this statement is open to question. Still, all must agree that an
indexless book is a great evil. Mr. J. H. Markland is the authority for
the declaration that "the omission of an index when essential should be
an indictable offence." Carlyle denounces the publishers of books
unprovided with this necessary appendage; and Baynes, the author of the
_Archaeological Epistle to Dean Mills_ (usually attributed to Mason),
concocted a terrible curse against such evil-doers. The reporter was the
learned Francis Douce, who said to Mr. Thoms: "Sir, my friend John
Baynes used to say that the man who published a book without an index
ought to be damned ten miles beyond Hell, where the Devil could not get
for stinging-nettles."[10] Lord Campbell proposed that any author who
published a book without an index should be deprived of the benefits of
the Copyright Act; and the Hon. Horace Binney, LL.D., a distinguished
American lawyer, held the same views, and would have condemned the
culprit to the same punishment. Those, however, who hold the soundest
views sometimes fail in practice; thus Lord Campbell had to acknowledge
that he had himself sinned before the year 1857.
[10] _Notes and Queries_, 5th Series, VIII. 87.
These are the words written by Lord Campbell in the preface to the first
volume of his _Lives of the Chief Justices_ (1857): "I have only further
to express my satisfaction in thinking that a heavy weight is now to be
removed from my conscience. So essential did I consider an index to be
to every book, that I proposed to bring a Bill into Parliament to
deprive an author who publishes a book without an Index of the privilege
of copyright; and moreover to subject him for his offence to a pecuniary
penalty. Yet from difficulties started by my printers, my own books have
hitherto been without an Index. But I am happy to announce that a
learned friend at the Bar, on whose accuracy I can place entire
reliance, has kindly prepared a copious index, which will be appended to
this work, and another for a new stereotyped edition of the Lives of the
Chancellors."
Mr. John Morley, in an article in the _Fortnightly Review_ on Mr.
Russell's edition of Matthew Arnold's _Letters_, lifts up his voice
against an indexless book. He says: "One damning sin of omission Mr.
Russell has indeed perpetrated: the two volumes have no index, nor even
a table of contents."[11] _George Selwyn and his Contemporaries_, a most
interesting but badly arranged book, by John Heneage Jesse, was
published without an index, and a new edition was issued (1882) also
without this necessary addition. The student of the manners of the
eighteenth century must constantly refer to this book, and yet it is
almost impossible to find in it what you want without great waste of
labour. I have found it necessary to make a manuscript index for my own
use.
[11] Quoted _Notes and Queries_, 8th Series, IX. 425.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER IV.
THE GOOD INDEXER.
"Thomas Norton was appointed Remembrancer of the city of London
in 1570, and directions were given to him that 'he shall gather
together and reduce the same [the Bookes] into Indices, Tables
or Kalendars, whereby they may be more easily, readily and
orderly founde.'"--_Analytical Index to "Remembrancia,"_ p. v.
[Illustration: T]he acrostic
I I
N never
D did
E ensure
X exactness
made by a contributor to _Notes and Queries_ as a motto for an index
expresses very well the difficulties ever present to the indexer; and
the most successful will confess the truth that it contains, however
much others may consider his work to be good.
There are many indexes which are only of partial merit, but which a
little more care and experience on the part of the indexer would have
made good. If the medium indexer felt that indexing was work that must
be done to the best of his ability, and he studied the best examples, he
would gradually become a good indexer.
The famous bibliographer, William Oldys, rated the labours of the
diligent indexer very highly, and expressed his views very clearly thus:
"The labour and patience, the judgment and penetration which are
required to make a good index is only known to those who have
gone through this most painful, but least praised part of a
publication. But laborious as it is, I think it is indispensably
necessary to manifest the treasures of any multifarious
collection, facilitate the knowledge to those who seek it, and
invite them to make application thereof."[12]
[12] _Notes and Queries_, 2nd Series, XI. 309.
Similar sentiments were expressed by a writer in the _Monthly Review_
which have been quoted by Dr. Allibone in his valuable _Dictionary of
English Literature_.[13]
[13] Vol. i., p. 85.
"The compilation of an index is one of those useful labours for
which the public, commonly better pleased with entertainment
than with real service, are rarely so forward to express their
gratitude as we think they ought to be. It has been considered a
task fit only for the plodding and the dull: but with more truth
it may be said that this is the judgment of the idle and the
shallow. The value of anything, it has been observed, is best
known by the want of it. Agreeably to this idea, we, who have
often experienced great inconveniences from the want of indices,
entertain the highest sense of their worth and importance. We
know that in the construction of a good index, there is far more
scope for the exercise of judgment and abilities, than is
commonly supposed. We feel the merits of the compiler of such an
index, and we are ever ready to testify our thankfulness for his
exertions."
A goodly roll may be drawn up of eminent men who have not been ashamed
to appear before the world as indexers. In the first rank we must place
the younger Scaliger, who devoted ten months on the compilation of an
elaborate index to Gruter's _Thesaurus Inscriptionum_. Bibliographers
have been unanimous in praise of the energy exhibited by the great
critic in undertaking so vast a labour. Antonio describes the index as a
Herculean work, and LeClerc observes that if we think it surprising that
so great a man should undertake so laborious a task we must remember
that such indexes can only be made by a very able man.
Nicolas Antonio, the compiler of one of the fullest and most accurate
bibliographies ever planned, was a connoisseur of indexes, and wrote a
short essay on the makers of them. His _Bibliotheca Hispana_ is not
known so well as it deserves to be, but those who use it find it one of
the most trustworthy of guides. The system upon which the authors' names
are arranged is one that at first sight may seem to give cause for
ridicule, for they appear in an alphabet of Christian names; but when we
consider that the Spaniards and Portuguese stand alone among European
nations in respect to the importance they pay to the Christian name, and
remember, further, that authors and others are often alluded to by their
Christian names alone, we shall see a valid reason for the plan. Another
point that should not be forgotten is the number of Spanish authors who
have belonged to the religious orders and are never known by their
surnames. This arrangement, however, necessitates a full index of
surnames, and Antonio has given one which was highly praised both by
Baillet and Bayle, two men who were well able to form an opinion.
Juan de Pineda's _Monarchia Ecclesiastica o historia Universal del
Mundo_ (_Salamanca_, 1588) has a very curious and valuable table which
forms the fifth volume of the whole set; and the three folio volumes of
indexes in one alphabet to the _Annales Ecclesiastici_ of Baronius form
a noble work.
Samuel Jeake, senior, compiled a valuable work on "Arithmetick" in 1674,
which was published by his son in 1696: [Greek: Logistikelogia]; _or,
Arithmetick Surveighed and Reviewed_. Professor De Morgan specially
refers to this book in his _Arithmetical Books_, saying: "Those who know
the value of a large book with a good index will pick this one up when
they can." He praises it on account of the value of the information it
contains and the fulness of the references to that information. The
alphabetical table, directing to some special points noted in the
precedent treatise, was probably the work of Samuel Jeake, junior. The
author's epistle is dated from Rye, 1674, and one of the entries is
curious:
"Winchelsea, when drowned 74."
S. Jeake being a resident at Rye had an interesting note to add to this:
"Among the records of this town of Rye is a Memorandum entered
that the year old Winchelsea was drowned (1287) corn was 2_s._
the quarter."
Thomas Carlyle denounced the putters forth of indexless books, and his
sincerity is proved by the publication in 1874 of a separate index to
the people's edition of his Works. In his introduction to _Cromwell's
Letters and Speeches_ he is very severe on some of the old folios he was
forced to use:
"The Rushworths, Whitelocks, Nalsons, Thurloes; enormous folios,
these and many other have been printed and some of them again
printed but never yet edited,--edited as you edit wagon-loads of
broken bricks, and dry mortar simply by tumbling up the wagon!
Not one of those monstrous old volumes has so much as an index.
It is the general rule of editing on this matter. If your editor
correct the press, it is an honourable distinction."
A very eminent name may be added to the list of indexers, for, when a
boy of fifteen, Macaulay made the index to a volume of the _Christian
Observer_ (of which periodical his father was editor), and this he
introduced to the notice of Hannah More in these words:
"To add to the list, my dear Madam, you will soon see a work of
mine in print. Do not be frightened; it is only the Index to the
thirteenth volume of the _Christian Observer_, which I have had
the honour of composing. Index-making, though the lowest, is not
the most useless round in the ladder of literature; and I pride
myself upon being able to say that there are many readers of the
_Christian Observer_ who could do without Walter Scott's works,
but not without those of, my dear Madam, your affectionate
friend, THOMAS B. MACAULAY."
Although proud of his work, Macaulay places index-making in a very low
position. In later life he used a contemptuous expression when he was
describing the appearance of those who followed the lowest grade in the
literary profession. The late Mr. H. Campkin, a veteran indexer, quotes
this description in the preface to one of his valuable indexes--that to
the twenty-five volumes of the _Sussex Archaeological Collections_:
"The compilation of Indexes will always and naturally so, be
regarded as a humble art; 'index-makers in ragged coats of
frieze' are classed by Lord Macaulay as the very lowest of the
frequenters of the coffee houses of the Dryden and Swift era.
Yet ''tis my vocation, Hal,' and into very pleasant
companionship it has sometimes brought me, and if in this
probably the last of my twenty-five years' labours in this
direction, I have succeeded in furnishing a fairly practicable
key to a valuable set of volumes, my frieze coat, how tattered
soever signifieth not, will continue to hang upon my shoulders
not uncomfortably."
