Reviews.

Reviews .

" A Standard Dictionary of the English Language upon original plans" under the supervision of Isaac K . Funk , D . D ., L . L . D ., Editor-in-Chief ; Dr . Marsh , Consulting Editor ; Dr . Gregory , Managing Editor ; three Associate Editors , and prepared by over two hundred specialists and other scholars .

Complete m one volume of some 2500 pages ( three columns to a page ) , lavishly illustrated and most ably arranged . ( London , Ward , Lock and Co ., Ltd ., Warwick House , Salisbury-square ) . Undoubtedly this is the most remarkable , authoritative , exhaustive , and complete dictionary published this century , and

of its kind has neither rival nor equal . The spirited publishers claim that it contains 75 , 000 more words than any other dictionary , having over 300 , 000 definitions , being thus largely in excess of its contemporaries , and is constructed on an entirely new plan ; the facilities provided for easy and prompt reference

are beyond praise , and have only to be put to the test to secure approval , whilst the abundant information supplied would prove quite bewildering were it not for the most satisfactory typographical arrangement of varied , clear , and perfect type which enables the reader to discover the words needed almost

instanter . The advertisement in the Freemason will serve to indicate a few of the special features of this massive and extremely useful volume , but for those who can visit the establishment of the firm at Warwick House and see the work for themselves , a cursory

examination would be far better than the most elaborate and detailed explanations possible . Doubtless , also , all large booksellers would permit of similar facilities for probable purchasers , who could thus test the merits of the Standard Dictionary for themselves , and would soon be led to

acknowledge its triumphant success as a volume giving '' in complete and accurate statement , in the lig ht of the most recent advances in knowledge , and in the readiest form for popular use , the Orthography , Pronunciation , Meaning , and Etymology of all the words and the meaning of Idiotmaic phrases in thc Speech and Literature of the English-speaking Peoples . "

The labour incident to the compilation of the vocabulary need not be mentioned here , because the merest tyro will realise what is involved in the arrangement , definition , and literary significance and usage of hundreds of thousands of words , especially in relation to Provincialisms , peculiar to Great Britain

and Ireland , various parts of North America , Australia , Africa , Anglo-Indian , Spanish , & c . Handicraft terms have been supplied with special care . We tried one or two words in this department , such as Skirret , usually absent from such works , and found them all , with even Masonic preciseness and

appropriate explanations , by apparently a lellow Craftsman . Then there are the many new words in the Arts and Sciences , as , for example , Electricity , these alone including some 4000 terms . Those also of a Literary character are duly detailed , but withal so many additions , a rigid censorship has been exercised

throughout , so that obsolete , foreign , dialectic , and slang terms are only given if likel y to be sought for in a work of such magnitude ; selfexplanatory phrases and compounds are omitted when not deserving record such as ordinary prefixes and , combining form " whose meanings are rendered practically obvious by their form ;"

and many terms used in the earlier stages of the sciences , as of anatomy , have been left out , because really displaced by the advancement of knowledge . Thc " Phonetic Spellings , " recommended by the Philological Societies of England and America , have generally been adopted , but they will be found

usually under the familiar forms , and if the pronunciations are in dispute , the lirst printed are those favoured by the editors and specialists , and those that follow are from other dictionaries carefully noted . As to definitions , we must let these speak for

themselves , but in regard lo Etymology , that particular branch of Lexicography has been most discreetly looked after , so as not to needlessly add to thc bulk , and yet all attention has been paid to both form and fulness .

The treatment of Synonyms and Antonyms is a characteristic feature of the Standard Dictionary ; the illustrative quotations , so apt and frequently most welcome , used to verify the meanings of words , are spoken of as " a herculean task to select , locate , and confirm , " ( which is easily understood even at

a glance through the thousands of pages that meet the eye ) ; the artistic Pictorial Illustrations have been ably selected as explanatory of the text , and the Characterisation of words enables the reader to judge at once of their standing and

application . Thc Appendix includes Proper Names of nil kinds ( extending to some 140 pages ) , a Glossary of Foreign Words , Phrases , & c ; Disputed Spellings , Abbreviations and Contractions ; Arbitrary

Reviews.

Signs and Symbols ; Symbolic Flowers and Gems , & c . Also an elaborate table of the Facts and Distinguishing Features of the Standard Dictionary succinctly defines the bases for the claims made by the Company as to its unexampled excellence and accuracy . The employment of the Denison Patent Index is handy , beyond description , as , by placing the finger in the notch corresponding to the letter on the margin of each page , the Lexicon can be opened at the letter desired .

In one vol . it can be had for £ 3 to £ 4 , and in two vols ., slightly higher , as noted in the Advertisement , which sets forth the chief features of this grand work .

