ROYAL ROAD TO LEARNING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12600, 2 March 1903, Page 6

ROYAL ROAD TO LEARNING.

TEE CENTURY DICTIONARY A' CYOLOPiEDIA & ATLAS may bo fairly considered to provido a royal road to learning—to that sort of learning which enables us to think' intelligently and to talk intelligently about the current topics of the day. Tile .occurrence in one's newspaper of an unfamiliar word, the mention of an unknown substance, or an unknown process, arouses in t-lio average reader' 6 mind enough of curiosity to make him turn to a work of reference, if he knows that the information lie desires will easily he found. A literary man, accustomed to the use of books, cannot but perceive the value of "THE CENTURY." But any man of affairs caii test tho work in a thorough and satisfactory manner if lie will look up the definitions in his own business or profession. For instance, let the doctor turn to such words as "fever" or "operation"; the clergyman to "church," "liturgy," "catholic"; tho engineer to "arch,", "watersupply," "aqueduct"; the life insurance man to "endowment," "tontine," "annuity" ; tho mechanic to " puddling," "steel," "engine," "bloomery"; the jeweller to " brilliant," " cameo," " intaglio," " diamond"; and then lot him remember that every other field of inquiry 13 covered with equal fulness and accuracy. Or lot him open- any of the other dictionaries at auy word he pleases, and then open "THE CENTURY" at the same and' compare tho two. He will often.' look in the older dictionaries for a word: and not find it: he will never turn to "THE CENTURY" in rain. The Times presents you with an opportunity to secure this great work of reference in 10 royal octavo volumes for a short timo longer on most liberal terms, and at a discount of over 40 per cent, from the publishers' prices. , —The chief of tho firo department in Rouen, France, has invented a fire-pump which can ibc operated by tapping tho current of any atroet-car or clectric-light system. The pump is small enough to bo drawn oasily by one horse in a light, twowheeled cart, but sufficiently powerful to throw a stream of water 100 ft high. In a. trial the new pump developed its full energy in throe minutes, while a steam-pump required 14 minutes to get up the same pres. sure.