Theory of national and international bibliography, with special reference to the introduction of system in the record of modern literature

Front matter

DATE DUE j

Digitized by

Dear Sir Clements Markham,

Chapter I. — On the Theories of Compilation and Publication . . II. — Works of Reference : their Kinds and Differences

III. — An Introduction to the Theory of the Classification of Literature

„ IV. — The Influence and Functions of the Learned Societies in regard to Bibliography

v.— The Bibliography of Periodical Literature . .

Appendix A. — Schedule showing the various possible modes of treating Periodical Publications (105-107)

Appendix B. — Co-operative Bibliography. (How Editors of Journals and Magazines can help Librarians) (107—108)

Appendix C. — Principles of Publication. Some points to observe in the editing of Journals, &c (109—111)

VI.— The Bibliography of Official Documents .. .. 112-122 Appendix. — The Need for the Systematic Record of the Literature of Minor Forms of Government. (County Councils, Municipalities, &c.) (121—122)

VII. — The Systematic Record of the Literature of the

British Empire 123 —137

Appendix I. — A Survey of the Official Literature

of the British Colonial Empire . . . . (128—130)

Appendix 11. — A Brief Comparative View of the Systems of Publications affecting the Issue of the Official Documents of the British Colonial Empire (130—135)

Appendix III. — Table illustrating the National Laws of International Bibliography in the Division of Official Literature . . . . . . (136 — 137)

PAGES. 1—25

27—54

55—74

75-87 89—111

Vi CONTENTS.

PAGES.

Chap. VIII.— A National System of Bibliography 139—170

Appendix. — Some of the advantages to be derived from a National System of Bibliography.

Periodical Classed Subject Catalogues) . . (169 — 170)

IX. — The Theory of International Bibliography . . . . 171-187

X. — The Functions of a National Bureau for the Record

of National Literature . . . . . . . . 188—192

Appendix. — The Relationship of Certain Works

of Reference explained and illustrated . . (190 — 192)

,, XI. — On the Official Exchange and Transmission of Official

Documents from one Government to another . . 193—202 Appendix. — A Bureau of Exchanges. (Smith- •

sonian Institution) . . . . . . . . (202)

„ XII.— A Matter of Expediency and Justice 203 -205

Section II. Monogbaphs Relating To General Bibliography

No. 1. — Bibliography Backwards : a Paper read before the Library

2. — The Battle of Bibliography : part of a Paper read before the Library Association, 1893, in advocacy of Compulsory National Book-Registration, and Printed Periodical . . . Special Bibliographies . . . . . . 229 — 240

,, 3. — The Bibliography of the Future : a Paper reviewing the existing Condition of National and International Bibliography, with suggested Reforms. Read before the . . . Library Association, 1894 . . . . . . . . , . 241 — 259

,, 4. — Memorandum relative to the need for Special Bibliographical Societies, with an Appendix on the Division of the Stream of Literature, September, 1894 . . . . 261—271

,, 5. — Some Works of Reference and what they teach us . . 273 — 278 Appendix. — The relative Structure and Use of the American "Annual Literary Index," and the English " Index to the Periodicals" (276—278)

,, 6. — Upon the Evils of Short-Titled Catalogues. (The evidence of Prof. Augustus de Morgan and " Mr. Panizzi " before the British Museum Commission in 1849) . . . . 279 — 291

,, 7. — On the Disadvantages incidental to Classed Catalogues

(with reference to Sir Anthony Panizzi's views) . . 292 — 294

,, 8. — On the Nature of an " Index of Matters." (Evidence given before the British Museum Commission of 1849, by " Mr. Panizzi ") 295—298

CONTENTS.

vii

The Learned Societies. [See also 12-15.)

PAGES.

No. 9. — The Literature of Geography : How shall it be Kecorded ?

A Paper (reprinted) read before the Sixth International Geographical Congress, London, 1895. (With Abstract) 299 — 313 Appendix. — Resolution passed at the Congress in favour of the principle of State-printed Registration of Literature (310—313)

The British Colonial Empire.

10. — Registers of Colonial Literature. (Remarks at a meeting of the Library Association at the Royal Colonial Institute, 1894) 314—316

,,■ 10a. — Registers of Colonial Publications, by J. R. Boose. (A Paper read before the Library Association, 1895.) (Reprinted by permission) . . . . . . . . 317—323

,, 11. — List of Periodical State-Printed Registers of Literature

issued in India and certain of the Colonies . . . . 324 — 326

International Bibliography.

