Page 35 Advertisements Column 1

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1618, 4 March 1903, Page 35

FIRST PAYMENT.

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“THE TIMES” ©FFER.

A GREAT UNDERTAKING, FREE DELIYERY eIGHTEEN years ago work was first begun upon what is now “ The Century Dictionary & Cyclopaedia & Atlas.” Between 1888 and 1891 a portion was published in six volumes. Although a large part of*'-' the |matter in these volumes was encyclopaedic in its nature, they were published under the simple title of “ The Century Dictionary,” the full title being reserved for the completed work. In 1894 an additional portion appeared under the title of ‘‘The Century Cyclopaedia of Names.” The matter in this was entirely encyclopaedic. This portion alone contained in the neighbourhood of 50,000 titles, as large a number as is to be found in any of the well-known encyclopaedias. THE FINISHED WORK, now published in its final and perfected form (copyright 1902), contains all that was in The Century Dictionary, as well as all that was in “ The Century Cyclopaedia of Names,” but thoroughly revised and with much additional and later material added, including the massive Atlas. The appearance of the present ten-volume edition, therefore, marks the completion of the work as originally planned, and is the culmination of what is universally recognised as the greatest literary enterprise ever undertaken in America. . . A brief summary of the distinctive features of the work will best explain its practical utility to every one who writes, reads, or thinks, and at the same time show the vast range which it covers. THE MEN WHO MADE IT. ‘‘The Century ” is the work of experts throughout, each different department being in charge of that scholar who was recognised as the first in his specia field. The editorial chief was Professor William Dwight Whitney, Ph.D. LL.D., for forty years professor in Yale University, acknowledged in England and in America as the highest authority in the world on philology. His co-editors, with their assistants, numbering more than five hundred, were all chosen as being specialists of world renown in their respective branches of learning. . , , , The total number of contributors was far in excess of that ever engaged on any reference work. A work conceived on such a basis and prepared by such scholarly minds could scarcely fail to be thorough to the last degree. This quality is as manifest in the placing of an accent as in the survey of a great science or the history of a revolution. A COMPLETE WORKING-LIBRARY. ‘‘The Century” is more than a reference work; it is a complete workinglibrary. It combines in ten volumes all the advantages of dictionary, cyclopaedia, atlas, handbook, gazetteer, biographical dictionary, and many other works, and all on a plan which for the first time meets the requirements alike of the busy man of affairs and the most exacting student. It more than takes the place of all other dictionaries and cyclopaedias combined. ITS PLAN. The central idea which has been embodied in ‘‘The Century was the compilation of an entirely new work which should not copy the blunders of its predecessors, but should be new from beginning to end and along entirely original lines. Most works of reference hitherto published have been in large measure compiled from preceding works, even copying errors and transmitting knowledge long out of date. In “ The Century ” the doubtful records of earlier works have been corrected or else proven correct by tracing them to their sources. Then, too, the aim of the editors was to produce a work which would be equally full in every line, condensing as far as possible all knowledge (whether previously scattered through a multitude of different books largely inaccessible to most persons, or never before contained in any book) into one work which should answer the questions and meet the needs of every one a work, in fact, which should sum up all existing knowledge in art, science, literature, and the trades, and in which the information should be authoritative and down to date. ARRANGEMENT. r . .. . . Finally, for its practical utility a plan of arrangement was adopted which made each item in all this vast storehouse of recorded facts instantly accessible. _ To most people this ready-reference feature is the most noticeable characteristic of “ The Century ” as compared with the old-line reference works, which contain comparatively few, but long, entries. To-day no one wishes to hunt through a long dissertation on the sun to find the description of a sun-spot, or through an account of the life and works of Shakespeare to learn about the play ot “ Othello. We wish to turn at once to “sun-spot ”or “ Othello ” for our information. “ The Century” has accordingly increased enormously the number of its headings, so that it has probably 100,000 more encyclopaedic articles than any other encyclopaedia.

SOME FACTS FOR THOSE WHO APPRECIATE A BARGAIN. Ths Times (London.) is now prepared to supply a limited number of sets of “ The Century,” a new work of reference —the latest and most usable complication of general information in the world—at a discount of over 40 per cent, from the publishers’ prices, and on easy terms of monthly payments. No offer made by The Times is ever duplicated. Those who do not promptly order when an offer is made are obliged to pay a higher price when they do order. Simply because they did not seize the opportunity when presented, tardy persons have paid more for other works offered by The Times than if they had ordered them promptly, and undoubtedly the same thing will eventually happen in the case of “The Century.’ Present prices and present terms apply onlv to the present edition ; when it is exhausted no more sets can be obtained at these prices. The question, therefore, for all who read this announcement is whether to take advantage of the present extraordinary chance or to let it si p , whether to buy now at the lowest price, or to wait either till the offer shall have been withdrawn or till the price of the work shall have been advanced.

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