Miscellaneous Back Matter [pp. B009-C008]

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, " It i astonishing howo many books of reference may be dispensed weith
9
July 15, 1883. GAZEttE, LONDON.
by the student who has access to this admirable compilation."-ST. JAMES'
The Imperial Dictionary.
The most valuable work of re ference that has been issued in this
country for a long time, is "The Im perial Dictionary of the English
Language," by John Ogilvie, LL. D.
revised and augmented under the ed itorship of Charles Annandale, M. A.
The American Edition is brought
out by the CENTURY COMPANY of
New York, in four handsome vol umes. It is an exact reproduction of
the English Edition, without change
or revision; and it represents the
best work of the lexicographers of
Great Britain.
The original edition of Dr.
Ogilvie's dictionary was published
in 1855, and for that time contained
many novel features, the chief of
which was the liberal use of pictor ial illustrations, and the attention
paid to the derivation of words.
During the last quarter of a century
it has continued to be the standard
authority in England. More than
ten years ago the project of thorough
revision was broached and the work
soon begun. The finished result is
seen to-day, in this superb work of
reference, which contains the features of a dictionary and an encyclopeedia.
In this edition may be found
30,000 new words, making the total
number of words or separate entries 130,000.
In the great majority of cases
the entries do not represent a simple
definition. Much subsidiary matter
is added to all terms that require explanation, so that the student who
is provided with this work of ready
reference will frequently have no occasion to consult encyclopsedias, for
the cream of an encyclopedia article
will be found appended to many of
the definitions. In looking over the
dictionary the chief feature which
strikes one is these concise essays,
which give exactly the information
which nine-tenths of those who consult a dictionary are in search of.
Special attention is given to the
derivation of words, to the use of
synonyms, and to illustrative quotations. Although the dictionary
has been compiled by Englishmen,
liberal space is devoted to Americanisms, and in the main the work has
been well done.
Judged by Webster's standard,
however, it presents many peculiarities. The illustrations which adorn
this edition have evidently been prepared with much care; there is a
large number of the old "stock"
cuts to illustrate animals and mythological characters. Those relating
to new inventions, mathematical
subjects, etc., are evidently the work
of experts.
THE i IMPERIAL
DICTIONARY.
WTHE GREAT ENCYCLOPEDIC LEXICONS1
CONTAINING
130,000 Words and more than 3,000 Pictures.
During the past decade English experts have been engaged upon
a careful revision of the earlier edition of the IMPERIAL DICTIONARY,
which, for more than twenty-five years has been accepted in Great
Britain as a standard lexicon of the language.
The press reviews of the new IMPERrAL in both England and
America have been enthusiastic in its praise. London Times says:
"We should not wish for any thing better," The Literary World, of
Boston, describes it as
"A COMBINATION OF DICTIONARY AND
ENCYCLOPEAIDIA,"
and adds:" Dictionaries deal with words, and stop with spellings,
etymologies, pronunciations, definitions, and literary usages. Encpclopmedias take no notice of words as words, but are concerned with
descriptions, histories, and discussions of things. Accordingly, the
vocabularies of dictionaries and encyclopseiias differ. Each contains
many entries that the other omits. The IMPERIAL D)ICrTIONARY undertakes to combine the two systems in one; to answer in a single work
the questions for which the reader usually turns to two." The
N. Y. Tribune, in a long review, enumerating
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE IMPERIAL
over other similiar works, says;
"The definitions in general are terse and explicit, care being
taken to explain clearly what is not familiar, and to dismiss in a single
line or compact phrase what every reader may be expected to know."
Great praise has been awarded on all sides for
THE CONVENIENT SHAPE
in which the work has been issued. The Tribune says:
"It is published in four imperial octavo volumes, lettered at the
back, which can be readily taken in hand and consulted, and placed,
not on the only shelf where it can be squeezed in, but where they can be
most conveniently reached and handled. The form is not the only
advantage of this new edition. Eaoh word, defined in the alphabetical order, is printed in full-faced type or black letter, and catches the
eye, glancing down the page, more readily than the large capitals
used in ordinary dictionaries. The type is clear and distinct, the
paper is excellent, and the binding strong and durable."
THE PRICE.
4 Vols. Imperial Octavo Cloth....................per set.. $20 00,
"1 s. ~/s Russian Back and Covers.......... 25 00
" " Full Extra Sheep.................. ".. 26 00(
A'pamphlet containing the prospectus, with specimem pages,
English and American press notices, etc., will be sent on application.
The volumes will be forwarded, prepaid, by the publishers, on receipt
of price, or they may be ordered of book-sellers everywhere.
SAMUEL CARSON,
'Publisher and Wholesale Bookseller.
120 Sutter St., San Francisco.
OR, THE CENTURY COMPANY, NEW YORK.