12. — Instances of Foreign State-Printed Registers of Literature. (1, General Literature ; 2, Official Literature) . . 327 — 328

,, 13. — Circular Letter addressed (1894) by the Committee of the Royal Society to various " Scientific Bodies" and " Scientific Men," relative to the Proposed International Co-operation in the Record of Scientific Literature. (Reprinted by permission) . . . . . . . . 329—331

„ 14.— L'Institut International de Bibliographic. An Article

contributed to " The Library," 1895 332—337

,, 15. — L'Institut International de Bibliographic. (Statuts, *' Decisions et Voeux," (Reprinted from the " Bulletin "

of the Institute) 338—341

SECTION in.

MONOGBAPHS RELATING TO THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF

OFFICIAL Literature.

No. 1.— The Official Documents of the British Empire : How to

make them accessible. A Dialogue . . . . . . 345 — 359

,, 2.— An Introduction to the Theory of a State-Paper Catalogue.

(Read before the Library Association, 1890) . . . . 361—383

,, 3.— A Plea for Annual Registers of State-Papers and Annual Reviews of State-Papers as being essential preliminaries to State-Paper Catalogues. (Read before the Library Association, 1891) 385—395 viii

CONTENTS.

PAGES.

No. 4. — On the Impossibility of Merging Official Documents in

an Authors' Catalogue of General Literature . . . . 396—401

,, 5. —Title-Pages, Introductions and Specimen Papers of Two Catalogues of Official Documents. (Cape of Good Hope and India.) Printed as Studies in 1893 403—417

,, 6. — A List of Headings more commonly required in a Catalogue of Colonial Official Documents . . . . . . 418 — 419

,, 7.— On the Bibliography of Military Official Works, (Being List of Headings and Specimen Page of a Catalogue of English Official Military Works, compiled in 1894 by Basil Soulsby.) (Reprinted by permission) .. .. 420—425

SECTION IV. Miscellaneous Papers relating to Bibliography

No. 1. — Occasional Letters Illustrative of Certain Theories of

Bibliography, addressed to the Daily Press (1892, 1894) 427—438

,, 2. — The Functions of Bibliographical Societies in a National

System of Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . 4-39 — 446

,, 3.— Memorandum on the Preliminary Treatment of Books in a National Library prior to their being Catalogued, with special reference to the separation of Official and General Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . 447 — 449

,, 4. — Despatch-Registers. Suggested Simple Form of Register for Secretariat Use, to ensure the Accurate Despatch of Periodicals and Continuations . . . . . . . . 450 — 452

,, 5.— On the origin of the Stereotyping of Titles and Catalogues 453—455

,, 6. — Remarks addressed to the Members of the Library Assistants' Association, Sept., 1895 : —

The Young Librarian : His General Education. The Young Librarian : His Technical Education. The Librarian as a Man of Business.

The Librarian as a Man of the World.

The Librarian as a Man of Ideals.

The Librarian as a Man of Culture.

A System of Training for Librarians . . . . . . 457—468

„ 7.— Carlyle on Bibliography (Being Extracts from his evidence

before the British Museum Commission of 1849) . . 469 — 475 ix

Introduction

The following work is, as its name implies, written mainly from a National point of view, and in regard to Modern Literature ; and is the result of twelve years' experience in the best Bibliographical Observatory in the world.

It consists of papers on the theory of Bibliography, which have been printed before, but which are now re-issued, in company with a considerable number of papers now printed for the first time.

The work is divided into four Sections. My original intention was that Section I. should contain chapters, each complete in themselves, on the chief hinging-points of Bibliography, round which I believe all future study and discussion will mainly centre. Owing to an illness of six weeks, however, the whole work was delayed, and I was obliged to considerably curtail several of the opening chapters, in order that the work might be issued in time, if possible, to be of some assistance in connection with the approaching "International Conference," to be convened, by the Royal Society, on July Idth, to consider the question of recording Scientific Literature.

Section II. contains a number of Monographs on General Bibliography.

Section III. contains a collection of Monographs relative to the Bibliography of Official Literature.

Section IV. includes a few papers of a more Miscellaneous character.

I had wished to have illustrated the theory throughout by a large number of actual examples and diagrams, but, for the reason already alluded to, I was unable to do so. Many of the papers have been written under circumstances of considerable interruption, so I must ask my readers to pardon frequent clumsiness or abruptness of style.