Though he did not rate highly the calling of the indexer, Macaulay knew
that that lowly mortal has a considerable power in his hand if he
chooses to use it, for he can state in a few words what the author may
have hidden in verbiage, and he can so arrange his materials as to turn
an author's own words against himself. Hence Macaulay wrote to his
publishers, "Let no d---- Tory make the index to my History." When the
index was in progress he appears to have seen the draught, which was
fuller than he thought necessary. He therefore wrote to Messrs.
Longmans:
"I am very unwilling to seem captious about such a work as an
Index. By all means let Mr. ---- go on. But offer him with all
delicacy and courtesy, from me this suggestion. I would advise
him to have very few heads, except proper names. A few there
must be, such as Convocation, Nonjurors, Bank of England,
National Debt. These are heads to which readers who wish for
information on these subject will naturally turn. But I think
that Mr. ---- will on consideration perceive that such heads as
Priestcraft, Priesthood, Party spirit, Insurrection, War, Bible,
Crown, Controversies, Dissent, are quite useless. Nobody will
ever look for them; and if every passage in which party-spirit,
dissent, the art of war, and the power of the Crown are
mentioned, is to be noticed in the Index, the size of the
volumes will be doubled. The best rule is to keep close to
proper names, and never to deviate from that rule without some
special occasion."[14]
[14] Trevelyan's _Life and Letters of Macaulay_, chap. xi.
These remarks exhibit Macaulay's eminently common-sense view of the
value of an index, but it is evident that he did not realise the
possibility of a good and full index such as might have been produced.
The _History of England_, with all its wealth of picturesque
illustration, deserves a full index compiled by some one capable of
exhibiting the spirit of that great work in a brilliant analysis.
Sir George Trevelyan's delightful _Life_ of his uncle was originally
published without an index, and Mr. Perceval Clark made an admirable
one, both full and interesting, which was issued by the Index Society in
1881. Mr. Clark writes in his preface:
"The single heading MACAULAY of course takes up a large space of
the Index, and will be found, together with a few other
headings, to contain everything directly touching him. The list
of his published writings refers of course only to writings
mentioned by his Biographer, and lays no claim to be considered
an exhaustive bibliography of his works. The books Macaulay read
that were 'mostly trash' have their places in the body of the
Index, while those that stood by him in all vicissitudes as
comforters, nurses, and companions, have half a page to
themselves under one of the sections of MACAULAY. The
particulars of his life and work in India are given under INDIA;
localities in London under LONDON; various newspapers under
NEWSPAPERS, and certain French and Italian towns visited by
Macaulay under their countries respectively."
Just such an index one would like to see of the _History of England_.
It may be added that the popular edition of the _Life_ published
subsequently has an index.
A large number of official indexes are excellent, although some very bad
ones have been printed. Still, it may be generally stated that in
Government Departments there are those in power who know the value of a
good digest, and understand that it is necessary to employ skilled
labour. The work is well paid, and therefore not scamped; and plenty of
room is devoted to the index, which is printed in a satisfactory manner
in type well set out.
We have no modern statistics to offer, but the often quoted statement
that in 1778 a total of L12,000 was voted for indexes to the Journals of
the House of Commons shows that the value of indexes was appreciated by
Parliament in the eighteenth century. The items of this amount were:
"To Mr. Edward Moore L6400 as a final compensation for thirteen
years labour; Rev. Mr. Forster L3000 for nine years' labour;
Rev. Dr. Roger Flaxman L3000 for nine years' labour; and L500 to
Mr. Cunningham."
One of the most admirable applications of index making is to be found in
the series of Calendars of State Papers issued under the sanction of the
Master of the Rolls, which have made available to all a mass of
historical material of unrivalled value. How many students have been
grateful for the indexes to these calendars, and also for the aid given
to him by the indexes to Parliamentary papers and other Government
publications!
It is impossible to mention all the good official indexes, but a special
word of praise must be given to the indexes to the _Statutes of the
Realm_, the folio edition published by the Record Commission. I have
often consulted the _Alphabetical Index to the Statutes from Magna
Charta to the End of the Reign of Queen Anne_ (1824) with the greatest
pleasure and profit. It is a model of good workmanship.
The lawyers have analytical minds, and they know how important full
indexes and digests are to complete their stock-in-trade. They have done
much, but there is still much to be done. Lord Thring drew up some
masterly instructions for an index to the Statute Law, which is to be
considered as a step towards a code. These instructions conclude with
these weighty words:
"Let no man imagine that the construction of an index to the
Statute Law is a mere piece of mechanical drudgery, unworthy of
the energy and ability of an accomplished lawyer. Next to
codification, the most difficult task that can be accomplished
is to prepare a detailed plan for a code, as distinct from the
easy task of devising a theoretical system of codification. Now
the preparation of an index, such as has been suggested in the
above instructions, is the preparation of a detailed plan for a
code. Each effective title, is in effect, a plan for the
codification of the legal subject-matter grouped under that
title, and the whole index if completed would be a summary of a
code arranged in alphabetical order."[15]
[15] These instructions, with specimens of the proposed index, are
printed in the _Law Magazine_ for August, 1877, 4th Series,
vol. 8, p. 491.
That this question of digesting the law is to be considered as one which
should interest all classes of Englishmen, and not the lawyer only, may
be seen from an article in the _Nineteenth Century_ (September, 1877) on
the "Improvement of the Law by Private Enterprise," by the late Sir
James Fitzjames Stephen, who did so much towards a complete digest of
the law. He wrote:
"I have long believed that the law might by proper means be
relieved of this extreme obscurity and intricacy, and might be
displayed in its true light as a subject of study of the deepest
possible interest, not only to every one who takes an interest
in politics or ethics, or in the application of logic and
metaphysics to those subjects. In short, I think that nothing
but the rearrangement and condensation of the vast masses of
matter contained in our law libraries is required, in order to
add to human knowledge what would be practically a new
department of the highest and most permanent interest. Law holds
in suspension both the logic and the ethics, which are in fact
recognised by men of business and men of the world as the
standards by which the practice of common life ought to be
regulated, and by which men ought to form their opinions in all
their most important temporal affairs. It would be a far greater
service to mankind than many people would suppose to have these
standards clearly defined and brought within the reach of every
one who cared to study them."
The following remarks will apply with equal force to a more general and
universal index than that of the law:
"The preparation of a digest either of the whole or of any
branch of the law is work of a very peculiar kind. It is one of
the few literary undertakings in which a number of persons can
really and effectively work together. Any given subject may, it
is true, be dealt with in a variety of different ways; but when
the general scheme, according to which it is to be treated, has
been determined on, when the skeleton of the book has been drawn
out, plenty of persons might be found to do the work of filling
up the details, though that work is very far from being easy or
matter of routine."
The value of analytical or index work is set in a very strong light by
an observation of Sir James Stephen respecting the early digesters of
the law. The origin of English law is to be found in the year-books and
other series of old reports, which from the language used in them and
the black-letter printing with its contractions, etc., are practically
inaccessible. Lord Chief Justice Coke and others who reduced these books
into form are in consequence treated as ultimate authorities, although
the almost worshipped Coke is said by Sir James to be "one of the most
confused, pedantic, and inaccurate of men."
A good index is that to the Works of Jeremy Bentham, published in 1843
under the dictation of Sir John Bowring. _The Analytical Index to the
Works of Jeremy Bentham and to the Memoirs and Correspondence_ was
compiled by J. H. Burton, to whom it does great credit. The indexer
prefixed a sensible note, where he writes:
"In some instances it would have been impossible to convey a
notion of the train of reasoning followed by the author, without
using his own words, and in these no attempt has been made to do
more than indicate the place where the subject is discussed. In
other cases where it has appeared to the compiler that an
intelligible analysis has been made, he may have failed in his
necessarily abbreviated sentences in embodying the meaning of
the original, but defects of this description are indigenous to
Indexes in general."
But here all is utility, and it is to the literary index that we turn
for pleasure as well as instruction.
The index to Ruskin's _Fors Clavigera_, vols. 1-8 (1887), is a most
interesting book, especially to Ruskin admirers. There are some
specially delightful original and characteristic references under the
heading of _London_, such as the following:
"London, Fifty square miles outside of, demoralised by upper
classes
---- Its middle classes compare unfavourably with apes
---- Some blue sky in, still
---- Hospital named after Christ's native village in,
---- Honestest journal of, _Punch_.
---- crossings, what would they be without benevolent police?"
The index is well made and the references are full of life and charm,
but the whole is spoilt by the bad arrangement. The entries are set out
in single lines under the headings in the successive order of the pages.
This looks unsystematic, as they ought to be arranged in alphabet. When
the references are given in the order of the pages they should be
printed in block.
There are several entries commencing with "'s"; thus, under
"ST. GEORGE."
p. 386:
"'s war
"of Hanover Square."
p. 387:
"'s Square
's, Hanover Square"
p. 389:
"'s law
's school
's message
's Chapel at Venice."
In long headings that occupy separate pages these are repeated at the
top of the page, but the headings are not sufficiently full: thus the
saints are arranged in alphabet under _S_; George commences on page 386.
On
p. 387:
"Saint--Saints _continued_ story of,"
p. 388:
"what of gold etc. he thinks good for people, they shall have"
p. 389:
"tenth part of fortunes for"
p. 390:
"his creed"
p. 391:
"loss of a good girl for his work"
In the case of all the references on these pages you have to go back to
page 386 to find out to whom they refer.
