Sidney Lee, Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome

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Preface

This Volume was designed by the late Mr. George Smith, the proprietor and publisher of the ‘Dictionary of National Biography,’ in consultation with the present Editor, when the great work was nearing completion. It is intended to form a summary guide to the vast and varied contents of the Dictionary and its Supplement. Every name, about which substantive biographic information is given in the sixty-three volumes of the Dictionary or in the three Supplementary Volumes, finds mention here in due alphabetical order. An Epitome is given of the leading facts and dates that have been already recorded at length in the pages of the original work, and there is added a precise reference to the volume and page where the full article appears.

Generally speaking, each entry in the Index and Epitome consists of one-fourteenth of the number of words that appear in the text of the original memoir. At times this proportion varies to a small extent. Condensation of a very brief article on the estimated scale became hardly possible if any intelligible fragment of it were to be preserved. In such instances the Epitome bears to the original article a higher proportion than one-fourteenth. On the other hand, in the case of the longer articles, it has often been found possible to reduce them to a smaller space than the stipulated proportion required. But the aggregate divergence from the projected ratio of one-fourteenth proves to be very slight.

The exclusive aim of the Index and Epitome is to make bare facts and dates as ready of rapid reference as possible. The condensation has been attempted with the sole object of serving the practical [p. vi] purposes of utility. No endeavour has been made to satisfy the requirements of literary form. With a view to economising space, and in harmony with the simple objects of the Index, the lists of authorities which are appended to each article of the Dictionary, and form one of its most distinctive features, have been ignored. The plan of the Epitome has compelled, too, the systematic suppression of other particulars which are invariably accorded a place in the articles of the Dictionary. Years of birth and death are alone admitted to the Index; the day of the month is suffered to pass unnoticed. Precise details of parentage are only introduced in cases where the parents form the subjects of separate entries and it has been found desirable to define the relationship subsisting between one entry and another. Places of birth or death are omitted unless they belong to a foreign country; in such instances it is usually essential to the intelligibility of the memoir to state where the career described in it began or ended. On the other hand, room has been found for all memorable achievements with the dates of their accomplishment, for titles of an author's chief books with dates of publication, for notices of scientific inventions, for dates of institution to offices, and for detailed particulars of education.

A few errors of fact and date which figure in the original work have been corrected in the Index. But, with that reservation, the Index literally reflects in brief and bald outline the results embodied in the Dictionary and Supplement.

The labour involved in condensing so massive a work as the ‘Dictionary of National Biography’ and Supplement has been great. No one without practical experience of similar undertakings is likely to realise the vast amount of time and trouble which the preparation of this Volume has entailed on all engaged in its production. The separate articles which it supplies amount to 30,378; the crossreferences number 3,474. The risks of error in handling the million facts and dates which are embodied in the book are obvious, but the Editor feels justified in assuring those into whose hands this Volume comes that his assistants and himself have done all in [p. vii] their power to reduce the chances of error to the lowest possible limit.

The Editor tenders his best thanks to those who have co-operated with him in the laborious undertaking. The work of epitomising the Dictionary and Supplement has been distributed thus:

Dictionary of National Biography:

Volumes I.--VI	Mr. C. E. HUGHES
VII.--XII	The Rev. ANDREW CLARK, M.A
XIII.--XVIII	Mr. RICHARD GREENTREE, B.A
XIX.--XXX	Mr. G. LE GRYS NORGATE, B.A
XXXI.--XXXV	Miss ELIZABETH LEE
XXXVI	Mr. P. C. YORKE, M.A
XXXVII.--XLI	Mr. A. F. POLLARD, M.A
XLII	Mr. G. LE GRYS NORGATE, B.A
XLIII.--XLVIII	Mr. E. I. CARLYLE, M.A
XLIX.--LI	Mr. C. E. HUGHES
LII	Mr. G. LE GRYS NORGATE, B.A
LIII	Mr. THOMAS SECCOMBE, M.A
LIV	Mr. G. LE GRYS NORGATE, B.A
LV.--LVII	Mr. P. C. YORKE, M.A
LVIII.--LX	The Rev. ANDREW CLARK, M.A
LXI.--LXIII	Mr. C. E. HUGHES

Supplement to Dictionary of National Biography:

Volumes I.--III

Mr. C. E. HUGHES

In revising both the manuscripts and the proofs of the Index and Epitome, which have been very voluminous, the Editor has had the advantage of the assistance of Mr. RICHARD GREENTREE, B.A., formerly scholar of Balliol College, Oxford, and Craven Scholar of the University.

January 21, 1903.

A

ABBADIE, JACQUES (or JAMES) (1654?-1727)

dean of Killaloe; educated at Puylaurens, Saumur, and Sedan, where he graduated D.D.; appointed minister of the French church at Berlin by Frederick William, elector of Brandenburg, c. 1680; accompanied Marshal Schomberg to Holland, England, and Ireland, 1688-9; after battle of the Boyne proceeded to London, and became minister of the French church in the Savoy; appointed dean of Killaloe, 1699; finally retired to Marylebone, London, where he died. He published several religious and political works, of which the most important are ‘Traité de la Vérité de la Religion chrétienne,’ 1684; ‘Traité de la Divinité de Nôtre Seigneur Jésus-Christ,’ 1689; and ‘L'Art de se connoître soi-même,’ 1692, translated into English in 1694, 1719, and 1694 respectively. [i. 1]

This text is based on the following book(s):
The Macmillan Company. London: Smith, Elder, & Co. 1903 .