I have tried my best, by means of darker type, to aid the eye, as much as possible, to discern the leading points in the argument; and have, for the same reason, prefixed special Tables of Contents to some of the longer essays.

X

INTEODUCTION.

As will be seen by a glance at the book, the following work has, in a great measure, been written with the special object of aiding students of Bibliography in further studies and investigations on the subject.

If the reader wishes to gain a general idea of the work at a glance, he must cast his eye over the Table of Contents.

He will see there more than I can tell him, except at the cost of wearying him by a long Introduction. The idea of the work is the further introduction of Law and Order into the World of Literature, in order to facilitate research. That this is far easier than most people think, I have endeavoured to prove. But its accomplishment depends upon a greater study of the National Laws of Bibliography, and a greater obedience to their dictates. Finally, the main contention of the work is that National Literature can alone be completely recorded by the State.

As this work is chiefly confined to exposition of Theory, the results of my own experience during the last twelve years, I have mentioned few names of other writers on the subject. There are several whom I would like to have mentioned, having regard to the past expression of their views in the pages of " The Library Chronicle," " The Library," or the "Transactions of the Bibliographical Society." But as I could not praise them without appearing to assent to many principles on which I differ, and not having time to qualify my remarks, I have thought it best to remain silent.

While engaged on the present work, I was agreeably surprised to receive (June 3) a copy of a work (of some 200 pages) entitled, " Manuel de Bibliographic Historique. Par Ch. V. Langlois, Charge de Cours a la Faculte des Lettres de Paris. I. Instruments Bibliographiques." {Paris : Librairie Hachette et Cie.)

I regret that I have been unable to devote the time necessary for its examination, but it is very evidently a work of great value, and is certainly the first of its kind. The first part is devoted to Tools of Bihliograpliy , on the principle that, " Enseigner la Bihliographie, cest done enseigner la maniere de seservir des instruments hihliograpliigues qui existent.'' A great part of my own work is devoted to illustrate the use of bibliographies which ought to exist I so that we divide the field equally ! M. Langlois' work teems with references to existing Catalogues and Bibliographies throughout the world, and is especially useful in the information which it supplies under the names of the countries, and for the detailed Index with which it is supplied.

INTJRODUCTION.

xi

I take this opportunity of thanking the many friends from whom I have received sympathy and encom-agement in the past. And if those who have asked me, "What is Bibhography ? " have thought me stupid for not being able to explain the subject in two words, I think, if ever they have the curiosity to glance at this work, they will allow that the task was a hard one, and will forgive me !

I wish also to thank Mr. J. Y. MacAlister, Hon. Secretary of the Library Association, Mr. Basil Soulsby, of the British Museum, Mr. J. E. Boose, Librarian Eoyal Colonial Institute, and M. Paul Otlet; Hon. Secretary of the.Institut International de Bibliographic, for permission to re-print certain of the papers appearing in this book.

Finally, I would like to thank the members of the staff of the " Library Bureau " on whom the task of revision of proofs has fallen, for the cordial and able assistance I have received in this and all other details connected with the issue of the w^ork.

Note.

Although the papers which I have already printed, or reprinted, in the past (and now include in this volume) have been written at considerable intervals, I believe that the line of argument will be found to be consistent throughout. In order, however, to be on the safe side, I give below a chronological list of the papers referred to, in order that the reader may judge of the sequence of thought, if desirous.

Eead

Sept., 1890. 1. An introduction to the Theory of a State-Paper

Catalogue. London, 1891. 8°.

May, 1891. 2. A plea for Annual Lists of State-Papers and x\nnual Eeviews of State-Papers as being essential preliminaries to State-Paper Catalogues. London, 1892. 8°. (1893). 3. Imperial Federation Series of Colonial State- Paper Catalogues. No. 1. — Cape Colony.

London, 1893. 8°.

In Illustration of the theory of the subject. (1893). 4. Catalogue of Official Eeports relating to India, issued as English Parliamentary Papers . . . during the year 1892. London, 1893. 8".

In Illustration of the theory of the subject. Feb., 1893. 5. Bibliography Backwards. Not j^^^i^^ted before.

Xll

INTRODUCTION.

Feb., 1893. 6. The Battle of Bibliography. A Paper in advocacy of Compulsory National Book-Eegistration and Printed Periodical Class-Eegisters, forming Special Bibliographies. Londoii, 1893. 8°.