There is a particularly bad block of references filling half a page
under _Lord_.
"Lord, High Chancellor, 7.6; 's Prayer vital to a nation, 7.22;
Mayor and Corporation, &c of Hosts."
It is a pity that an interesting index should be thus marred by bad
arrangement.
Dr. Birkbeck Hill's complete index to his admirable edition of Boswell's
_Life of Johnson_ is a delightful companion to the work, and may be
considered as a model of what an index should be; for compilation,
arrangement, and printing all are good. Under the different headings are
capital abstracts in blocks. There are sub-headings in alphabet under
the main heading _Johnson_.
A charming appendix to the index consists of "Dicta Philosophi: A
Concordance of Johnson's Sayings."
Dr. Hill writes in his preface:
"In my Index, which has cost me many months' heavy work, 'while
I bore burdens with dull patience and beat the track of the
alphabet with sluggish resolution,' I have, I hope, shown that I
am not unmindful of all that I owe to men of letters. To the
dead we cannot pay the debt of gratitude that is their due. Some
relief is obtained from its burthen, if we in our turn make the
men of our own generation debtors to us. The plan on which my
Index is made, will I trust be found convenient. By the
alphabetical arrangement in the separate entries of each article
the reader, I venture to think, will be greatly facilitated in
his researches. Certain subjects I have thought it best to form
into groups. Under America, France, Ireland, London, Oxford,
Paris and Scotland, are gathered together almost all the
references to those subjects. The provincial towns of France,
however, by some mistake I did not include in the general
article. One important but intentional omission I must justify.
In the case of the quotations in which my notes abound I have
not thought it needful in the Index to refer to the book unless
the eminence of the author required a separate and a second
entry. My labour would have been increased beyond all endurance
and my Index have been swollen almost into a monstrosity had I
always referred to the book as well as to the matter which was
contained in the passage that I extracted. Though in such a
variety of subjects there must be many omissions, yet I shall be
greatly disappointed if actual errors are discovered. Every
entry I have made myself, and every entry I have verified in the
proof sheets, not by comparing it with my manuscript, but by
turning to the reference in the printed volumes. Some indulgence
nevertheless may well be claimed and granted. If Homer at times
nods, an index maker may be pardoned, should he in the fourth or
fifth month of his task at the end of a day of eight hours' work
grow drowsy. May I fondly hope that to the maker of so large an
index will be extended the gratitude which Lord Bolingbroke says
was once shown to lexicographers? 'I approve,' writes his
lordship, 'the devotion of a studious man at Christ Church, who
was overheard in his oratory entering into a detail with God,
and acknowledging the divine goodness in furnishing the world
with makers of dictionaries.'"
It is impossible to speak too highly of Dr. Hill's indexes to Boswell's
_Life of Johnson_ and Boswell's _Letters_ and _Johnson Miscellanies_.
Not only are they good indexes in themselves, but an indescribable
literary air breathes over every page, and gives distinction to the
whole. The index volume of the _Life_ is by no means the least
interesting of the set, and one instinctively thinks of the once
celebrated Spaniard quoted by the great bibliographer Antonio--that the
index of a book should be made by the author, even if the book itself
were written by some one else.
The very excellence of this index has been used as a cause of complaint
against its compiler. It has been said that everything that is known of
Johnson can be found in the index, and therefore that the man who uses
it is able to pose as a student, appearing to know as much as he who
knows his _Boswell_ by heart; but this is somewhat of a joke, for no
useful information can be gained unless the book to which the index
refers is searched, and he who honestly searches ceases to be a
smatterer. It is absurd to deprive earnest readers of a useful help lest
reviewers and smatterers misuse it.
Boswell himself made the original index to the _Life of Johnson_, which
has several characteristic signs of its origin. Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, in
his edition (1874), reprints the original "Table of Contents to the Life
of Johnson," with this note:
"This is Mr. Boswell's own Index, the paging being altered to
suit the present edition; and the reader will see that it bears
signs of having been prepared by Mr. Boswell himself. In the
second edition he made various additions, as well as
alterations, which are characteristic in their way. Thus, 'Lord
Bute' is changed into 'the Earl of Bute,' and 'Francis Barber'
into 'Mr. Francis Barber.' After Mrs. Macaulay's name he added,
'Johnson's acute and unanswerable refutation of her levelling
reveries'; and after that of Hawkins he put 'contradicted and
corrected.' There are also various little compliments introduced
where previously he had merely given the name. Such as 'Temple,
Mr., the author's old and most intimate friend'; 'Vilette,
Reverend Mr., his just claims on the publick'; 'Smith, Captain,
his attention to Johnson at Warley Camp'; 'Somerville, Mr., the
authour's warm and grateful remembrance of him'; 'Hall, General,
his politeness to Johnson at Warley Camp'; 'Heberden, Dr., his
kind attendance on Johnson.' On the other hand, Lord Eliot's
'politeness to Johnson' which stands in the first edition, is
cut down in the second to the bald 'Eliot, Lord'; while
'Loughborough, Lord, his talents and great good fortune,' may
have seemed a little offensive, and was expunged. The Literary
Club was reverentially put in capitals. There are also such odd
entries as 'Brutus, a ruffian,' &c."
One wishes that there were more indexes like Dr. Hill's in the world;
and since I made an index to Shelley's works, I have often thought that
a series of indexes of great authors would be of inestimable value.
First, all the author's works should be indexed, then his biographies,
and lastly the anecdotes and notices in reviews and other books. How
valuable would such books be in the study of our greatest poets! The
plan is quite possible of attainment, and the indexes would be
entertaining in themselves if made fairly full.
It is not possible to refer to all the good indexes that have been
produced, for they are too numerous. A very remarkable index is that of
the publications of the Parker Society by Henry Gough, which contains a
great mass of valuable information presented in a handy form. It is the
only volume issued by the society which is sought after, as the books
themselves are a drug in the market. Mr. Gough was employed to make an
index to the publications of the Camden Society, which would have been
of still more value on account of the much greater interest of the books
indexed; but the expense of printing the index was too great for the
funds of the society, and it had to be abandoned, to the great loss of
the literary world. Most of the archaeological societies, commencing with
the Society of Antiquaries, have issued excellent indexes, and the
scientific societies also have produced indexes of varying merit.
The esteem in which the indexes of _Notes and Queries_ are held is
evidenced by the high prices they realise when they occur for sale. Mr.
Tedder's full indexes to the Reports of the Conference of Librarians and
the Library Association may also be mentioned.
A very striking instance of the great value which a general index of a
book may possess as a distinct work can be seen in the "Index to the
first ten volumes of Book Prices Current (1887-1896), constituting a
reference list of subjects and incidentally a key to Anonymous and
Pseudonymous Literature, London, 1901."
Here, in one alphabet, is a brief bibliography of the books sold in ten
years well set out, and the dates of the distinctive editions clearly
indicated. The compilation of this index must have been a specially
laborious work, and does great credit to William Jaggard, of Liverpool,
the compiler.
The authorities of the Clarendon Press, Oxford, are to be highly
commended for their conduct in respect to the index to Ranke's _History
of England_. This was attached to the sixth volume of the work published
in 1875. It is by no means a bad index in itself; but a revised index
was issued in 1897, which is a greatly improved edition by the addition
of dates and fuller descriptions and Christian names and titles to the
persons mentioned. The new index is substantially the same as the old
one, but the reviser has gone carefully through it, improving it at all
points, by which means it was extended over an additional twenty-three
pages. It is instructive to compare the two editions. Four references as
they appear in the two will show the improvement:
_Old index._ _New index._
"Lower House." "Lower House see
Commons, House
of."
"Window tax v. 102." "Window tax, imposed
1695 v. 102."
"Witt, John de." "Witt, Cornelius de."
"Witt, Cornelius de." "Witt, John de."
Miss Hetherington has very justly explained the cause of bad indexing.
She says that it has been stated in the _Review of Reviews_ that the
indexer is born, _not_ made, and that the present writer said: "An ideal
indexer needs many qualifications; but unlike the poet he is not born,
_but_ made!" She then adds to these differing opinions: "More truly he
is born _and_ made."
I agree to the correction and forswear my former heresy. Certainly the
indexer requires to be born with some of the necessary qualities innate
in him, and then he requires to have those qualities turned to a
practical point by the study of good examples, so as to know what to
follow and what to avoid. Miss Hetherington goes on to say:
"As a matter of fact, people without the first necessary
qualifications, or any aptitude whatever for the work are set to
compile indexes, and the work is regarded as nothing more than
purely mechanical copying that any hack may do. So long as
indexing and cataloguing are treated with contempt rather than
as arts not to be acquired in a day, or perhaps a year, and so
long as authors and their readers are indifferent to good work,
will worthless indexing continue."[16]
[16] _Index to the Periodical Literature of the World_ (1892).
What, then, are the chief characteristics that are required to form a
good indexer? I think they may be stated under five headings:
1. Common-sense.
2. Insight into the meaning of the author.
3. Power of analysis.
4. Common feeling with the consulter and insight into his mind, so that
the indexer may put the references he has drawn from the book under
headings where they are most likely to be sought.
