The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-13
BOOK NOTES.

work, THE Jewish Encyclopaedia has
been published by Funk & Wagnalls,
New York, and it gives an idea OF the
comprehensive thoroughness of this
great work
Shortly after the independence of the
United States had been recognized by
the pations of the world the second
president of the new republic was
called on for his opinion of the Jews,
says an eminent reviewer. This is
what he said: THE Hebrews have
done more to civilize men than any
other nation. If I were an atheist and
still believe that fate had ordained the
Jews to be the most essential instru-
ment for civilizing nations If | We're
an atheist of the other sect, who be-
Ieve, or pretend to believe. that all is
ordered by chance, / should believe
that chance had ordered the Jews to
preserve and propagate to all mankind
the doctrine of supreme, intelligent,
wise, almighty Sovereign of the uni
verse, which believe to be the great
essential principle of all morality, and
consequently Of an civilization" And
John Adams, the author or these
words, was not alone in his belief.
Other men, as well as women, although
not so great in their walks of life as
he, have admitted that among all the
peoples of the world the Jews, despite
their oppression, have proved to be the
links in the chain of progress that with
the dawn of the twentieth century has
encircled the globe.
Among the first of EnglishP.public
men to acknowledge the good that the
Jews have done for the world We're
I4ancelot Addison, the father of the
essayist Joseph Addison, and the lat
ter him self: the first by his contfibu-
tions to the literature of his day, in
which he presented his views based on
a sojourn among the Jews; the second,
in his inimitable essays. In fact so
satisfied was the younger Addison re-
7r7nOFfcnaa n
a factor in commercial life that he de-
voted to him section of No 49h OF MS
Spectator" in which he dealt most
infinitely with the dispersion OF the
Jews throughout the world, their in
fuence in trade, and their religion.
OF their value as links connecting
the rest of civilization he said: ''They
are, indeed, 50 disseminated through
all the trading parts of the world that
they are become the instruments by
which the most distant nations con-
verse with one another and by which
mankind are knit together n a general
correspondence. They are like the pegs
and nails in a great building, which,
though they are but little valued in
themselves, are absolutely necessary to
keep the whole frame together.
The first volume of the Jewish Enjoy
clopedia, has been in course of prepar-
alton for nearly three years The pro-
jector of this work, DR. Isidore Singer,
spent ten years of his life in collecting
material for what justly merits the
much-a bused term-a magnum opus
An Australian by birth and a linquist
of exceptional ability. DR.. Singer be-
gan his public career as secretary and
librarian to the French ambassador at
the court of Vienna, the late Count
Faucher de Careil, whom he followed to
Paris. In the French capital as well
as at Berlin and Vienna DR.. Singer
sought in vain for a publisher willing
to embark in the enterprise; for the
Jewish Encyclopedia was not to see the
light of day in hOary Europe. Reluct-
antly, yet with heart buoyed with hope
DR. Singer turned away from the old
world to face the new and eventually
found in the Funk & Wagnalls com
pany of New York firm with suffi-
cient enterprise and-What was more
essential to the undertalxing-co
handing the capital necessary to pro-
duce it. 1t is understood that conserv-
alive estimates show the actual sum
required to complete this work will not
run far short of three-quarters of
million dollars.
The Jewish Encyclopedia presents in
an attractive form a descriptive record
or the history, religion, literature, and
customs of the Jewish people from the
earliest times to the present day. The
work is to be the joint product of more
than four hundred scholars and speci-
ahsts-men of acknowledged authority
".
erature, and theology of the Jews
Among them are such indefatigable
students and we'll known writer's as
Solomon Sehechter, Wilhelm Bacher
David Gunzburg, A. Harkavy, MorItz
Lazarus, Ludwig Stein. Israel Abra-
hams, and I. zangwiil.
The New York Journal reports the
following in the order named as the
best selling books in New York last
week.
The Crisis.
2-The Helmet of Navarro.
3-The Puppet Crown.
4-Tarry Thou Till / Come.
b-Tribulations of a Princess.
6-Truth Dexter.
The International Vest Pocket LIZ
brary Just issued by Laird & Lee. of
Chicago, is certainly one of the daint-
lest, as well as most valuable. collec-
tions yet published These six little
volumes, uniformly and exuuisfteIv
bound in marbled paper, leather backs.
include works that are recognized as
perfect in their line. A delicate red
border frames in every page and en-
hances the general beauty of the make
up. The titles comprised in this admir-
able sextet are: 1.-The Webster Diction-
ary.'' THE French English Dictionary
The Spanish English Dictionary 1.-The
German English Dictionary "The
Cyclopedic Question Settler" and last
but not least, Electric Sparks a COM
plete teacher in matters electrical The
dictionaries are all indexed and contain
the latest words and most popular
idioms in the four leading languages.
There is no other such set in existence,
either in America or Europe. It is I'M
equalled in completeness, attractiveness
and everyday usefulness Its place is
marked on the desk of the teacher, stu
dent, journalist. business man, etc, and
is Indispensable for every one wishing
to travel in the country or abroad. For
a young girl or young man about enter
ing high school or college, no more APP
prOpriate present could be found. The
set is enclosed i'm "a pretty box. The
price of the six volumes IS $3.50.