Sept., 1894. 7. The Bibliography of the Future. A Paper reviewing the existing condition of National and International Bibliography : with suggested Eeforms. London, 1894. fol.

Sept. 1894. 8. Memorandum relative to the need for Special Bibliographic Societies. With an Appendix on the Division of the Stream of Literature.

London, 1894. fol.

Li illustration of the " Bibliography of the Future."

July, 1895. 9. The Literature of Geography : How shall it be recorded? [London, 1896.] 8°.

Beprinted from the Beport of the Sixth Liternational Geographical Congress, London, 1895. Sept., 1895. 10. The Bibliography of Periodical Literature. London, 1896. 8°.

1895. 11. Eemarks addressed to the Members of the Library Assistants' Association, Sept. 18, 1895. London, 1895. 8°.

1895. 12. Occasional Letters, Illustrative of certain Theories of Bibliography, addressed to the Daily Press (1891, &c.) . . . "With Notes and Explanations. London, 1895, &c. 8°.

1895. 13. Co-operative Bibliography . . . Principles of Publication, &c. London, 1895. fol.

Nos. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10 were Papers read before the Library Association (G. B. it I.), and (excepting 5) are reprinted from " The Library."

xiii

Supplementary Memorandum.

My original intention was to write an introductory chapter, giving a general review of Bibliography as a Science in as popular manner as possible.

I was, however, deterred from so doing by the fact that a general review, to be worth anything, would have taken far more time than I could afford to spare ; and I did not think that the results would compensate for further delay in the issue of the work. Furthermore, the technicalities of Bibliography are such that a glance at the contents of the several chapters and sections of the work will probably convey much more to the reader than any number of general introductions, and do so in a more interesting manner by actual illustration of the subject. I had also originally wished that each of the introductory chapters should partake of the character of a monograph. I have not been able to adhere closely to my desire ; but the opening chapters will frequently be found to repeat the same information, with necessary qualifications, so as to render them very greatly independent of one another.

Without taxing the patience of the reader further, I will therefore only say that the work commences with the very earliest stages in the life-history of a book — the stages of compilation and publication ; and continues to deal with all those divisions of the subject which have most chiefly attracted my attention in recent years.

From the nature of my work, it is evident that I have been obliged to devote myself very greatly to matters of Bibliographical Befonn. This, and the limits of time and space, have prevented me from giving the recognition which is due to the many past and present bibliographical efforts and results throughout the world which claim our admiration. And nowhere is my regret greater than in regard to Bibliographical work undertaken in America, France and Germany.

For the rest, I can but repeat that the work has been written under considerable difficulties, but I have done my best to deal honestly by a difficult question, and now offer the results as my contribution towards the many efforts of my brother librarians.

xiv

XV

SECTION L

Introductory Chapters.

xvi

CHAPTEE I.

An Introduction to the Theories of Compilation and Publication.

Table Of Contents

The Value of Form in Publication.

Connection between Form of Publication and Classification.

(1) Choice and Arrangement of Subjects in volumes.

Chap. 1. Geography

Geography.

„ 2.

History . .

History.

History.

„ 3.

Languages

Languages.

Languages.

Religions

R.

R.

E.

E.

A.

A.

Means of Communication

M.

M.

Trade

T.

T.

„ 8.

Arts and Manufactures

A.

A.

„ 9.

Mines and Minerals . .

M.

M.

„ 10.

Geology . .

G.

G.

„ 11.

M.

M.

„ 12.

Z.

Z.

„ 13.

Botany . .

B.

B.

„ 14.

Vital Statistics. .

V. s.

V. s.

By pursuing a careful system of Compilation, and keeping the several Sections separate, the same Eecord which serves for the District, serves equally not only as a Eecord for the Provinces, and finally as a Eecord for the whole of India (and for the world, if extended), but (which is the point I wish to emphasise), serves also as a Eecord of a universal Subject Group, unfettered by association wdth other foreign subjects. Thus, if the Indian Government, having arranged for the Compilation of an Imperial Gazetteer on the basis of the District, had, in the first instance, given orders for the extra printing of 500 copies of each District and Provincial Gazetteer — by binding these together at head-quarters, with special title-pages, the same material would have afforded the Indian Government a complete series of fourteen Imperial Monographs on the Geography, History, Languages, &c., of India.