5. General knowledge, with the power of overcoming difficulties.
The ignorant man cannot make a good index. The indexer will find that
his miscellaneous knowledge is sure to come in useful, and that which he
might doubt would ever be used by him will be found to be helpful when
least expected. It may seem absurd to make out that the good indexer
should be a sort of Admirable Crichton. There can be no doubt, however,
that he requires a certain amount of knowledge; and the good cataloguer
and indexer, without knowing everything, will be found to possess a keen
sense of knowledge.
As I owe all my interest in bibliography and indexing to him, I may
perhaps be allowed to introduce the name of my elder brother, the late
Mr. B. R. Wheatley, a Vice-President of the Library Association, as that
of a good indexer. He devoted his best efforts to the advancement of
bibliography. When fresh from school he commenced his career by making
the catalogue of one of the parts of the great _Heber Catalogue_. He
planned and made one of the earliest of indexes to a library
catalogue--that of the Athenaeum Club. He made one of the best of indexes
to the transactions of a society in that of the Statistical Society,
which he followed by indexes of the Transactions of the Royal Medical
and Chirurgical Society, Clinical, and other societies. He also made an
admirable index to Tooke's _History of Prices_--a work of great labour,
which met with the high approval of the authors, Thomas Tooke and
William Newmarch.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER V.
DIFFERENT CLASSES OF INDEXES.
"Of all your talents you are a most amazing man at Indexes. What
a flag too, do you hang out at the stern! You must certainly
persuade people that the book overflows with matter, which (to
speak the truth) is but thinly spread. But I know all this is
fair in trade, and you have a right to expect that the publick
should purchase freely when you reduce the whole book into an
epitome for their benefit; I shall read the index with
pleasure."--WILLIAM CLARKE TO WILLIAM BOWYER, NICHOLS'S
_Literary Anecdotes_, vol. 3, p. 46.
[Illustration: I]n dealing with the art of the indexer it is most
important to consider the different classes of indexes. There are simple
indexes, such as those of names and places, which only require care and
proper alphabetical arrangement. The makers of these often plume
themselves upon their work; but they must remember that the making of
these indexes can only be ranked as belonging to the lowest rung of the
index ladder.
The easiest books to index are those coming within the classes of
History, Travel, Topography, and generally those that deal almost
entirely with facts. The indexing of these is largely a mechanical
operation, and only requires care and judgment. Verbal indexes and
concordances are fairly easy when the plan is settled; but they are
often works of great labour, and the compilers deserve great credit for
their perseverance. John Marbeck stands at the head of this body of
indefatigable workers who have placed the world under the greatest
obligations. He was the first to publish a concordance of the Bible,[17]
to be followed nearly two centuries later by the work of Alexander
Cruden, whose name has almost become a synonym for a concordance. After
the Bible come the works of Shakespeare, indexed by Samuel Ayscough
(1790), Francis Twiss (1805), Mrs. Cowden Clarke (1845), and Mr. John
Bartlett, who published in 1894 a still fuller concordance than that of
Mrs. Clarke. It is a vast quarto volume of 1,910 pages in double
columns, and represents an enormous amount of self-denying labour. Dr.
Alexander Schmidt's _Shakespeare Lexicon_ (1874) is something more than
a concordance, for it is a dictionary as well.
[17] "A Concordance, that is to saie, a worke wherein by the
ordre of the letters of the ABC ye maie redely finde any
worde conteigned in the whole Bible, so often as it is there
expressed or mencioned ... anno 1550."--_Folio._
A dictionary is an index of words. We do not mention dictionaries in
this connection to insist on the fact that they are indexes of words,
but rather to point out that a dictionary such as those of Liddell and
Scott, Littre, Murray, and Bradley, reaches the high watermark of index
work, and so the ordinary indexer is able to claim that he belongs to
the same class as the producers of such masterpieces as these.
Scientific books are the most difficult to index; but here there is a
difference between the science of fact and the science of thought, the
latter being the most difficult to deal with. The indexing of books of
logic and ethics will call forth all the powers of the indexer and show
his capabilities; but what we call the science of fact contains opinions
as well as facts, and some branches of political economy are subjects by
no means easy to index.
Some authors indicate their line of reasoning by the compilation of
headings. This is a great help to the indexer; but if the author does
not present such headings, the indexer has to make them himself, and he
therefore needs the abilities of the _precis_-writer.
There are indexes of Books, of Transactions, Periodicals, etc., and
indexes of Catalogues. Each of these classes demands a different method.
A book must be thoroughly indexed; but the index of Journals and
Transactions may be confined to the titles of the papers and articles.
It is, however, better to index the contents of the essays as well as
their titles.
Before the indexer commences his work he must consider whether his index
is to be full or short. Sometimes it is not necessary to adopt the full
index--frequently it is too expensive a luxury for publisher or author;
but the short index can be done well if necessary.
Whatever plan is followed, the indexer must use his judgment. This ought
to be the marked characteristic of the good indexer. The bad indexer is
entirely without this great gift.
While trying to be complete, the indexer must reject the trivial; and
this is not always easy. He must not follow in the steps of the lady who
confessed that she only indexed those points which specially interested
her. We have fair warning of incompleteness in _The Register of Corpus
Christi Guild, York_, published by the Surtees Society in 1872, where we
read, on page 321:
"This Index contains the names of all persons mentioned in the
appendix and foot-notes, but a selection only is given of those
who were admitted into the Guild or enrolled in the Obituary."
The plan here adopted is not to be commended, for it is clear that so
important a name-list as this is should be thoroughly indexed. However
learned and judicious an editor may be, we do not choose to submit to
his judgment in the offhand decision of what is and what is not
important.
There is a considerable difference in the choice of headings for a
general or special index--say, for instance, in indexing electrical
subjects the headings would differ greatly in the indexes of the
Institution of Civil Engineers or of the Institution of Electrical
Engineers. In the former, dynamos, transformers, secondary or storage
batteries, alternate and continuous currents would probably be grouped
under the general heading of Electricity, while in the latter we shall
find Dynamos under D, Transformers under T, Batteries under B, Alternate
under A, and Continuous under C.
The indexes to catalogues of libraries, etc., are among the most
difficult of indexes to compile. It was not usual to attach an index of
subjects to a catalogue of authors until late years, and that to the
_Catalogue of the Athenaeum Club Library_ (1851) is an early specimen.
The _New York State Library Catalogue_ (1856) has an index, as have
those of the _Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society_ (1860) and the
_London Library_ (1865 and 1875). That appended to the _Catalogue of the
Manchester Free Library_ (1864) is more a short list of titles than an
index.
There are special difficulties attendant on the indexing of catalogues.
Books are written in many languages, and there is considerable trouble
in bringing together the books on a given subject produced in many
countries. The titles of books are not drawn up on the same system or
with any wish to help the indexer. Titles are seldom straightforward,
for they are largely concocted to attract the readers, without any
honest wish to express correctly the nature of the contents of the book.
They are usually either too short or too enigmatical. The titles of
pamphlets, again, are often too long; and it may be taken as an axiom
that the longer the title the less important the book.
The indexer, however, has a great advantage over the cataloguer, because
the latter is bound by bibliographical etiquette not to alter the title
of a book, while the indexer is at liberty to alter the title as he
likes, so as to bring together books on the same subject, however
different the titles may be. Herein consists the great objection to the
index composed of short titles, as in Dr. Crestadoro's _Index to the
Manchester Free Library Catalogue_. Books almost entirely alike in
subject are separated by reason of the different wording of the titles.
It is much more convenient to gather together under one entry books
identical in subject, and there is no utility in separating an
"elementary treatise" on electricity from "the elements" of electricity.
One important point connected with indexes to catalogues is to add the
date of the book after the name of the author, so that the seeker may
know whether the book is old or new.
An index ought not to supersede the table of contents, as this is often
useful for those who cannot find what they want in the index, from
having forgotten the point of the heading under which it would most
likely appear in the alphabet.
In the year 1900 there was a controversy in _The Times_ on a proposed
subject index to the catalogue of the library of the British Museum. It
was commenced on October 15th by a letter signed "A Scholar," and closed
on November 19th by the same writer, who summed up the whole
controversy. "A Scholar" expressed himself strongly against the
proposal, and as he himself confesses he used very arrogant language. In
consequence of which, most readers must have desired to find him proved
to be in the wrong. This desire was satisfied when Mr. Fortescue, the
keeper of the printed books at the British Museum, delivered his address
as President of the Library Association on August 27th last.
The two points made by the "Scholar" were: (1) That the making of a
general subject index to the catalogue proposed by the authorities of
the British Museum would be a waste of money; (2) That it was a great
evil for the five-yearly indexes originated by Mr. Fortescue to be
discontinued.
Now let us see what is to be said with authority on these points.
Mr. Fortescue said:
"Last Autumn ... I read with respectful astonishment a letter to
'The Times' from a writer who preferred to veil his identity
under the modest signature of 'a Scholar.' There I read that
'the studious public of this country and Europe in general have
been surprised by the news that the authorities of the British
Museum seriously contemplate the compilation of a subject index
to the vast collection of printed books in that library.' I can
assure you that the surprise of the studious public and of
Europe in general cannot have surpassed my own when I thus
learned of what the authorities were seriously contemplating.
Nevertheless, it left me able, I thought, to discern that their
vast conceptions had not been so fortunate as to gain the
approval of 'a Scholar' and to marvel whence _The Times_ and
other great journals had drawn their truly surprising
information. Some of the arguments put forth in sundry
criticisms of the 'scheme' showed how much thought had been
bestowed upon matters which then first dazzled my bewildered
imagination. It may come some day (who shall say what will
not?), this General Index, or it may never come. But up to the
present moment I am aware of no authority who is seriously
contemplating so large a venture unless perhaps it be 'a
Scholar' himself."
