Page 6 Advertisements Column 2

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 29, 3 February 1900, Page 6 (Supplement)

A the ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA ': is already known to everyone, but it is ofc >.■■,; ■i> > interest, in connection, with the present -. Cs% $lM lf&8 '*!!■h"C remarkable offer of the-London "Times,I,' IJilfllr Laim IE" to note the proportion .of its component parts. It consists of twenty -four massive LB fill It R^jf volumes, of about 850 pages each, and a: 10 IT! he SB a n twenty-fifth volume containing an elaborate index to the whole. In addition te the thirty million words which fill its 22,000 pages of letterpress, it contains 338 fullpage plates and 671 maps and plans. There are over 9,000 other illustrations. Over I,l°oo writers contributed to the work, and a sum of more than £60,000 waspaid-forthe;, manuscript alone. Its exquisite printing, and the care with which it is bound, combine with the editorial, outlay to make it the most costly work offered to the public. ■ -> v- '■■'* ' - - The ENCYCLOP/EDIA BRITANNICA embraces all'branches of human knowledge, and was written by specialists of the highest distinction. Not only men of learning—scholars, divines, masters of science and philosophy—but also men.of action —statesmen, soldiers and sailors, financiers, jurists and surgeons, artists and engineers, manufacturers, sportsmen and travellers—have contributed to the pages'of this moat comprehensive library of reference, ' , ' To the casual enquirer it presents all the advantages which a library of a thousand ~ chosen volumes yields to the trajned scholar who is thoroughly acquainted with each of the thousand. It may, indeed, be said to be the essence of aU books,;ancient and modern, prepared for convenient use. The contents of the twenty-four massive volumes are placed in alphabetical order, and a copious index, occupying the twentyfifth volume, facilitates cross-reference. In the desire to secure convenient disposition of the contents, the quality of interest has not, however, been sacrificed. -\ The ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA is not a mere aid to memory, to be hastily consulted in moments of emergency; it is not only the greatest of works of, reference, but it is a library in itself—a collection of admirable; treatises upon" all conceivable subjects. Even the most1 recondite branches, of learning are treated without a trace of.pedantry. The volumes are eminently readable. The great litterateurs of our day'wrote for it, and every one of them was proud to do. his "best in" such goodly company. The' ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA appeals to men-and,-. women—who have already enjoyed the fullest opportunities of education, who desire' to refresh and clarify impressions already received. It appeals equally to those whose ;; school-days have been limited, but who are ambitious to make the most of their opportunities for self-education. ■ v ■ ' • SPECIAL TO INTENDING PURCHASERS.-Letters and telegrams have been received from various points in New Zealand, enquiring how long it will take for the ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA to arrive from London. In reply to such we desire to state that all shipments are made direct from Wellington, where a sufficient quantity of stock for filling immediate orders is in hand. t Those who make prompt application, therefore, can have their books shipped at once. , <& ', ;. ' NOT EPHEMERAL BUT ENDURING. The ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA is the standard international work of refereWfcNeither in the English language, nor in any other language, has' there ever, been attempted a work of such magnitude or such thoroughness. '•• -'- -; >•''','...' The Ninth Edition, which the '-'Times" has reprinted, is the most complete and;perfect'., form of the ENCYCLOPAEDIA BRITANNICA, which is, universally recognised as the most complete and perfect of works of reference. The "Times" Reprint is in every; respect'the same as the copies already sold at the higher price. It is what booksellers call a new. impression —not a changed edition. There has been no condensation, no abridgment, no omission. .Every word, every illustration, every map, every element of value is,-preserved intact. There is not the most minute cheapening of the product to offset against the remarkable diminution of the price.. ; . . ~', ,' ; . ;.,■ . -■''■ l: 'v The structure of such a work as the ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA grows sdawly, and any attempt to hasten its growth, to alter it from month to month as a pilww ftaw-table is altered, wonld'b'e as much out of piatee'a^a child's1 impulse totirake'ijfaijMfeour h<ye&. ti& I&e clock move as fast as the minute hand. The various almanacs, and year-books, asA tiio smaller.. cyclopaedias, supply to the public a sort of ephemeral information, which is, in its way, con-: venient and useful, just as the minute hand of a clock is serviceable when one has a train to catch; but for the broader purposes of life it is necessary ,-that men and events should be.. regarded from a point of view neither top shifting nor in too point-blank a proximity. In the , distance it is interesting to know that Socrates loved better to stroll through the streets than to stride over the fields, but the fact that a man of our own day—whose house is just round ths . corner—prefers billiards to golf hardly fits the scholarly atmosphere of such a -work as the ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA. The value of such a work is quite unaffected by the changes of the moment. When so remarkable a success has been achieved it is certainly not advisable that the result should be disturbed until the publishers are' sure that the change would be for the better. One may even doubt whether such an article, as Lord MacaulayV " Life of Pitt" does not gain rather than lose value with.the lapse of time. If a new.edition . should ever be undertaken, there is every reason to.suppose that the literary, historical and, , biographical treatises, which occupy most of the space in the volumes, would be reprinted without modification. . Even if such men as Matthew: Arnold," John Addington Symonds, William Morris, B,obert XLouiiTsteyenson, Professor Freeman,tProfessor.Seeley, Sir Travers : Twiss, Principal Tulloch, Professor Sellar, Professor Croon Robertson, John Lowell, Professor Thorold Rogers and; Professor Blackie were recalled to life, they could add little more thana footnote to any one of their articles. __■ ; j.y - . :; '•• ■'■" ' ' '. ■■ ■;■':■ /"/. ■~' ¥-Vj;i\v\ ■ ■■•• -■ ■■ ..