Encyclopaedia of Facts

Of course, we have had excellent dictionaries, and authoritative encyclopedias, of the traditional sort. The dictionaries give us an account of the language in the past, and they try to keep up with the living speech of the moment. The encyclopedias, at their best, supply us with information which aims at thoroughness, and which tries to cover the whole field of knowledge. But the very thoroughness of the great encyclopedias in those matters which they discuss prevents them from mentioning many