Then as to the five-yearly indexes Mr. Fortescue said:
"Experience has taught us that there is no form of subject-index
which the public values so highly as one which gives the most
recent literature on every possible subject. And to meet this
manifest want we shall certainly continue to issue, with all the
latest improvements I hope, the modest Indexes which we have
hitherto published in five-yearly (I am afraid as President of
The Library Association I should say 'in quinquennial') volumes.
The Museum sweeps its net so wide and in such remote seas that a
more or less complete collection of books on almost every
subject or historical event is gathered within it for future
students. To take only two incidents from the last year or two,
the next index will contain not less than a hundred and forty
books and pamphlets, in almost every European tongue, on the
Dreyfus case, and from four to five hundred books on the present
war in South Africa. Such bibliographical tests have more than
an ephemeral or immediate value. They will remain as records of
events or phases of thought long after their causes shall have
faded from all but the page of history."
Of late years the dictionary catalogue has come very largely into use in
public libraries. This consists of a union of catalogue of authors and
index of subjects which is found to be very useful and illuminating to
the readers in free libraries, most of whom are probably not versed in
the niceties of bibliographical arrangement, but are more likely to want
a book on a particular subject than to require a special book which they
know. Mr. Cutter has written the history of the dictionary catalogue in
the _United States Special Report_ (pp. 533-539), and he traces it back
in America to about the year 1815.
Excellent specimens of these dictionary catalogues have been produced.
They are of great value to the ordinary reader at a small public
library, but I venture to think that to construct one for a large
library is a waste of power, because if several large libraries of a
similar character do the same thing, there is constant repetition and
considerable loss by the unnecessary outlay. If a fairly complete
standard index were made, it could be used by all the libraries, and in
return the libraries might unite to pay its cost. I am pleased to know
that Mr. Fortescue prefers to keep index and catalogue distinct. He said
in his address:
"I have formed, so far as I know, but one dogmatic conviction,
and it is this: that the best catalogue which the art of man can
invent is a catalogue in two inter-dependent yet independent
parts; the first and greater part an alphabetical catalogue of
authors, the second and lesser part a subject-index. I know well
that I shall be told that I am out of date, that such an opinion
is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness--that the
dictionary catalogue has won its battle--but even so, perhaps
the more so, do I feel it the part of a serious and immovable
conviction to declare my belief that--for student and librarian
alike--this twofold catalogue, author and subject each in its
own division, is the best catalogue a library can have, and that
the dictionary catalogue is the very worst. But whatever may be
our individual opinion on this head, it is only necessary to
enter into a very simple calculation to see that if the
dictionary system could have governed the rules of the British
Museum Catalogue it would by now have consisted of not less than
twelve million entries; and assuredly it would have been neither
completed nor printed to-day."
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VI.
GENERAL RULES FOR ALPHABETICAL
INDEXES.
"In order to guard against blunders Bayle proposed that certain
directions should be drawn up for the guidance of the compilers
of indexes."
[Illustration: T]hese rules, originally drawn up by a committee of the
Index Society, were primarily intended for the use of indexers making
indexes of indexless books to be published by the society, which, being
produced separately from the books themselves, needed some introductory
note. In all cases, however, some explanation of the mode of compilation
should be attached to the index. The compiler comes fresh from his
difficulties and the expedients he has devised to overcome them, and it
is therefore well for him to explain to the user of the index what those
special difficulties are.
The object of the Index Society was to set up a standard of uniformity
in the compilation of the indexes published by them. Although rigid
uniformity is not needed in all indexes, it is well that these should be
made in accordance with the best experience of past workers rather than
on a system which varies with the mood of the compiler. It is hoped that
the following rules may be of some practical use to future indexers.
In the eighth chapter of _How to Catalogue a Library_ there are a series
of rules for making a catalogue of a small library in which are codified
the different points which had been discussed in the previous chapters.
In the present chapter the Index Society rules are printed in italic,
and to them are now added some illustrative remarks. There is
necessarily a certain likeness between rules for indexing and rules for
cataloguing, but the differences are perhaps more marked. At all events,
the rules for one class of work will not always be suitable for the
other class.
1. _Every work should have one index to the whole set, and not an
index to each volume._
An index to each volume of a set is convenient if a general amalgamated
index to the whole set is given as well; but a work with several indexes
and no general one is most inconvenient and irritating, while to have
both seems extravagant. If, however, the author or publisher is willing
to present both, it is not for the user of the book to complain.
2. _Indexes to be arranged in alphabetical order, proper names
and subjects being united in one alphabet. An introduction
containing some indication of the classification of the contents
of the book indexed to be prefixed._
In an alphabetical index the alphabet must be all in all. When the
alphabet is used, it must be used throughout. There is no advantage in
dividing proper names from subjects, as is so often done, particularly
in foreign indexes. Another objectionable practice frequently adopted in
the indexes of periodical publications is to keep together the entries
under the separate headings used in the journal itself, and thus to have
a number of distinct alphabets under different headings. This union of
alphabetical and classified indexing has been condemned on a former
page, and need not here be referred to further.
In the case of large headings the items should be arranged in
alphabetical order under them. There is occasionally a difficulty in
carrying this out completely, but it should be attempted. We want as
little classification as possible in an alphabetical index. Mr. W. F.
Poole wisely said in reference to the proposal of one of his helpers on
the _Index of Periodical Literature_ to place Wealth, Finance, and
Population under the heading of Political Economy: "The fatal defect of
every classified arrangement is that nobody understands it except the
person who made it and he is often in doubt."
3. _The entries to be arranged according to the order of the
English alphabet. I and J and U and V to be kept distinct._
There are few things more irritating than to find the alphabet confused
by the union of the vowel _i_ with the consonant _j_, or the vowel _u_
with the consonant _v_. No doubt they were not distinguished some
centuries ago, but this is no reason why they should again be confused
now that they are usually distinct. There may be special reasons why
they should be mixed together in the British Museum Catalogue, but it is
not evident that these are sufficient.
The only safe rule is to use the English alphabet as it is to-day in an
English index. One of the rules of the American Library Association is:
"The German _ae_, _oe_, _ue_ always to be written _ae_, _oe_, _ue_, and
arranged as _a_, _o_, _u_." By this Goethe would have to be written
Goethe, which is now an unusual form, and I think it would be better to
insist that where both forms are used, one or other should be chosen and
all instances spelt alike. It is a very common practice to arrange _ae_,
_oe_, _ue_, as if they were written _ae_, _oe_, _ue_; but this leads to
the greatest confusion, and no notice should be taken of letters that
are merely to be understood.
4. _Headings consisting of two or more distinct words are not to
be treated as integral portions of one word; thus the
arrangement should be_:
_Grave_, John } { _Grave_ at Kherson
_Grave_ at Kherson } { _Grave_, John
_Grave_ of Hope } { _Gravelot_
_Grave_ Thoughts } not { _Grave_ of Hope
_Gravelot_ } { _Gravesend_
_Gravesend_ } { _Grave_ Thoughts.
The perfect alphabetical arrangement is often ignored, and it is not
always easy to decide as to what is the best order; but the above rule
seems to put the matter pretty clearly. If no system is adhered to, it
becomes very difficult to steer a course through the confusion. When
such entries are printed, a very incongruous appearance often results
from the use of a line to indicate repetition when a word similar in
spelling, but not really the same word, occurs; thus, in the above,
Grave _surname_, Grave _substantive_, and Grave _adjective_ must all be
repeated. It is inattention to this obvious fact that has caused such
ludicrous blunders as the following:
"Mill on Liberty
---- on the Floss."[18]
[18] Miss Hetherington gives an additional instance of this
class of blunder, but her only authority is "said to be
from the index of a young lady's scrap book":
"Patti, Adelina,
---- oyster."
The example in the text is absolutely genuine, although
it has been doubted.
"Cotton, Sir Willoughby,
----, price of."
"Old age
---- Artillery Yard
---- Bailey."
These are all genuine entries taken from books, and similar blunders are
not uncommon even in fairly good indexes; thus, in the _Calendar of
Treasury Papers_, 1714-1719, issued by the Public Record Office, under
_Ireland_ are the following entries:
"Ireland, Mrs. Jane, Sempstress and Starcher to King William;
cxcvii. 32.
... Attorney General of, _See_ Attorney General, Ireland."
Then follow nearly two columns on Ireland with the marks of repetition
(...) throughout.
The names of streets in the _Post Office Directory_ are now arranged in
a strict alphabetical order on the lines laid down in this rule; thus we
have:
"White Street
White's Row
White Heart
Whitechapel."
Again:
"Abbott Road
Abbott Street
Abbott's Road."
Again:
"King Square
King Street
King and Queen Street
King David Street
King Edward Road
King William Street
King's Arms Court
King's Road
Kinglake Street
Kingsbury Road
Kingsgate Street."
Sometimes there is a slip, as might be expected in so complicated a list
of names. Thus in the foregoing sequence Kinghorn Street comes between
King William Street and King's Arms Court, while I think it ought to
come immediately before Kinglake Street; but, after all, this is a
matter of opinion. Strattondale Street comes before Stratton Street; but
this is merely a case of missorting.
