Chapter III: Preface

This little work is the first of the kind, so far as we know, that has ever been attempted in the English language; and such being the case, we crave the indulgence of the public for our numerous shortcomings. In publishing it we felt the necessity of commencing somewhere. We might, without doubt, have spent twenty years in a similar compilation; but even then it would not have been perfect:--in fact, it is not in the nature of a book like this to be made perfect. It can, however, approach completeness by the aid of numerous contributors. If, for example, each one who found a name wanting, were to send an authentic note of it to us, an immense amount of information would soon accumulate, which we would undertake to embody in a supplement devoted to additions and corrections, if the present attempt should receive sufficient support. By this means we trust we shall help to fill up the gap which is at present a reproach to our nation.

The utility of a work of this kind, even though very imperfect, is at once so apparent that it is a matter of considerable surprise such a blank should have been left in our literature.

Another work of a similar nature, but larger and different in scope to ours, which Mr. Halkett, of the Advocates’ Library, has been preparing for some fifteen years past will be a considerable addition to British Anonyms and Pseudonyms. On the Continent numerous works treating of the subject of assumed names of authors have been published, and in fact the idea of nearly every English work that treats of books and their authors appears to have been taken from our foreign brothers in literature. We are indebted to Quérard for the idea and plan of this work. In the advertisement to the second edition of his “Supercheries Littéraires Dévoilées,” he observes that Germany first produced a work on anonymous and pseudonymous authors; then Italy; then France, for the first time, in 1690, by Adrien Baillet. Then Sweden, and lately Belgium, and even Russia. Now we wish to direct attention to the remarkable fact that Quérard was unable to name a single English author as having treated of the subject, though in France it was treated of two centuries ago.

Our original intention was that this should be a handbook for popular use; consequently, as a rule, we pretend to no scientific detail. Those who desire such must seek it elsewhere; and yet we hope the erudite bibliograph, though he may learn nothing from these pages, will find much wherewith to refresh his memory. One object we have endeavoured never to lose sight of,--usefulness.

With us the word Pseudonym has a very extended signification, as these pages will show. Any word, or name, or phrase, on a title-page is sufficient to make a work pseudonymous. It is not considered anonymous unless its title-page is hopelessly deficient of all personal identification of authorship.

We do not, for example, consider a work “By The Author of,” &c., anonymous, as do Lowndes and his editor. This example is also a good illustration of the labour we have had to go through, and it will show that our handbook is by no means a compilation from existing manuals, for the simple reason that these nearly always leave out the very information it is our object to include. In Lowndes, by Bohn, under “SHERER (Major Moyle),” we have seven out of a list of nine works specially marked “(anon.)” Now, according to us, three of these works, at least, are strictly pseudonymous, and consequently included in our list. We could cite other instances from any bibliotheca.

We have made an attempt to distinguish the various kinds of pseudonyms by using certain technical terms in _italic_ letters after each pseudonym. A list of these terms will be found in our “Notice of the Life and Works of J.-M. Quérard.” The author of an “Essai d’un Dictionnaire des Ouvrages Anonymes et Pseudonymes publiés en Belgique au XIX^e. siècle” [J. Delecourt] somewhat deprecates such an attempt as useless. But we consider that, even supposing such to be the case in one sense, it is exceedingly useful to the eye, by at once separating the pseudonym from the real name; and it has a positive use in certain cases, as, for instance, when a writer uses his name written backwards, which, instead of being expressed by a phrase, is at once expressed by a word.

The arrangement is strictly alphabetical according to Authors’ pseudonyms. When partaking of the nature of a christian and a surname, the latter is chosen, though both should be looked for if not found under one. If, in the nature of a phrase, the first word after By, Of, or From is chosen, and it is catalogued strictly according to the alphabetical order of the letters, without regard to the meaning of the words, no inversion such as: Barrister (A): Author of, &c. (The): is used.

So much as is given of the title-page is given verbally and literally, and an abbreviation is generally indicated by ... or an etc. Information occurring between brackets [] intimates that such is not to be found in the book; between parenthesis () that it is probably in the book, though not on the title-page. An asterisk occurring before a Title shows that the work was published anonymously. When initials only are used, search must be made under the first and not the last, unless there is some addition to the last, as: J. R. D----.

The name of every author, if known, is given in full in one part or another of the book.

We have not confined ourselves to English and American pseudonyms: in fact, our plan is rather a wide one, for we include Alexander DUMAS and George SAND: BOZ, illustrated by PHIZ: S. G. O.: THE TIMES’ BEE-MASTER: CHAM and * * * (The Abbé).

We could have doubled the size of this work by inserting the pseudonyms of authors whose real names are not known to us. This is, however, no part of our plan, and when such are inserted it is generally for some special purpose.

When no place of publication is given, London is to be understood, and an author is generally of that country whence his works issue. So many American authors, however, now have their works published in London, that it is frequently a difficult matter to know on which side of the Atlantic the author resides.

We have to acknowledge the very great assistance we have derived from the admirable Manuscript Catalogue of the British Museum Library, in above two thousand volumes, folio, compiled during the last twenty years, under the direction of Antonio Panizzi, J. Winter Jones, and Thomas Watts, Esquires. To George Bullen, Esquire, and all those who attend to readers’ wants, we owe our best thanks. After these, we think we are most indebted to the _Athenæum_, whose fearless exposure of any literary fraud coming under its notice has justly been relentless. But the want of a General Index has prevented us from thoroughly using the materials it contains relative to our subject. To _Notes and Queries_ we of course owe much, as must all future students, no matter what particular subject they pursue. And to several periodical publications, all specially acknowledged.

Mr. J. Russell Smith has given us the full benefit of his long experience in our progress through the press. To many others, frequently the authors themselves, we are indebted for some interesting little revelations. Much has long been public property, though unavailable. We trust that we have, to some extent, rendered it available.

American works are so freely scattered through these pages, that we cannot conclude without one word on the want of a Copyright Law between America and England. How long will two nations with pretensions to civilization go on robbing one another in the most shameless manner? An excellent article on this subject by James Parton, in the _Atlantic Monthly_ for October, 1867, has convinced us that in some instances we have been rather too severe on American piratical reprints.

_January, 1868._

CONTENTS.

PAGE
DEDICATION vii