Then the Philologist, both in India and all over the world, could have, mid would have, purchased his particular Monograph ; the Geographers, Zoologists, &c., &c., would have purchased theirs; and they would all have their information in as complete and handy a form as was possible, without having to travel to Central Libraries, and send for barrow-loads of Gazetteers, and spend hours in wadiug through their contents.

That such Monographs w^ould all be small ones is not asserted : indeed, some would swell into several volumes. But, at least, many would be small : all would be complete, and most of them handy and ^urchaseable at a reasonable price ; and (which is a special fact ito note) all would have their special title-pages and: indexes, whiph would enable proper reference to be made to them in Catalogue^ and Indexes ; and, if necessary, all could be summarised at a Ismail cost and labour.

We see a] good instance of the recognised value of the Section in Mr. J. Forbes Watson's wwk, entitled, " The Industrial Survey of India, punished in 1872, where we find (as Appendices to the First Part) :^

App. A. — " Memorandum on the extension of the knowlege of Indian Manufactures and Indian Art in Decoration. (Signed) J. F. Watson.

App. B. — A Description of the Indian Ports and Anchorages. By Trej lawney Saunders . . . and Commander A. Dundas

Taylor. Pp. 111—126.

App. C. — " Caravan Routes and Passes leading from India into the

Interior of Asia. {In the Press.)"

The most recent instance (illustrating the Section as well as the Series) may be seen in the arrangement of " Lloyd's Natural History," which reminds me of a want sorely felt by boy-lovers of Natural History, who would, in my day, have given a great deal to have been able to purchase really good, Illustrated Sheets of Birds' Eggs, Butterflies, and Fossils, without having to buy expensive and bulky letter-press as well. If the Pubhshers had supplied the Illustrations, Nature herself would have supplied the letter-press.

ON THE THP]ORIES OF COMPILATION AND PUBLICATION. 15

What is a Book?

Allusion has been made to the advantage of the Section (Part, Chapter, Paragraph) in enabling authors (where they will) to give Sectional Titles, which may be made use of in Catalogues and Indexes. This facility and power, however, raises an important question as to What is a Book ? And it is a question demanding extreme care on the part of Cataloguers, lest in making Titles to Sections, we allow the possibility of confusion in a Catalogue between the Title of a Book, which has been issued separately, and the Title of a Section which the student may search for in the book-shops for all ages without being able to find it, because it has never been published separately.

The value of the Section will never be fully realised, except by attention to the number of books which were once Sections. Were they of less value as Sections ? No ; only they were less accessible. In course of reprinting many Sections are enlarged, but not ialways.

The " Encyclopaedia Britannica " affords a bountiful supply of illustrations. Among my notes I find the following : —

(1) " War : reproduced with amendments from the ' Encyclopaedia Britannica.' By Colonel J. F. Maurice."

I find also (2) a Memoir of the Life and Works of Harvey " ; (3) a work on Diirer, by Sidney Colvin ; and (4) ''A Short History of Syriac Literature. By the late W. Wright."

I have alluded elsewhere to the article, "Persia," in the " Encyclopaedia," as consisting of some hundred pages. I have also referred to two noticeable examples — G. W. Forrest's " The Administration of Warren Hastings," and Sir William Hunter's work on India, originally an article in his " Gazetteer." The special copies of selected headings in the Catalogue of the Bibliotheque Nationale, or the British Museum, are other instances ; and perhaps the most interesting example I know of, is a Greek translation of Chapter II. (Home Power) of Smiles's " Character," which the head-master at the High School at Limassol, Cyprus, asked permission to translate.

These are instances of a reversion of the principle of Collection." The following is an instance (also of the Section) of the Sections being issued separately and then collected; i.e., we read in the " Statistical Eegister " (New South Wales) for 1892, that " The ten parts which this volume comprises have already been issued separately, and now appear in a collective form, with a General Index."

16 ON THE THEOEIES OF COMPILATION AND PUBLICATION.

In the preface to " Six centuries of Work and Wages," Mr. J E. Thorold Eogers illustrates the value of the Section in the following words :

" Since I published, nearly eighteen years ago, the first two volumes of my history of Agriculture and Prices, I have been frequently urged to extract and exhibit those parts of my researches which illustrate the history of Laboar and Wages."

But it is not only in Encyclopaedias and ordinary works that we find Books existing incogyiito ; for we see the same principle (more rarely, of course) in the Newspaper. The Annual Summaries," reprinted from The " Times,'' alford an illustration. And the following are only two of many examples which must occur to the reader :

" Letters from Queensland. By The ' Tmies ' Special Correspondent, Eeprinted from The ' Times,' of December, 1892 ; January and February, 1893."

