Although your space is generally devoted to the higher and more curious inquiries respecting antiquities and literature, I am sure you will not grudge a little room for facilitating and improving the means of popular information and instruction.
For every man, almost in any station in society, I submit that the followings works for reference are indispensable, in the most convenient corner or shelf of his library:—1. A Biographical Dictionary. 2. A Gazetteer. 3. A Statistical or Commercial Dictionary. With works of that description the public have been very indifferently supplied during the last thirty years: at least, at the moderate prices calculated to bring them within the reach of students in humbler life, forming the great mass of readers. Mr. Constable, of Edinburgh, published in 1817 an abridged Gazetteer, price 18s., but there has been no such work since. Mr. A.K. Johnston's Geographical Dictionary, at 36s., lately published, supplies to a certain class of readers one of the works wanted.
I beg to suggest a few observations for the improvement of works of this description through your valuable channel.
I. I submit that none of the dictionaries of reference now specified should be published without promise of a periodical supplement every five or seven years, containing later matter and intelligence. For example, how easily could this be given in the case of a Biographical Dictionary! Say that such a work has been published in 1830 (which, it is believed, is the date of Gorton's excellent Biographical Dictionary), the compiler of a supplement has only to collect and arrange monthly or annual obituaries of the common magazines since 1830 to make a good and useful supplemental volume.
II. I would suggest to skilful authors and booksellers publishing Biographical Dictionaries to follow the French and American custom of including in them the more eminent contemporary living characters. That would add greatly to the use of the book; and the matter could easily be collected from the current Books of Peerage and Parliamentary Companions, with aid from the numerous magazines as to distinguished literary men.
III. The supplements for Gazetteers could be easily compiled from the parliamentary papers and magazines of the day. I would refer particularly to the supplements published by Mr. McCulloch to his Commercial Dictionary as an example to be followed; while the conduct lately adopted in the new edition of Maunder's Biographical Treasury should be avoided. The old edition of that collection consisted of 839 pages, and it is believed it was stereotyped. A new edition, or a new issue, of the old 839 pages was lately published, the same as the original dictionary, with a supplement of 72 pages. That is not sold separately; so that the holders of the old edition must purchase the whole work a second time in 1850, at 10s., to procure the supplement. The public should not encourage such a style of publication. Any one might publish a supplemental dictionary since 1836, which would equally serve with the old edition. This hint is particularly addressed to Mr. Charles Knight.
These hints are offered to the publishers and encouragers of popular works for general readers, at economical prices; and they might be extended. For example, dictionaries of medicine for family use have great sale. Sometimes, it is believed, they are stereotyped. Why should not later practice and discoveries be published in a cheaper supplement, to preserve the value of the original work? Thus, in my family, I use the excellent Cyclopædia of Popular Medicine published by Dr. Murray in 1842; but on looking into it for "Chloroform" and "Cod Liver Oil," no such articles are to be found, as they were not known in 1842. The skilful will find many other omissions.
IV. There might be a greater difficulty in constructing a popular commercial or statistical dictionary, at a moderate price, to be supplied with supplements at later intervals. But even as to these, there is a good model in Waterston's Small Dictionary of Commerce, published in 1844, which, with a supplement, might afford, for a few shillings, to give all the later information derived from the free-trade measures and extension of our colonies. Waterston's original work is advertised often for sale at 10s. or 12s., and a supplement at 3s. would bring it within the reach of the great bulk of readers.
These suggestions are offered without the slightest intention to depreciate or disparage the greater and more elaborate works of Mr. McCulloch, and others who compile and publish works worthy of reference, and standards of authority among men of highest science. No man who can afford it would ever be without the latest edition (without the aid of supplements) of large works; but it is manifest that there has been a great neglect to supply the mass of readers in ordinary circumstances with books of common reference, at moderate prices; and I hope that some publishers of enterprise and sagacity will see it to be their interest to act on the advice now offered.
PHILANTHROPOS.