egyptians the Aztecs the Peruvians. the Poly
nesians or the negroes as about god wor-
shipped In Hellas or Italy. The names Of the
most outlandish objects Of pious alteration are
as likely to confront a nove-reader as they are
to meet the eye Of student. The latter usually
has resources for dealing with what he finds;
but the devotee Of light literature so-called has
to resort to a handbook or skip the hard words
and go on with the story. This skipping process
IS not happy one. Whether the novelist was
right not in his or her reconcile allusion, 1t
meant something. The chances are ten to one
that the person who looks the matter up finds
that an addition has been made to the value OF
the story. an addition perhaps. that the author
never intended In more serious literature the
questions that arise to the identity OF persons
and places. as to the character Of myths and
legends, to purport Of feigned appellations
and the like. are endless. No one book could be
made to meet all requirements 1t would be as
hard task to make such book as TO ma the
proverbial wise man ready to answer all the
questions a fool could ask. But commensurate
effort has been made in the thousand and more
broad pages Of the volume in hand. Thus. as
the Editor remarks "the entries comprise not
only names in biography and geography. but
also names Of races and tribes. NEUROLOGICAL and
legendary persons and places. characters and OBJ
iects in fiction. stars and constitutions notable
buildings and archaeological monuments. works
of art institutions academies, societies. legs-
lative bodies. orders, clubs. etc. historical
events (wars, battles treaties. conventions, etc),
sects parties, noted streets and squares. DOCKS,
nlays OPERAS and even celebrated gems, vessels
(war-ships, yachts, etc), and horses Pscu-
donymes also, which have literary Importance
are included The only condition Of insertion has
been that the name should be one about which
information would be likely to be sought" 1t
is rare that the book promises anything which
st does not give. But occasionally 1t fails For
example to the obsolete name Behmen is ap-
pended hint to look for Boehme. Jakob; but
the latter is not to be found. In another place
the reader is directed to the name OF Unas, an
Egyptian King. but he will not find 1t In its al
phabetical place and so those who wish biog-
raphy Of the great German mystic or Of the first
Egyptian King to make sepulchral Of THE
Book of the Dead" must go elsewhere
An increasing number Of people nowadays read
books on folklore and ethnology. In cases where
these are the result of original study in the HELD
there is no trouble about the illusions to un-
known places and tribes But in the more ex-
tended works into which material is gathered
from the whole surface of the globe. reader Is
frequently bewildered by illusions to books
places. tribes and tales that he never heard Of
His author strings these puzzles on the thread
OF argument as If they were bits OF ordinary
everyday knowledge. hardly deigning even In
footnote to be specific. The vast array OF facts
that have to be classified is to some extent an
excuse for this annoying brevity. though the
affectation can easily be Overdone. But the
wretched reader wants assistance to get at the
writer's point Of view When he is told that GER
tain savages with a name full Of consonants and
hyphens bury their dead feet upward 1t Is
partial consolation to MIN II he can md out
where these people live. A great deal OF that
sort OF information will be found in this book
Again II the reader is puzzled by references to
legends or collections. to Melusine or Dolopathos
or sendebad or Bidpai or the thousand and one
other things that are likely to be mentioned In
books or discourses on popular traditions, he Is
almost sure to find something in this cyclopedia
which will make such references clear In pass
ing It may be remarked that the paragraph on
the "Dolopathos' would have additional value II
II contained the informa ton that the Latin orig
inal OF Herberss old French poem was found
and printed some years ago. Most OF the typical
legends Of antiquity and Of the medieval period
are represented in this volume by brief but use
full summaries in which attention has been paid
10 the points likely to be dwet upon in compare
tive studies. Legendary characters like Merlin.
Taliesin, Robin Hood. Arthur, lzcupdr' Sesostiis
ere mentioned. first with such particulars as
may be deemed historical and then with such
account Of the traditions concerning them as
space will allow. The rule is. where the subject
seems of sufficient Importance. to add to the para
graph written by one of Mr.. Smiths contribu-
tors a sentence two from the works OF an
author recognized as an expert. This rule is fol-
lowed also with authors where critical esti-
mate is Of use and with places Of which some
thing more than geographical or statistical in
formation should be given.
In mentioning authors whose works are numer-
Gus only the most important are given. But the
titles OF works likely to be sought. including