There is one piece of alphabetisation which the editor of the _Post
Office Directory_ has always adopted, and that is to place Upper and
Lower under those adjectives, and Old Bond Street under _Old_, and New
Bond Street under _New_. These two names belong to what is practically
one street (although each division is separately numbered), which is
always spoken of as Bond Street, and therefore for which the majority of
persons will look under Bond. South Molton Street is correctly placed
under South because there is no North Molton Street, and the street is
named after South Molton; while South Eaton Place is merely a
continuation of Eaton Place. Some persons, however, think that names
should be treated as they stand, and that we should not go behind them
to find out what they mean.
5. _Proper Names of foreigners to be arranged alphabetically
under the prefixes_--
_Dal_ } { _Dal Sie_
_Del_ } { _Del Rio_
_Della_ } { _Della Casa_
_Des_ } as { _Des Cloiseaux_
_Du_ } { _Du Bois_
_La_ } { _La Condamine_
_Le_ } { _Le Sage_,
_but not under the prefixes_--
_D_ as _Abbadie_ not _D'Abbadie_
_Da_ " _Silva_ " _Da Silva_
_De_ " _La Place_ " _De La Place_
_Von_ " _Humboldt_ " _Von Humboldt_
_Van_ " _Beneden_ " _Van Beneden_.
_It is an acknowledged principle that when the prefix is a
preposition it is to be rejected; but when an article, it is to
be retained. When, however, as in the case of the French Du,
Des, the two are joined, it is necessary to retain the
preposition. This also applies to the case of the Italian Della,
which is often rejected by cataloguers. English names are,
however, to be arranged under the prefixes_:
_De_ } { _De Quincey_
_Dela_ } as { _Delabeche_
_Van_ } { _Van Mildert_,
_because these prefixes are meaningless in English, and form an
integral part of the name._
Whatever rule is adopted, some difficulty will be found in carrying it
out: for instance, if we consider Van Dyck as a foreigner, his name will
appear as Dyck (Van); but if as an Englishman, his name will be treated
as Vandyck.
A prefix which is translated into the relative term in a foreign
language cannot be considered as a fixed portion of the name. Thus
Alexander von Humboldt, when away from his native Germany, translated
his name into Alexandre de Humboldt. The reason why prefixes are
retained in English names is because they have no meaning in themselves,
and cannot be translated. There is a difficulty here in respect to
certain names with De before them; for instance, the Rothschilds call
themselves De Rothschild, but when the head of the family in England was
made a peer of the United Kingdom he became Lord Rothschild without the
De. In fact, we have to come to the conclusion that when men think of
making changes in their names they pay very little attention to the
difficulties they are forging for the cataloguer and the indexer.
In this rule no mention is made of such out-of-the-way forms as Im Thurn
and Ten Brink. It is very difficult to decide upon the alphabetical
position of these names. If the indexer had to deal with a number of
these curious prefixes, it would probably be well to ignore them; but
when in the case of an English index they rarely occur, it will probably
be better to put Im Thurn under I and Ten Brink under T.
With respect to the translation of foreign titles, the historian Freeman
made a curious statement which is quoted in one of the American Q.P.
indexes. Freeman wrote:
"No man was ever so clear [as Macaulay] from the vice of
thrusting in foreign words into an English sentence. One sees
this in such small matters as the accurate way in which he uses
foreign titles. He speaks, for instance, of the 'Duke of Maine,'
the 'Count of Avaux,' while in other writers one sees the
vulgarism of the _Court Circular_, 'Duke de Maine,' 'Duc de
Maine,'--perhaps 'Duc of Maine.'"
Duke de Maine and Duc of Maine may be vulgar, they are certainly
incorrect; but I fail to see how it can be vulgar to call a man by his
right name--"Duc de Maine." I do not venture to censure Macaulay, but
for lesser men it is certainly a great mistake to translate the names of
foreigners, in spite of Freeman's expression of his strong opinion.
6. _Proper names with the prefix St., as St. Albans, St. John,
to be arranged in the alphabet as if written in full--Saint.
When the word Saint represents a ceremonial title, as in the
case of St. Alban, St. Giles, and St. Augustine, these names are
to be arranged under the letters A and G respectively; but the
places St. Albans, St. Giles's, and St. Augustine's will be
found under the prefix Saint. The prefixes M' and Mc to be
arranged as if written in full--Mac._
This rule is very frequently neglected, more particularly in respect to
the neglect of the difference between Saint Alban the man and St. Albans
the place.
7. _Peers to be arranged under their titles, by which alone in
most cases they are known, and not under their family names,
except in such a case as Horace Walpole, who is almost unknown
by his title of Earl of Orford, which came to him late in life.
Bishops, deans, etc., to be always under their family names._
About this rule there is great difference of opinion. The British Museum
practice is to catalogue peers under their surnames, and the same plan
has been adopted in the _Dictionary of National Biography_. It is rather
difficult to understand how this practice has come into being. There are
difficulties on both sides; but the great majority of peers are, I
believe, known solely by their titles, and when these noblemen are
entered under their family names cross references are required because
very few persons know the family names of peers. The Library Association
and Bodleian rules adopt the common-sense plan of entering noblemen
under their titles, and Mr. Cutter gives some excellent reasons for
doing this, although he cannot make up his mind to run counter to a
supposed well-established rule. Mr. Cutter writes:
"STANHOPE Philip Dormer, 4th _Earl of Chesterfield_.... This is
the British Museum rule and Mr. Jewett's. Mr. Perkins prefers
entry under titles for British noblemen also, in which I should
agree with him if the opposite practice were not so well
established. The reasons for entry under the title are that
British noblemen are always spoken of, always sign by their
titles only, and seldom put the family name upon the title-pages
of their books, so that ninety-nine in a hundred readers must
look under the title first. The reasons against it are that the
founders of noble families are often as well known--sometimes
even better--by their family name as by their titles (as Charles
Jenkinson, afterwards Lord Liverpool; Sir Robert Walpole,
afterwards Earl of Orford); that the same man bears different
titles in different parts of his life (thus P. Stanhope
published his _History of England from the Peace of Utrecht_ as
Lord Mahon, and his _Reign of Queen Anne_ as Earl Stanhope);
that it separates members of the same family (Lord Chancellor
Eldon would be under Eldon, and his father and all his brothers
and sisters under the family name, Scott), [Mr. Cutter forgot
that Lord Eldon's elder brother William was also a peer--Lord
Stowell] and brings together members of different families (thus
the earldom of Bath has been held by members of the families of
Chande, Bourchier, Granville and Pulteney, and the family name
of the present Marquis of Bath is Thynne), which last argument
would be more to the point in planning a family history."
The advocates of the practice of arranging peers under their family
names make much of the difficulties attendant on such changes of name as
Francis Bacon, Viscount St. Alban's, Benjamin Disraeli (afterwards Earl
of Beaconsfield), Sir John Lubbock (now Lord Avebury), and Richard
Monckton Milnes (afterwards Lord Houghton). These, doubtless, are
difficulties, but I believe that they amount in all to very few as
compared with the cases on the other side.
This is a matter that might be settled by calculation, and it would be
well worth while to settle it. Mr. Cutter says that ninety-nine in a
hundred must look under the title first, but I doubt if the percentage
be quite as high as this. If it were, it ought to be conclusive against
any other arrangement than that under titles.
Moreover, these instances do not really meet the case, for they belong
to another class, which has to be dealt with in cataloguing--that is,
those who change their names. When a man succeeds to a peerage he
changes his name just as a Commoner may change his name in order to
succeed to a certain property.
8. _Foreign compound names to be arranged under the first name,
as Lacaze Duthiers. English compound names under the last,
except in such cases as Royston-Pigott, where the first name is
a true surname. The first name in a foreign compound is, as a
rule, the surname; but the first name in an English compound is
usually a mere Christian name._
This rule is open to some special difficulties. It can be followed with
safety in respect to foreign names, but special knowledge is required in
respect to English names. Of late years a large number of persons have
taken a fancy to bring into prominence their last Christian name when it
is obtained from a surname. They then hyphen their Christian name with
their surname, because they wish to be called by both. The Smiths and
the Joneses commenced the practice, but others have followed their lead.
The indexer has no means of telling whether in a hyphened name the first
name is a real surname or not, and he needs to know much personal and
family history before he can decide correctly.
Hyphens are used most recklessly nowadays, and the user has no thought
of the trouble he gives to the indexer. If the Christian name is
hyphened to the surname, and all the family agree to use the two
together as their surname, the indexer must treat the compound name as a
true surname. Often a hyphen is used merely to show that the person
bearing the names wishes to be known by both, but with no intention of
making the Christian name into a surname. Thus a father may not give all
his children the same Christian name, but change it for each individual,
as one son may be James Somerset-Jones and another George Balfour-Jones.
In such a case as this the hyphen is quite out of place, and Jones must
still be treated as the only surname. No one has a right to expect his
Christian name to be treated as a surname merely by reason of his
joining the Christian name to the surname by a hyphen. He must publicly
announce his intention of treating his Christian name as a surname, or
change it by Act of Parliament. Even when the name is legally changed,
there is often room for confusion. The late Mr. Edward Solly, F.R.S.,
who was very interested in these inquiries, drew my attention to the
fact that the family of Hesketh changed their name in 1806 to Bamford by
Act of Parliament, and subsequently obtained another Act to change it
back to Hesketh. The present form of the family names is
Lloyd-Hesketh-Bamford-Hesketh.