■: it?:; ■... '. ' + ' • . - - . * .i -■--',■. THE- HISTORY OF AH OPPORTUNITY; 1. In 1771 the first edition of the,ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA; was published. It gained immediate favour, and successive editions appeared from time itotimel. ■ 2. In 1889 the ninth edition ,was completed, and was offered by Messrs. 'A. and C. Black, tie Eublishers of the work, at a catalogue price of £37 in the cloth binding, £45 in the half morocco inding, and £65 in the full morocco binding. ■■:.';'%. .. ■:. ■, ..' 3. On March 23,1898, the " Times "Reprint of the ninth edition was offered for sale by the "Times "at less than half the publisher's prices. '•'■.'.'« ■'■:'{'"'■■■■ •}.'■■'•■■ i. On March i, 1899, the " Times " announced that a Supplement of the'niitih edition was in , course of preparation, and that it would be supplied, as soon as it should be cdmpleted, to purchasers o£ the "Times " Reprint at a much lower price than that at whichit would be obtainable . by the general public. ." ..-,-. 5. On March 23, 1899, the "Times" raised its prices for all styles of binding, making,the pride for the cloth binding 17 guineas instead of 16 guineas. . .',' "' ' " ' ", 6. On Jan. 20th, 1900, the "Times" announced its intention to do^for.NewZealandwhstit.: had done for residents in England, and the ready response of residents in New' Zealand shows how thoroughly this offer is appreciated. -1 :' ■ /■"'-■'.' ■"■'■• ■■ ■• <;T ' . 7. Under the present temporary and limited offer of the "Times" (London), residents in. New Zealand are securing the great national standard reference library;'delivered free'as far;/ as Wellington, at the following prices ;-Cloth binding, .17. guineas; •half moroqdo biading.j 22 guineas; full morocco binding, 29 guineas. ' . ... , - *>•;> 8. A system of monthly payments is also offered to purchasers, ml, accordance with wfliofi the twenty-five volumes will be delivered for a preliminary payment of only one guinea, f bo; remainder of the price is afterwards to be remitted in monthly,sums of one guineaieach.' •■■'■■■ 9. No tenth edition will be commenced for many years to cpnle. This Supplemen't,wlll serve the purposes and meet the needs which might otherwise have created an earlier defflWd for a tenth edition. And it will achieve this result at infinitely less 'cost to the purchaser than would have been entailed by the. issue of a tenth edition. >...* . , . • '• • ■' ■ ——o " ■,; /:»■' ; ; \* . TESVSPORARY PRICES FOR THE 25 VOLUMES. ■ , . .':'■' ; .■■'■-, \% _'■■■■ ', " ~--■.'■■. .. , , CLOTH f l7 Month|y Payments of One Guinea each, or, ' Sufficient proviswn has been " J if Cash in full accompanies the or^er .. .. £fl wado for tlie filling of orders D1"tul»« PublisheiV Price for this style'of binding, £S7. promptly posted, out applicants HALF f oo s.. ■,• >-, . ~ ;■ : j who liesitete may find that the MOROCCO Paymentsof One.Guinea each, or, -_^ [ number of Sets reserved for New' (which we "i lf Cash m full accompanies the order .. .. *2H Zealand hns been exhausted, and recommend) [ Publishers Price for this Btyle of> binding, £«.,;; that the offer has_ been -«ith- F(JLL fz9 Monthly Payments of One Guinea each, oty ■' „ drawn, without further notice. MOROCCO lif Cash in fu" accompanies the order. .. .. £29 V. Publishers' Price for this style of binding, £85, The Sets will be Delivered to Subscribers Carefully Sealed in Tin-lined , Cases. The first 500 Subscribers in New Zealand will receive their Sets i Delivered Free of Cost as far as Wellington. ,i - •■;.- 1 ■ __ ; •-. .-I ORDER FORM-CASH PAYMENT. SSS'SXICS hate the advantage of an additional saving of ono shilling in the guinea,' as shown above and no order, i form is required. Cheques should.be drawn to the order of the Bank of New South Wales Wellington* I and sent^to The Times {Loiidon), New Zealand Office, at Government Life Insurant Buildings, Welling-; | ORDER FORSVBHMONTHLY PAYMENT. (Date) ........... .....M........ .....••« ' To thr Manager, "The Times (London)," New Zbaxa.nd Office, VI Govekxjient Life Insurance Buildings, Welunoton ; -I I enclose One Guinea. Please send me The Times Reprint op thk Encyclopedia BritanniCA (9th Ei). i r(a) CLOTH, for which I agree to make to you, or to anyone you may^ ;' Lt . n fti« i appoint, 16 additional monthly payments of 1 guinea each | [Btrike ""^.rkd . BOUND 1(6) HALF MOROCCO, for which I agree to make to you or to anyone """^^ «"?£ I IN | SOU mfty ftPP°int, 21 additional monthly payments of 1 guinea each f "^''ihieb'i^': (c) v FULL MOROCCO, for which I agree to make to you or toanvone the style oItiB<««,,V. rjj yottOimy appoint, 2S additional monthly payments of .'lguin^achj de3ired ] my next payment upon delivery of the complete volumes, and my suoceedin^TOyments'on the correspond--'' ing day of each month follow ng Until such payments are complete, I your property, and shall not be disposed of by sale or otherwise. I further agree"hat tfo* tx unfore-' seen c.rcun.stances, of which you ,hall be the judge, the volumes, cannot U^ deli vexed the: return of this deposit of one guinea to me shall cancelthis agreement. • ucu>elea» lne lelul" | J Please also send a revolving Bookcase; for ibJvicH I agree to niake three \ Strike out if Boob I fW' therm°nt^PC^X \ 5igned...................^..^.... '/...'.'...'... f ~ ..,..»<! Address - , ■""■'*"■""•■■•""•• •'• •••••••*"!": I [E.S. 77 Auc. Star.] ' ' : . '!