Chapter I: Front Matter

The Book-Lover's Library.

Edited by

Henry B. Wheatley, F.S.A.

=By the Same Author.=

_Tastefully printed and bound in cloth_, =4s. 6d.=; _in Roxburgh_, =7s. 6d.= _Large Paper_, =21s.=

_HOW TO FORM A LIBRARY._

"An admirable guide to the best bibliographies and books of reference.... It is altogether a volume to be desired."--_Globe._

"Everything about this book is satisfactory--paper, type, margin, size--above all, the contents."--_St. James's Gazette._

_HOW TO CATALOGUE A LIBRARY._

"Every collector of books knows how many and difficult are the problems that present themselves in connection with cataloguing. Mr. Wheatley deals with all patiently, wisely, and exhaustively."--_British Weekly._

"Mr. Wheatley's volume is unique. It is written with so much care and such profound knowledge of the subject that there can be no doubt that it will satisfactorily meet all requirements."--_Bristol Mercury._

ELLIOT STOCK,
62, PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON.

HOW TO MAKE
AN INDEX

BY

HENRY B. WHEATLEY, F.S.A.

AUTHOR OF "HOW TO CATALOGUE A LIBRARY"
"HOW TO FORM A LIBRARY," ETC., ETC.

"M. Bochart ... me prioit surtout d'y faire un Index, etant,
disoit-il, l'ame des gros livres."--_Menagiana._

LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW
1902

_PREFACE._

n 1878 I wrote for the Index Society, as its first publication, a pamphlet entitled "What is an Index?" The present little book is compiled on somewhat similar lines; but, as its title suggests, it is drawn up with a more practical object. The first four chapters are "Historical," and the other four are "Practical"; but the historical portion is intended to lead up to the practical portion by showing what to imitate and what to avoid._

_There has been of late years a considerable change in public opinion with respect to the difficulties attending the making of both indexes and catalogues. It was once a common opinion that anyone without preparatory knowledge or experience could make an index. That that opinion is not true is amply proved, I hope, in the chapter on the "Bad Indexer."_

_I have attempted to describe the best way of setting to work on an index. To do this with any hope of success it is necessary to give details that may to some seem puerile, but I have ventured on particulars for which I hope I may not be condemned._

_I must also ask the forbearance of my readers for the constant use of the personal pronoun. If I could have left it out, I would gladly have done so; but to a great extent this book relates to the experiences of an old indexer. They must be taken for what they are worth, and I hope forgiveness will be extended to me for the form in which these experiences are related._

H. B. W.

CONTENTS.

_HISTORICAL._
PAGE
CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTION

The So-called Evils of Index Learning--Glanville and
Swift--Thomas Fuller's Defence of the Index--Advantages of
saving the Brain by knowing where to find what is
wanted--Dr. Johnson's Division of Necessary
Knowledge--Gradual Introduction of the Word
"Index"--Synonyms--Final Triumph of Index--Interesting
Indexes--Prynne's Index to his _Histrio-Mastix_--Index to
Richardson's Novels--David Hume an Indexer--Sir James Paget
enjoyed making Indexes--Amusing Blunder in Musical Index 1

CHAPTER II.

AMUSING AND SATIRICAL INDEXES.

Leigh Hunt's Good Word for Indexes--Indexes to _Tatler_ and
_Spectator_, and _The Athenian Oracle_--Table of Contents to
Shenstone's _Schoolmistress_--Index to _Biglow Papers_--Dr.
William King and his Satirical Indexes--"Boyle upon
Bentley"--The Royal Society and Sir Hans Sloane
ridiculed--Speaker Bromley's _Travels_--Reprint with King's
Index 25

CHAPTER III.

THE BAD INDEXER.

Some of the Worst Indexes in Periodicals--Jewel's
_Apology_--Classified in place of completely Alphabetical
Indexes--Mr. Poole's Opinion of Indexes to Periodicals--Miss
Hetherington's Examples of Bad Indexes--Want of Complete
Alphabetization--Confusion of _u_ and _n_, and Blunders
caused by it--Classification within the Alphabet--Variety of
Alphabets--Want of Cross References--Useless Cross
References--Amusing Mistranslations--Incorrect Filling-up of
Contractions--Bad Index to Walpole's _Letters_--Incorrect
Use of the Line for Repetition of Heading--Index to Pepys's
_Diary_--Evil of an Indexless Book--Complaints 53

CHAPTER IV.

THE GOOD INDEXER.

Difficulties of being Exact--Value of a Good
Index--Scaliger, Nicolas Antonio, Pineda, Samuel
Jeake--Carlyle on Indexless Books--Macaulay's Opinion of the
Aim of an Index--Official Indexes--Amount paid by Parliament
for Indexes--Good Legal Indexes--Indexes to Jeremy Bentham's
_Works_, and to Ruskin's _Fors Clavigera_--Dr. Birkbeck
Hill's Index to Boswell's _Life of Johnson_--Boswell's
Original Index--Issue of Revised Index to Ranke's _History
of England_--The Indexer born and made--Characteristics of a
Good Indexer 85

_PRACTICAL._

CHAPTER V.

DIFFERENT CLASSES OF INDEXES.

Easiest Kinds of Indexes to make--Concordances--Scientific
Books--Incompleteness of some Indexes--Indexes to Catalogues
of Libraries--Proposed Subject Index to the Catalogue of the
British Museum--Controversy in _The Times_--Mr. Fortescue's
Opinion--Dictionary Catalogue 118

CHAPTER VI.

GENERAL RULES FOR ALPHABETICAL INDEXES.

Rules, with Explanations and Illustrations: (1) One Index to each
Book; (2) One Alphabet; (3) Order of the English Alphabet;
(4) Arrangement of Headings; (5) Arrangement of Foreign
Proper Names; (6) Proper Names with Prefixes; (7) Titles of
Peers rather than their Family Names; (8) Compound Names;
(9) Adjective _v._ Substantive as a Catchword; (10)
Shortness of Entries; (11) Repetition of Short Entries; (12)
Abstracts of the Contents of Articles in Periodicals; (13)
Authorities to be Indexed; (14) Division of the Page for
Reference; (15) Use of Numerals for Series of Volumes; (16)
Certain Entries to be printed in Capitals; (17) Type for
Headings--Arrangement of Oriental Names--Sir George
Birdwood's Memorandum 132

CHAPTER VII.

HOW TO SET ABOUT AN INDEX.

Hints as to the Making of an Index--Two Kinds of Index--Arrangement
of Growing Indexes--Use of Cards, Paper Slips, or
Foolscap--Indexer's Knowledge of the Book to be
Indexed--Selection of the best Catchword--Use of
Numerals--Index for Different Editions of Same Book--Cutting
up and arranging Slips--Sorting into Alphabet--Pasting down
the Slips--Paste to Use--Calculations of the Relative
Lengths of the Letters of the Alphabet--Preparation of
"Copy" for the Printer--Correction of the Press 172

CHAPTER VIII.

GENERAL OR UNIVERSAL INDEX.

Early Proposals for an Index Society--Foundation of a
Society--Indexes of History and Biography--General Index:
What it should be 206

INDEX 225

HOW TO MAKE AN INDEX.