1 AUGUST 1863, Page 24

Beeton's Dictionary of Universal Biography. (S. 0. Beeton.)-Some idea of

the magnitude of the task undertaken by the compiler of this work may be gathered from the fact, that he has compressed into a volume not much larger than one of "Maunder's Treasuries" biographical notices of all celebrities, living as well as dead. Under these circum- stances, it is no slight praise to say that he has produced a book which, though it cannot be read with pleasure, may at least be consulted with profit. We cannot but think, however, that Mr. Becton has been

ill- advised in appending to each name what he conceives to be its correct pronunciation. What is the good, for instance, of such information as that Jouy is to be pronounced zhod-ai, and Paucton, a French mathema- tician, pace-twang?