'THE CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA'

New Zealand Tablet, 22 July 1909, Page 1143

'THE CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA'

That great work of reference, The Catholic Encyclopedia, has just reached its fifth volume — the third of its course of fifteen bulky double-column tomes, each of nearly 900 closely printed" pages. The fourth volume reached us, after long delays, in the hold of a sailing-vessel, (' The Star of Scotland '). We have just had time to ' sample ' its pages, so rich in interest, and we rise from that pleasant occupation filled with delight at the manner in which this greatest work of reference in our language is developing — how wide its scope, how deep and varied the vast mass of information which it presents^to those fortunate enough to possess it. The promoters'"^ this great and spirited enterprise set out to give Catholic readers, in this new Encyclopedia, ' full and authoritative information on the entire cycle of Catholic interests, 'action, and doctrine. What the Church teaches and 'has taught; what she has done and is still doing for the highest welfare of mankind; her methods, past and present; her struggles, her triumph?, and the achievements of her members, not only for her own immediate benefit, but for the broadening and deepening of all true science, literature, and art — all come within the scope of The Catholic Encyclopedia.' The editors, of course, omit fa,cts and information which have no relation to the Church. Yet it is not exclusively a church encyclopedia, nor is it limited to the ecclesiastical sciences and the doings of churchmen. 'It records,' say they in their preface, ' all that Catholics have done, not only in behalf of charity and morals, but also for the intellectual and artistic development of mankind. It chronicles whan Catholic artists, educators, poets, scientists, and men of action have achieved in their several provinces. In this respect it differs from most other Catholic encyclopedias. The editors are fully aware that there is no specifically Catholic science, that mathematics, chemistry, physiology, and othvr branches of human knoAvledge are neither Catholic, Jewish, nor Protestant; but when it is commonly asserted that Catholic principles are an obstacle to scientific research, it seems not only proper but needful to register what and how much Catholics liave contributed to every department of knowledge.'

The fourth volume of the Catholic Encyclopedia, like its three predecessors, amply fulfils the generous promise of its editors. It deals alphabetically with fully a thousand subjects, from ' Clandestine ' to ' Diocesan,' giving lucid, amply-documented, and authoritative information on ft vast number of themes that would otherwise be inaccessible to the ordinary reader. Matters of Catholic doctrine, usage, and history are, as might be expected, treated with satisfying clearness and with an erudition for which the names at the end of the various articles are sufficient vouchers. We might mention, as indicating the wide range and variety of the articles in this fourth volume, the following subjects -which find detailed treatment .-therein': Clandestinity (and the recent marriage legislation), Confucianism, Collectivism, Cremation, Conscience (by Father Rickaby), Clement, Christopher Columbus, Coronation, Cosmogony, Criticism (biblical and historical), Qom.munism, the French Concordat of 1801, the Congo, Communion, Consecration, Confirmation, Coliseum, Crusades, Consubstantiation, Congresses, Commentaries on the Bible, the Epistle to the Colossiars, • Covenanters, Christian Democracy, Copernicus, Consciousness, Co-education, Counterpoint, Industrial Conciliation, Congregation, Congregationalism, Councils, Counter-Reformation, Cross, Dante, Descartes, Demonology, Divination. These are merely the articles to which we went in order to get an idea of tho range and treatment of subjects in the fourth volume. They arc excellent examples of all that encyclopedia articles should be. We may add that this volume also fulfils, in its numerous and woll-chosen bidgraphies, the promise of the editors to record what Catholics have done, ' not only in behalf of charity and morals, but also for the intellectual and artistic development of mankind.' This great work of reference should be on every priest's bookshelves, and in every convent and college and parish library. It is a work of first-class importance both for the instruction and strengthening of the Catholic layman and for the erudition of the Catholic priest. • (Robert Appleton Company, New York. Australasian representative, Henry Ridhalgh, 156 Edward street, Brisbane.)