With respect to Spanish and Portuguese names it is well to bear in mind
that there are several surnames made from Christian names, as, for
instance, Fernando is a Christian name and Fernandez is a surname, just
as with us Richard is a Christian name and Richards a surname.
9. _An adjective is frequently to be preferred to a
substantive as a catchword; for instance, when it contains the
point of the compound, as Alimentary Canal, English History;
also when the compound forms a distinctive name, as Soane
Museum._
The object of this rule is often overlooked, and many indexers purposely
reject the use of adjectives as headings. One of the most marked
instances of an opposite rule may be seen in the index to Hare's _Walks
in London_ (1878), where all the alleys, bridges, buildings, churches,
courts, houses, streets, etc., are arranged under these headings, and
not under the proper name of each. There may be a certain advantage in
some of these headings, but few would look for Lisson Grove under Grove,
and the climax of absurdity is reached when Chalk Farm is placed under
Farm.
10. _The entries to be as short as is consistent with
intelligibility, but the insertion of names without
specification of the cause of reference to be avoided, except in
particular cases. The extent of the references, when more than
one page, to be marked by indicating the first and last pages._
This rule requires to be carried out with judgment. Few things are more
annoying than a long string of references without any indication of the
cause of reference, but on the other hand it is objectionable to come
across a frivolous entry. The consulter is annoyed to find no additional
information in the book to what is already given in the index. It will
therefore be found best to set out the various entries in which some
fact or opinion is mentioned, and then to gather together the remaining
references under the heading of _Alluded to_.
The most extreme instances of annoying block lists of references under a
name are to be found in Ayscough's elaborate index to the _Gentleman's
Magazine_, where all the references under one surname are placed
together without even the distinction of the Christian name. The late
Mr. Edward Solly made a curious calculation as to the time that would be
employed in looking up these references. For instance, under the name
Smith there are 2,411 entries _en masse_, and with no initial letters.
If there were these divisions, one would find Zachary Smith in a few
minutes, but now one must look to each reference to find what is wanted.
With taking down the volumes and hunting through long lists of names,
Mr. Solly found that two minutes were occupied in looking up each
reference; hence it might take the consulter eight days (working
steadily ten hours a day) to find out if there be any note about Zachary
Smith in the magazine, a task which no one would care to undertake.
A like instance of bad indexing will be found in Scott's edition of
Swift's _Works_. Here there are 638 references to Robert Harley, Earl of
Oxford, without any indication of the reason why his name is entered in
the index. This case also affords a good instance of careless indexing
in another particular, for these references are separated under
different headings instead of being gathered under one, as follows:
Harley (Robert) 277 references.
Oxford (Lord) 111 "
Treasurer, Lord Oxford 300 "
The late Mr. B. R. Wheatley read a paper before the Conference of
Librarians (1877) on this subject of indexes, without details of the
reason or cause of reference, entitled, "An 'Evitandum' in Index-making,
principally met with in French and German Periodical Scientific
Literature" (_Transactions_, p. 88). He pointed out that often in German
Indexes the entries in the _Sach Register_ would be full and correct,
while those in the _Namen Register_ would usually be meagre, and consist
merely of the surnames of the authors and the initials of their
Christian names. He then referred to many instances of the uselessness
of these indexes. He further referred to the forty so-called indexes of
subjects added to Allibone's valuable _Critical Dictionary of English
Literature_, which are practically useless. He concluded his paper with
these words:
"You are referred to the 'Morals and Manners' index for such
varied subjects as Apparitions, Divorce, Marriage, Duelling,
Freemasonry, Mormonism, Mythology, Spiritualism and Witchcraft.
There are 1,365 names in this index, and how are you to discover
which belong to any of the above subjects without wading through
the whole? It is, in fact, an entire system of indexing
backwards from particulars to generals, instead of from generals
to particulars. It is something like writing on a sign-post on
the road to Bath, 'To Somersetshire,' and if in one phrase I
were to add a characteristic entry to these sub-indexes, or to
give one form of reference which should be typical of this style
of index, I should say--Needle, _see_ Bottle of Hay. You find
the bottle of hay--but where is the needle?"
The form in which the various entries in an index are to be drawn up is
worthy of much attention, and particular care should be taken to expunge
all redundant words. For example, it would be better to write:
"Smith (John), his character; his execution,"
than
"Smith (John), character of; execution of";
or
"Brown (Robert) saves money,"
than
"Brown (Robert), saving of money by."
A good instance of the frivolous entry is the hackneyed quotation,
"Best (Mr. Justice), his great mind,"
which is supposed to be a reference to a passage in this form: "Mr.
Justice Best said that he had a great mind to commit the man for trial."
This particular reference is almost too good to be true, and I have not
been able to trace it to its source. That has been said to be in the
index to one of Chitty's law-books, and it is added that possibly Chitty
had a grudge against Sir William Draper Best, one of the Puisne Judges
of the King's Bench from 1819 to 1824, and Lord Chief Justice of the
Common Pleas from 1824 to 1829, in which latter year he was created Lord
Wynford. Another explanation is that it was a joke of Leigh Hunt's, who
first published it in the _Examiner_.
11. _Short entries to be repeated under such headings as are
likely to be required, in place of a too frequent use of cross
references. These references, however, to be made from cognate
headings, as Cerebral to Brain, and vice versa, where the
subject matter is different._
Cross references are very useful, but they are not usually popular with
those who are unaccustomed to them. They ought to be used where the
number of references under a certain heading is large, but it is always
better to duplicate the references than to refer too often to
insignificant entries.
12. _In the case of journals and transactions brief abstracts of
the contents of the several articles or papers to be drawn up
and arranged in the alphabetical index under the heading of the
article._
The advantage of this plan is that a _precis_ can be made of the
articles or papers which will be useful to the reader as containing an
abstract of the contents, much of which might not be of sufficient
importance to be sorted out in the alphabet; in the case where the
entries are important they can be duplicated in the alphabet. A good
specimen of this plan of indexing may be found in the indexes to the
Journal of the Statistical Society.
13. _Authorities quoted or referred to in a book, to be indexed
under each author's name, the titles of his works being
separately set out and the word "quoted" added in italics._
This rule is quite clear, and there is nothing to be added to it. It is
evident that all books quoted should be indexed.
14. _When the indexed page is large, or contains long lists of
names, it is to be divided into four sections, referred to
respectively as a, b, c, d; thus if a page contains 64 lines,
1-16 will be a, 17-32 b, 33-48 c, 49-64 d. If in double columns,
the page is still to be divided into four--a and b forming the
upper and lower halves of the first column, and c and d the
upper and lower halves of the second column._
This division of the page will often be found very useful, and save much
time to the consulter.
15. _When a work is in more than one volume, the number of the
volume is to be specified by small Roman numerals. In the case
of long sets, such as the "Gentleman's Magazine," a special
Arabic numeral =for= indicating the volume, distinct from the
page numeral, may be employed with advantage._
The frequent use of high numbers in Roman capitals is very inconvenient.
16. _Entries which refer to complete chapters or distinct
papers, to be printed in small capitals or italics._
This is useful as indicating that the italic entry is of more importance
than those in Roman type.
17. _Headings to be printed in a marked type. A dash, instead
of indentation, to be used as a mark of repetition. The dash to
be kept for entries exactly similar, and the word to be repeated
when the second differs in any way from the first. The proper
name to be repeated when that of a different person. In the case
of joint authors, the Christian name or initials of the first,
whose surname is arranged in the alphabet, to be in parentheses,
but the Christian names of the second to be in the natural
order, as Smith (John) and Alexander Brown, not Smith (John) and
Brown (Alexander)._
Dashes should be of a uniform length, and that length should not be too
great. It is a mistake to suppose that the dash is to be the length of
the line which is not repeated. If it be necessary to make the
repetition of a portion of the title as well as the author, this should
be indicated by another dash, and not by the elongation of the former
one.
The reason for the last direction in this rule is that the Christian
name is only brought back in order to make the alphabetical position of
the surname clear; and as this is not necessary in respect to the second
person, the names should remain in their natural order.
The initials which stand for Christian names often give much trouble,
particularly among foreigners. Most Frenchmen use the letter M. to stand
for monsieur, giving no Christian name; but sometimes M. stands for
Michel or other Christian name commencing with M. The Germans are often
very careless in the use of initials, and I have found in one index of a
scientific periodical the following specimens of this confusion: (1) H.
D. Gerling, (2) H. W. Brandes, (3) D. W. Olbers. Here all three cases
look alike, but in the first H. D. represent two titles--Herr Doctor; in
the second, H. W. represent two Christian names--Heinrich Wilhelm; and
in the third one title and one Christian name--Dr. W. Olbers.
The above rules do not apply to subject indexes, and in certain cases
may need modification in accordance with the special character of the
work to be indexed. On the whole, it may be said that an alphabetical
index is the best; but under special circumstances it may be well to
have a classified index. Generally it may be said that there are special
objections to classification, and therefore if a classified index is
decided upon, it must needs be exceptional, and rules must be made for
it by the maker of the index.
In the foregoing rules no mention is made of the difficulties attendant
on the use of Oriental names. Under "Rules for a Small Library" in _How
to Catalogue a Library_, I wrote:
"7. Oriental names to be registered in accordance with the
system adopted by a recognised authority on the subject."