( r ) LONDON UNIVERSITY GUIDE , ( 2 ) UNIVERSITY CORRESPONDENCE CALENDAR , 1899-igoo . —Published at the Univ . Corr . Coll . Press , Burlington House , Cambridge . —In reviewing this book we purpose to treat of each part separately . ( 1 ) London University Guide . —As a guide , it appears to us that there will be found every requisite information for students , from matriculation to the highest degrees conferred by the university . There is one omission , which we consider a very serious one . We refer to the matriculation examination . From reliable information we have obtained

the following facts : That there are five distinct sub ] ects , that a candidate must pass in every one of them , that the highest success that can possibly be achieved in four will not be permitted to condone for a failure to reach the minimum standard prescribed in the one , and that the candidate will be rejected altogether . Furthermore , on presenting himself again for examination , no credit will be given him for the distinction previously trained in his successful subjects , but that it is absolutely imperative that , in addition to

the one in which he failed , he must take up again all the other subjects , for which a fresh set of text books has been set . As before , a failure to attain the prescribed standard in the five , will result in rejection . We have thus fairly stated the conditions imposed , an d proceed to make our comments thereon . Let it be clearly understood , at the outset , that we have no objections to make to the standard fixed by the examining body , however severe it may be . The distinction gained will be valued proportionately to

the difficulty in obtaining it . But we must most strongly protest against not only the absurdity , but the injustice shown in refusing at a 'future examination to give the candidate the due credit for what he has already done . The object of an examination is to test the knowledge of any given subject . When the test has proved successful , what more , in reason , ought to be demanded ? It is prolonged mental torture , at the expense of thc unhappy disappointed aspirant .

Surely , common sense would suggest that an examination on the one subject in which failure ensued should be deemed sufficient to complete the examination . It has been argued that examinations by this concession would be taken piecemeal , but surely , the examining body , in its combined wisdom , might easily surmount that difficulty , certainly an objectionable one . For instance , let the line be drawn at one subject so that success in four would only require future examination in the one failure . This is the serious

omission to which we have previously alluded . In justice to all future students , they should be informed of the present hard conditions the London University imposes . We have a very strong opinion that it would deter many who propose matriculating . We had intended to confine our remarks to the matriculation , but there is one other matter to which we are tempted to allude—the London University is proud [ of being called the Poor Man's University—and yet , in the Intermediate Arts , 1900 , there is a text book ( Wylie ' s " History of England , under Henry 4 th , " four volumes , Cis . Gd . ) , which has

been prescribed by the University , how can the authorities reconcile this anomaly . Part 2 University Correspondence College Calendar , iSga-iyoo . Our remarks on this must be very brief , they are unqualified praise , a straight royal road of learning has been levelled for all that are entering on their University career , every aid is provided , every difficulty smoothed by the admirable systematic way in which each subject is approached , and those who carefully , under competent tuition , follow the prescribed courses of study , may reasonably hope for future success . We heartily commend the book to University students .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

Masonic Notes and Queries .

1 MO ] — "LODGE OF CANONGATE KILWINNING . "

I am obliged to Bro . Alfred A . Murray , W . S ., for the information that he is thc author of the little pamphlet on Lodge , No . 2 , extracts from which were referred to by me in the Freemason for October 28 th , 1899 . Bro . Murray speaks of my not knowing him as Bro . D . Murray Lyon does . That is my misfortune , not my fault ; but after all , a personal acquaintance with the author does not nf itself nrove the truth of his assertions as to the existence of the celebrated

Lodge of Canongate Kilwinning prior to 1677 . Though I have not written my old friend , the Grand Secretary of Scotland , on the subject , we have all yet to learn that the Historian of Scottish Freemasonry takes Bro . Murray ' s view of the greater antiquity of No . 2 , or that Bro . Allan Mackenzie does , who is the author of the history of that old lodge ( one of the best Masonic works extant ) . I quoted the brief title of the History of the Lodge of Edinburgh , No . 1 , as advertised in the Freemason , in which nothing is said of the History of Free

masonry in Scotland , but it is quite correct , as Bro . Murray says , that the grand volume ( so termed by me ) "is not merely the history of St . Mary ' s Chapel ; " though that of itself means a great deal , dating as No . 1 does so far back as to be the oldest lodge in existence . If the work was not so well known , it is likely that the full title would have been given . As a Scottish Freemason for considerably over 30 years ( but not so long as my connection with the English Craft ) . I take great interest in all that concerns thc history and welfare of such old ledges as Nos . 0 and one , and do not care to be silent when their antiquity is in question . WM .. JAMES HUGHAN .

Consecration Of The Cator Chapter, No. 2266.

CONSECRATION OF THE CATOR CHAPTER , No . 2266 .

This most interesting and beautiful ceremony took place at the Holborn Restaurant on Friday , the 3 rd inst ., which marks an epoch in the history of the well-known and prosperous Cator Lodge . The Consecrating Officer was Comp . Frank Richardson , G . D . C . ( in the unavoidable absence of Comp . E .

Letchworth , G . S . E ., who was performing an important Masonic function in East Lancashire ) , assi ted by Comps . H . Garrod , P ; A . G . D . C , as H . ; T . Fenn , P . G . N ., as J . ; Perceval A . Nairne , P . G . Std . Br ., as S . N . ; and J . H . Matthews , P . G . D . C , as D . C

The founders were Comps . J . N . Osterstock , P . Z ., M . E . Z . designate ; J . J . White , H . designate ; W . J . Hewett , P . Z ., J . designate ; L . V . D . Anley , P . Z . ; R . C . Davis , P . Z . ; V . T . Murche , P . Z . ; Dr . F . A . Barton , J . W . Cumberland , J . H . Roscoe , U . Turle , P . Joskey , and F . H . De M . Mcintosh .