The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-16

It will be our aim. in this notice, not
to attempt a review OF so massive 4
work. for which years of preparation
would be necessary; but simply to set
down, for passing observation, Few
of the points that differentiate 1t from
other word-books Of like character AS
to its scope, 1t may be remarked that
the vocabulary, proper, contains by ac-
tual count 30l, ,S65 words as against 45,-
900 in Johnson's dictionary, $4,000 in
Stormonth, lO5, 900 in Worcester, l25, 900
in the new Webster International, and
225,0OO in the siX-volume Century. In
addition. the Standards appendix con-
tains A. 46S entries, including a key to
all ancient and modern languages; an
exposition of the principles and use OF
the scientific alphabet: an index to the
illustrations, groups and tables in the
vocabulary: a list, in one alphabetical
order OF several thousand proper
names in photography. Bibliology, BIZ
ography, fiction, geography, history
and mythology, together with PEN
names, praenomens, ETC.; an unusually
comprehensive glossary Of foreign
words and phrases employed in Eng
lish literature; list Of words frequent
ly misused, together with statement
Of principles for the correction Of faulty
diction-of which more anon;--a list OF
disputed spellings and pronunclations;
a list OF convenient abbreviations and
contractions: a table Of arbitrary signs
and symbols used In the sciences, in
commerce and typography; and finally.
a list of the poetical or symbolical
signifcances of flowers and gems Yet
this immense mass of material has been
compressed. together with 5000 illustra-
tions-the beauty Of which Is that they
really illustrate-into 1888 pages, or
about two-flfths the size of the Cen
tury dictionary, and only double that of
the Webster International. The Stand
ard dictionary was begun five years
ago, the intention then being to pre-
pare book only slightly In excess OF
the familiar Webster's Unabridged: but
as the work was prosecuted It's dimen-
sions rapidly grew beyond these bou.. Is
until 1t engrossed the efforts Of 247 edl-
tors and specialists and 500 readers,
and had cost, before a book was print
ed. $685.
The publishers, In recognition of their
release from this burden of prepara-
tion, have signaliZed the books compile
tion by issuing an artistic souvenir An
nouncement containing amid 72 pages
of Instructive comparisons and commen-
dations, seven full-page group plates In
half-tone. each Of which contains twen-
ty-four portraits Of the eminent schol-
ars who have been identified with the
dictionary's preparation. One Is deep
ly impressed with the active intelli-
gence and wide range OF scholarship
which these expressive portraits SYM
bolize. From that Of Isaac X. Funk, the
editor-in-chief, and those Of Professor
Francis A. March and DR.. Daniel s.
Gregory, his chief assistants, to such
likenesses as those Of Simon Newcomb.
the astronomer: Henry NJ. Stanley, the
explorer; President William X. Harper,
the Semitic scholar; Dr. r. Mitchell
Prudden, the bacteriologist; Max Null
Ter, the philologist; Alexander Graham
Bell, the inventor; Dr. r. Ogden Dore-
mus, the chemist; Nathaniel s. Shaler,
the geologist; Thomas M. Cooley and
ex-Minister Edward j. Phelps, the con-
stitutional lawyers; George +. Kunz,
Tiffanys gem expert; Metereologist
Mark Harrington; Historian Hubert
Howe Bancroft: Carroll D. Wright, the
statistician; William ]. Henderson, the
New York Times musical critic; Anton
Seidl, the energetic conductor; Major
General Howard and Rear Admiral
Luce. representing respectively the
army and the navy: Steinitz, the chess
player and George T. Ladd, the meta
physician; Horace Teall, the word-com-
FOUNDER. and w. ]. Rolfe. the Shake
pearean; the late Amelia d. Edwards,
no completed, before her death, her
lpervision of words relating to Egypt
ogy; Harrison Grey Fiske, the dra-