The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-31

OF can't about the wastofulness of the
lower classes on the part Of those
who, II they were paid according TO the
value Of their social service, would DO
clothed in rags and fod on hominy like other
paupers." The Professor further tells us In tho
preface, and in his own peculiar way, that EN-
thusiasm for humanity, hope of progress, conf
denco In man., may not profess TO be religious, but
they really assume and imply n divine founda-
ton Of happiness through morality" Now, It
Is not easy to understand just how enthusiasm,
hope. or confidence can profess anything, but
we may reasonably doubt whether any one OF
these admirable sentiments Is likely to be fos.
tered by the diffusion Of literature that
brings to the consideration of great economic
subjects the methods OF the scntimentalist and
the sensational preacher, and that foists upon
the public the sorry fustian OF the tub thumpor
and the professional ngitator. At one point
Prof. Henderson makes the luminous assertion
that "a lamp will drive out darkness where a
club of knotted oak will make no impression"
Ev n the futility Of attempting to drive out
darkness with n club 10 not greater than that of
attempting to tighten the burdens of humanity
by nero theoriZing that has no basis In sound
common sense.
The faculty for acquiring m%isinformation is
given to many men, but the power Of dissemi.
mating II Is not 90 general, and seldom indeed
uOCo oNOnt H0 " tnuubt NOuH CHIlUBlnHI nnn-
age to compress in as small q space so many
errors and inaccuracies as has Mr.. Leopold
Wagner in a volume entitled "Thc Significance
Of Names" Thomas whittakcr.) Under tho
separate headings OF "Nicknames of Ameri.
can States and People," Things Theatrical"
'Titles OF Honor SCHOOLS OF Philoso-
ply" Education "Cordials and Beverages"
"Pocts and Poetry Fruit and Vegetables"
&C., Mr.. Wagner has written a number of
rambling chapters wherein he strings together
q series of words and names OF which he pur-
ports to give the meanings and derivations. He
does not appear TO have any definite plan or sys.
tematic principle Of research, his general form
Of procedure being to wade right in to the mid.
die of his subject, take a chance shot at u deriva-
tion a. each word comes to hand, and where
there is o reasonable possibility Of making a
mistake he almost invariably makes It. Hc 10
not particularly strong on either Latin or q reek.
but he has yet managed to add a word or two to
either language. Platinum is, he informs us,
the Latin for palace, and fdcire Is the verb " to
stuff" while tyrant Is derived from the Greek
Tvrdmos. Philosophy from Sophie, wisdom;
and poet from the verb peiein, to make. In
French he gives US the word Poriermcnt, and
speaks Of the =" Grande Dauphin.' and 1t is NOT
till he reaches the chapter on "Cordials and
Beverages that no really gets his feet down
firmly on q solid and incontrovcrtiblo fact.
There he proudly tells us that lime Juice is
obtained from the Juice OF the lime" 1t would
take much space to enable us to do justice
to the mine OF mihinformation and absurdities
that Mr.. Wagner has opened up, but perhaps
the following may DO exhibited as one Of the
gaudiest Of the glitterinR gems no has UNI
earthcd: THE Fleshy School OF Poetry 10 the
designation bestowed upon that class of poets
to which Rossetti. Morris, Swinburne, and one or
two OtherA belOnQ. owing IN tho senaunua m.
ture of their poetry" The italics are Mr.. waR.
ner's. 1T would have been much better for
tho authors piece Of mind" says he In the
preface, IF the writing of this work could
have been taken out in very small installments."
We don't feel quite sure as to what he means.
but we cordially agree with him. The smaller
the better.
A publication that will delight the heart Of
every lover of sport Is tho Encyclopaedia Of
Sport" now being issued by Messrs. Putnam,
and Of which we have received the tirst four
monthly parts. For many years such q work as
this has been needed. We have had t~reatises
innumerable on every conceivable form OF sport,
and magazines and newspapers devoted to 1t,
but since Blaine's Encyclopedia Of Rural
Sports. originally published in 1910. and Of
which the last edition appeared In 1870.
there has been no work of the character
of the present publication. The three editors,
the Earl OF Suffolk and Berkshire. Mr.. Hedley
Peek, and Mr.. F. G.. Afalo. have secured the
services OF the leading authorities on every
branch Of the subject, and the printing. illustra-
ton. and general makeup OF the four parts un.
der notice are all In Messrs. Putnam's best style.
Mr.. William Senior. known to all English.
speaking fly fishermen US " Red Spinner. writes
on angling. and discusses salmon, trout, dry fly
fishing, spinning. fly dressing. &c. Each OF tho
various branches OF athletics is discussed by a