"East and West. Being Papers reprinted from the 'Daily Telegraph' and other sources. By Sir Edwin Arnold."

There is a temptation to try and define a " Book " from a bibliographical aspect in the following words :

" Any information which, being contained as a separate section in a

particular work would be reasonably worthy of separate issue on its own

merits, is already, from a Bibliographical point of view (subject to certain

obvious limitations) a Book."

But, in reality, it is misleading to lay any stress on such a definition (beyond imbibing the principle), since the value of any Book- Sections must be as comparative as the value of the books they are contained in.

Additional Memorandum.

I will conclude by appending a Memorandum on the subject which may be of use. The fact that a short chapter contained in a Book is often of far greater value than a bulky volume, is one of those circumstances, due to the inequalities of human life, which must ever fret the Student and the Librarian.

By careful examination of the Sections of Books, Librarians can make good the evil to a great extent, by giving cross-references from or to the Sections as if they were separate Books.

But while this practice may be pursued to a limited extent, according to circumstances, it is a dangerous one, even if it were financially and practically possible, to pursue in Catalogues, which are ostensibly Catalogues of separate books ; for the entries of sections may easily be mistaken for separate books ; and much labour be spent in sending for them, or endeavouring to trace their existence, unless the facts are clearly stated ; and, for the sake of brevity many Librarians might be tempted to omit the necessary statements ; while for want of time, many students might quote the Title of a Section as the Title of a Book, thus repeating the confasion.

But, as a matter of fact, the insertion, in Catalogaes of Separate Books, of titles of sections of books, is not a practical measure on a large scale ; because the sectional notices would swamp the bond-fide entries of books, and increase the labour of discovering the actual books tenfold.

Nevertheless, the importance of the chapter, in a large number of works, is so great that it is absolutely necessary to record its existence somewhere, in a systematic manner, so that all the works of tlie year having considerable sectional cliapters shall be examined, with a view to the cataloguing or indexing of those chapters.

In so doing, it would [be necessary to include again any notices of the minority of Sectional Titles, which had, for special reasons, been granted a place in Author Catalogues as Separate Books.

Title-Page.

The Title-page is a subject which requires very delicate handling, and I regivt to have to treat it hastily. The tvant of Titles is a connnon evil, but it is also possible to have too many ; indeed, there are too many in this particular work, except for the fact that they are niserted on purpose to show that, because a work is collected, it should not lose its part dignity as a book. This was, agam, one of the reasons why some were originally reprinted; becMuse, as articles in a Magazine, they were 1 kely to be classed as " EpJienceral,'' which was not my intention in writing them !

The first nec(^s !t\ of a Book is that it shall have a Title-page.

The second essontiai is that, unless the work be one of fancy, the Title shall (le>Ci ibe the contents of the work, faithfally and accurately. Tne woid faithfully is, perhaps, better than " comprehensively," h{:-c;uise it gives due licence for brevily, when brevity is necessa.i v. Jt should be possible both to identify, to classify, and to index' a work from its Title-page alone, although 2 a good bibliographer would always prefer to see the book itself, if he could. The Title must therefore, if possible, convey the leading idea of the work, in order that those who cannot consult the work itstlf may know to what it relates.

The third oecessity of a Book is that, if it be divided into Sections or Chapters, which are at all considerable, each Section shall have an intelligible Title, by which it can be referred to.

Mr. J. W. McCrindle, in his ''Ancient India (iv.)," draws attention to an instance of a misleading Title in the case of Ptolemy's Geography : —

*' From its title, TecoypacfyLKr) 'T(f>'^yr]cn<;, An Outline of Geography, we might be led to infer that it was a general treatise on the subject, like the comprehensive work of Strabo ; but, in reality, it treats almost exclusively of Mathematical, or what may be called Cosmical, Geography."

That vagueness of title has its advantages to some one may often be proved in an amusing manner. J. S. Mill tells us that the popularity of M. de Tocqueville's work, " Democracy in America," and its wide circulation among English country gentlemen, was due to a misconception, originated by Sir Eobert Peel, that the author was one of the pillars of Conservatism, and the work a definite demolition of America and Democracy, whereas the reverse was the case. Thus an error did more good than the truth would have done.