4. GAZETTEERS 



The problem of gazetteers is as complex for the historian of science as the prob- 

 lem of encyclopaedias. In both cases, he cannot be satisfied with up-to-date in- 

 formation, he needs information relative to lower chronological levels. 



George Goudie Chisholm (1850-1930): Longmans' Gazetteer of the world 



(1800 p., London 1895). New impressions 1899, 1902, 1906, 1920. 



Ritters geographisch-statistisches Lexikon {9th ed., 2 vols., Leipzig 1905-6). 

 Third ed. 1847. The first editions were compiled by Karl Ritter (1779-1859). 



GoTTARDO Garollo (1850-1917): Dizionario geografico universale {5th ed., 2 

 vols., 2204 p., Milano, HoepU 1929-32). 



Lippincott's Complete pronouncing gazetteer (2116 p., Philadelphia 1931), first 

 published in 1855. Originally edited by Joseph Thomas and Thomas Baldwin. 

 Many editions under slightly diflEerent titles. 



For older times, see the encyclopaedias such as Pauly-Wissowa, the Encyclopae- 

 dia of Islam, the Jewish Encyclopaedia, etc. 



JoHANN G. Th. Graesse: Orbis latinus oder Verzeichnis der wichtigsten lateini- 

 schen Orts- und Landernamen {Srd ed., 348 p., BerHn 1922). First ed., 1860; 2nd, 

 1909. Contains only the Latin names with German equivalent and brief identifica- 

 tion. 



FiLiPPO Ferrari (d. 1626): Novum lexicon geographicum. New edition by 

 Michael Antonius Baudrand (1633-1700) (2 vols., folio, Padua 1695-97). 

 Ferrari's work was first published in Milano 1627, later in Paris 1670. The 

 Ferrari-Baudrand gazetteer is one of my standard reference books; it is always 

 near to my hand. Yet, I am not sure that it is really the best book of its class 

 and time, because I have not been able to make the necessary comparisons. A 

 reassessment of early gazetteers would be worthwhile. 



Antoine Augustin Bruzen de la Martiniere (1683-1749): Grand diction- 

 naire geographique, historique et critique (6 vols, folio, Paris 1768). First edition 

 9 vols.. La Haye 1726-36. 



For more details it may be necessary to refer to national, provincial or local 

 gazetteers, whose number is considerable. Reference to guide-books, such as 

 Baedekers and Blue Guides, is convenient and often rewarding. Some of the 

 Baedekers were compiled with extraordinary care. 



Oriental gazetteers are not mentioned here, because the various kinds of 

 orientalists know which reference books are available to them, and such information 

 is of no use to people without sufficient philological preparation. We may just 

 remark that gazetteers occupy a considerable place in Chinese literature and are 

 very numerous. For more details, ad hoc, see my Introd. (3, 204). 



The latest gazetteer, the Webster Geographical Dictionary: A dictionary of names 

 of places with geographical and historical information and pronounciation, was pub- 

 hshed by the Merriam Co. of Springfield, Mass. at the end of 1949 ( 1325 p., 40,000 

 entries, 177 maps). This is truly an excellent work, the best of its size at present 

 available. The standards of admission in it of a place were lower for the United 

 States and Canada than they were for the rest of the world, but every gazetteer 

 favors in a similar way the country where it was produced. Therefore, for in- 

 formation concerning places one should always refer to a special gazetteer of the 

 country involved or to a general gazetteer published in that country. 



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