This, however, is only shifting the responsibility. In an ordinary
English index this point is not likely to give much trouble, and the
rule may be safely adopted of registration under the first name. But
where there are many names to be dealt with, difficulties are sure to
arise. In India the last name is usually adopted, and the forenames are
frequently contracted into initials, so that it is obligatory to use
this name. We must never forget the practical conclusion that a man's
real name is that by which he is known. But the indexer's difficulty in
a large number of cases is that he does not know what that name is. Sir
George Birdwood has kindly drawn up for me the following memorandum on
the subject, which is of great value, from the interesting historical
account of the growth of surnames in India under British rule which he
gives.
ON THE INDEXING OF THE NAMES OF
EASTERN PEOPLE.
Confining myself to the people--Parsees, Hindoos, and Mussulmans
(_muslimin_)--of India, I find it very difficult to state an
unexceptionable rule for the indexing of their names; and I
index them in the order in which they are signed by the people
themselves. The first or forename of a Parsee or a Hindoo, but
not of a Mussulman if he be a Pathan, is his own personal or, as
we say, "Christian"--that is, baptismal or "water"--name; and
their second their father's personal name, and not his family
or, as we say, "blood" name, or true surname. The naming of
individuals in the successive generations of a Parsee or Hindoo,
and certain Mussulmanee families, runs thus: A. G., N. A., U.
N., and so on, the grandfather's name disappearing in the third
generation.
The Parsees only in comparatively recent times adopted family or
true surnames derived from the personal or paternal names, or
both, of the first distinguished member of the family, or from
his occupation or place of residence, or from some notable
friend or patron of his, or from some title conferred on him by
the ruler whose subject he was. Thus the Patels of Bombay are
descended from Rustom (the son of) Dorabjee, who, for the
assistance he gave the English in 1692 against the Seedee of
Junjeera, was created, by _sanad_ (_i.e._ patent), _patel_
(_i.e._ mayor) of the Coolees of Bombay.
The Parsee Ashburners derive their patronymic from an ancestor
in the early part of the late century, the friend and associate
of a well-known English gentleman then resident in Western
India. The Bhownaggrees take their name from an ancestor, a
wealthy _jaghirdar_, who in 1744 built a tank of solid stone for
public use at Bhavnagar in Kattyawar, and also from their later
official connection with this well-known "model Native State."
The Jamsetjee Jejeebhoys and Comasjee Jehanghiers derive their
double-barreled surnames from the first baronet and knight,
respectively, of these two eminent Parsee families. Other
well-known Parsee surnames are Albless, Bahadurjee, Banajee,
Bengalee, Bhandoopwala, Bharda, Cama (or Kama), Dadysett,
Damanwala, Gamadia, Gazdar, Ghandi, Kapadia, Karaka, Khabrajee,
Kharagat, Kohiyar, Marzban, Modee, Petit (Sir Dinshaw Manockjee
Petit, first baronet of this name), Panday, Parak, Sanjana,
Sayar, Seth, Sethna, Shroff, Talyarkan, Wadia. Some of their
surnames are very eccentric, such as Doctor, Ready-money,
Solicitor, etc., and should be abolished. There is actually a
Dr. Solicitor.
The interesting point about the Parsee surnames is that when
first introduced, through the influence of their close contact
with the English, they were not absolutely hereditary, but were
changed after a generation or two. Thus the present Bhownaggrees
used, at one time, the surname of Compadore, from the office so
designated held by one of their ancestors under the Portuguese.
The Hindoos have always had surnames, and jealously guard their
authenticity and continuity in the traditions of their families,
although they do not, even yet in Western India, universally use
them in public. Their personal and paternal names are derived,
among the higher castes, from the names of the gods, the
thousand and one names of Vishnoo and Seeva, of Ganesha, etc.,
and from the names of well-known mythological heroes, historical
saints, etc., the name selected being one the initial of which
indicates the lunar asterism (_nakshatra_) under which the
child (_i.e._ a son) is born; but their surnames have a tribal,
or, as in the case of the Parsees, a local, or official, or some
other merely accidental, origin.
If, then, we had only to deal with the Hindoos and Parsees, they
might be readily indexed under their surnames. But when we come
to the Indian Mussulmans the problem is at once seen to be beset
with perplexities which seem to me impossible to unravel. The
Indian Mussulmans--indeed all _muslimin_--are classified as
Sayeds, Sheikhs, Mo(n)gols, and Pathans. The Sayeds (literally,
"nobles," "lords") are the descendants of the Prophet Mahomet,
through his son-in-law Allee; those descended through Fatima
being distinguished as Sayed Hussanee and Sayed Hooseinee, and
those from his other wives as Sayed Allee. The first name given
to a Mussulman of this class is the _quasi_-surname Sayed or
Meer (also, literally, "nobleman," "lord"), followed by the
personal name and the paternal name; but these _quasi_-surnames
often fall into disuse after manhood has been reached.
The Sheikhs (literally, "chiefs"),--and all _muslimin_ descended
from Mahomet and Aboo Bukeer and Oomur are Sheikhs,--have one or
other of the following surnames placed before or after their
personal and paternal names: Abd, Allee, Bukhs, Goolam, Khoaja,
Sheikh. But as Sayeds are also all Sheikhs, they sometimes, on
attaining manhood, assume the surname of Sheikh, dropping that
of Sayed, or Meer, given to them at birth.
The Mo(n)gols, whether of the Persian (Eranee) sect of Sheeahs,
or the Turkish (Tooranee) sect of Soonnees, have placed before,
or after, their personal and paternal names, one or other of the
following surnames: Aga ("lord"), Beg ("lord"), Meerza, and
Mo(n)gol. But in Persia both Sayeds and Sheikhs assume, instead
of their proper patronymics, the surname of Aga, or Beg, or
Mo(n)gol; while Mo(n)gols whose mothers are Sayeds are given the
pre, or post, surname of Meerza.
The Pathans have the surname Khan ("lord") placed invariably
after their personal and paternal names. But Sayeds and Sheikhs
often have the word Khan placed after their class, personal, and
paternal names--not, however, as a surname, but as a
complimentary or substantial title, pure and simple.
Again, all classes of _muslimin_, and the Hindoos also, and even
the Parsees, are in the habit of adding all sorts of
complimentary and substantial titles both before and after their
names. How, then, is it possible to apply any one rightly
reasoned rule to the indexing of such names, or any but the
arbitrary rule of thumb:--to index them in the order in which
the bearer of them places them in his signature to letters,
cheques, and other documents? This gets over all the
embarrassing difficulties created by the paraphernalia of a
man's official designations, complimentary--or substantial,
titles, etc. Take, for example, this transcript of a
hypothetical Hindoo official's visiting-card:
"Dewan Sahib" (official and courtesy titles).
"Rajashri" (special social title).
"A." (personal name).
"B." (paternal name).
"Z." (family or true surname).
No Englishman unfamiliar with the etiquettes of Indian personal
nomenclature could possibly index such a card as this with
intelligent correctness. But this Hindoo gentleman would simply
sign himself in a private letter, "A. B. Z." (_i.e._ A., the son
of B., of the clan of Z.), and so he should be indexed.
The personal names of _muslimin_ also have for the most part an
astronomical association, being generally selected from those
beginning with the initial or finial letter of the name of the
planet ruling the day on which the child (_i.e._ a son) is born.
I presume that what I have here said of the methods of naming
the Indian Mussulmans also applies to the _muslimin_ of Persia
and Central Asia and Turkey and Arabia; but beyond these
countries I have no information as to the methods of naming
people in the other Oriental Indies, such as Ceylon, Burmah,
China, and Japan.
As to the transliteration of Oriental personal names, I always
accept that followed by the person bearing them.
I have put the matter as briefly as possible, and almost too
briefly for absolute accuracy of expression; and it will be
noted I say nothing of local exceptions to the general rule
regulating Hindoo names of persons; and, again, nothing of
female names, Hindoo, Mussulmanee, or Parsee.
GEORGE BIRDWOOD.
_January 9, 1902._
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VII.
HOW TO SET ABOUT THE INDEX.
"And thus by God's assistance we have finished our Table.
Miraculous almost was the execution done by David on the
Amalekites who saved neither man nor woman alive to bring
tidings to Gath. I cannot promise such exactness in our Index,
that no name hath escaped our enquiry: some few, perchance,
hardly slipping by, may tell tales against us. This I profess, I
have not, in the language of some modern quartermaster, wilfully
burnt towns, and purposely omitted them; and hope that such as
have escaped our discovering, will only upon examination appear
either not generally agreed on, by authors, for proper names, or
else by proportion falling without the bounds of Palestine, Soli
Deo gloria."--THOMAS FULLER.
[Illustration: R]ules are needed for index making in order to obtain
uniformity, but the mode of working must to a large extent be left to
the indexer. Most of us have our own favourite ways of doing things, and
it is therefore absurd to dictate to others how to set to work. If we
employ any one to do a certain work, we are entitled to expect it to be
well done; but we ought to allow the worker to adopt his own mode of
work. Some men will insist not only on the work being well done, but
also upon their way of doing it. This takes the spirit out of the
worker, and is therefore most unwise.
Still, I have found that those who are unaccustomed to index work are
anxious to be informed how to proceed. The following notes are therefore
only intended as hints for the use of those who wish for them, and need
not be acted upon if the reader has a plan that he finds better suited
for his purpose. Two essentially different kinds of index must be
considered first: (1) There is the index which is always growing; and
(2) there is the index that is made at one time, and is printed
immediately it is ready for the press. The same course of procedure will
not be suitable for both these classes.