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Opinions of the Press
FROM THE PHILA. NORTH AMERICAN, DEC. 22, 1865.
The vast amount of useful knowledge bearing on every-day life which constantly flits through the world, ha often led to efforts for gathering and rendering it available by those who want it, when they want it. Mr. Zoll having made a previous successful effort in this direction, has enlarged the field of his usefulness by a new edition of his work, which will be exceedingly useful to all, and almost indispensable to some. He has gathered the formula and directions of all the most recent discoveries in the useful and domestic arts, and has made it as nearly complete as possible. Though the work is designed for popular rather than scientific use, it contains much that will interest scientific men, as well as general readers. Agriculture, horticulture, domestic economy, farriery, medicine, brewing, distillation, dyeing, paints and varnishes, metallurgy, photography, engraving, pottery, weights and measures-these are among the subjects treated very fully, and which are of first importance. There is no effort to prepare treatises upon any of these. The kernel alone is retained, and that in the best form for use by practical men. There is a great body of what may be termed the cream of useful knowledge, under the general head of agriculture, which it were well all farmers should have for perusal at leisure moments. Manures, crops, drainage, and the care of animals, are all treated in a condensed manner, with directions and information which cannot fail to advantage readers. The gardener, poulterer, and apiarian, are provided with excellent receipts. The half-hundred pages devoted to medicine will be useful where a physician cannot be procured; and under the miscellaneous head there are a variety of facts on horsemanship and knitting, gunpowder and book-keeping, dogs and crocheting, which could not readily be found elsewhere. A great deal of the information hitherto published in this form has been of doubtful use, and has discredited honest efforts to aid the community. The counterfeit only proves the worth of what is genuine, and this really careful and useful vade mecum ought not to suffer from the reputation of the trash which it seeks to supplant. The index-an essential in such a compilation-has been carefully arranged, at much length. There are diagrams and illustrations where they are needed, and the whole forms a volume which ought to be very widely circulated, and which will repay its cost in almost any family within a year. FROM THE PHILA. SUNDAY DISPATCH, Nov. 26, 1865.
Mackenzie's Ten Thousand Receipts, containing new discoveries and processes in use up to October, 1865. 487 pages. To describe this volume properly would require the space given to a catalogue, and the volubility of an auctioneer. We find in it almost everything that can be conceived as an object of inquiry involving the special preparation of materials or the management of processes. Agriculture, chemistry, cooking, manufactures, medicine, the decorative arts, household management, and a thousand other things which defy classification, are embraced in this closelyprinted book, which, in the way of condensation, contains enough to stock a library with volumes printed in fashionably large type. We could not undertake to recite the whole title-page, which is of itself prodigious, affording but a feeble idea of what is within. Suffice it to say, that almost anything that anybody wants to know how to do will be found in this volume properly described, and illustrated in some cases by useful engravings. It has been rewritten by a corps of scientific gentlemen, and is really a book which should be found in every house. FROM THE GERMANTOWN (PA.) TELEGRAPH, Nov. 22, 1865.
The editor and publisher of this extremely well gotten-up edition, has been many months in its preparation, having employed in this time a corps of able experts, in order that the work might be brought out not only in a style hitherto unapproached, but with intrinsic claims upon the community which cannot but be acknowledged. Truthfully, these "Ten Thousand Receipts in the Domestic Arts," constitute a "complete and practical library," relating to the hundreds of subjects treated of, connected with the indispensable every-day affairs of family life. The clearness of the print, the arrangement of the receipts, with the comprehensive index, render recourse to it at all times as easy almost as turning over the pages of a magazine, and obtaining from it the information sought in plain language and in condensed form, so that all can quickly see and readily understand. But this is not a work designed exclusively for domestic purposes, as the word "Domestic" is most generally un understood; but it contains valuable suggestions and advice upon almost every practical pursuit. There is scarcely anything omitted in which any considerable number of people are interested. FROM THE PHILA. PRESS, Nov. 24, 1865.
This is a domestic cyclopædia, of nearly 500 pages, in new type, small but clear. We are assured that two years' labor, by very competent gentlemen, has been bestowed upon this large and improved edition, and can well believe it. There is scarcely a subject connected with the useful and domestic arts about which a seeker for information cannot find what he wants in this book. The most recent improvements and discoveries, up to October, 1865, when the work was stereotyped, have been included. The quantity of information in this volume is very great-so far as we have tested it we can vouch for its accuracy. As a work of reference, it has been made complete by the addition of a copious index.
FROM THE PHILA. SUNDAY TRANSCRIPT, DEC. 10, 1865. day, containing, It is one of the most remarkable books of the day, containing, as it does, a reference to every conceivable subject under the sun. In itself it is a complete and practical library, so arranged as to be invaluable in the household, on the farm, and in the counting-room. Pastry and petroleum, agriculture and knitting, receive equal attention, while the entire volume presents a fund of information not accessible in any other form. The thrifty housekeeper can pick up numerous capital receipts for pies, or can learn the art of carving, which is treated as one of the exact sciences; the merchant will find mercantile calculations; the artist will find a dissertation upon oil colors, water colors, and mezzotints; the farmer will learn something about gardening. In fact, there is no branch of trade but can be benefited by a perusal of this book. Although the receipts are quoted as 10,000, judging from the book they will double that figure.
FROM THE PHILA. INQUIRER, NOV. 24, 1865.
The present issue of this useful work by Mr. Zell, is a new and improved edition, carefully revised and re-written by a corps of gentlemen eminently qualified for the peculiar task. To it has been likewise added all the improvements and discoveries in the useful and domestic arts up to the date of publication, October, 1865. Two years of labor have been necessary to bring the book out in the present improved shape. FROM THE PHILA. EVENING TELEGRAPH, DEC. 23, 1865.
Mr. Zell maintains his position among the first-class houses of our land, principally through his agencies and the few well-selected works to which he has given life. Principal among the latter is "Mackenzie's Ten Thousand Receipts," a work of universal information. In it are found, in fact, all the useful knowledge of the age compressed into this universal compendium of information. If a man be familiar with all the contents of this book, he will be an accomplished gentleman, a practical doctor, and in many respects a professional man. The work is one we can recommend as likely to be every day useful. We understand it is prepared by a gentleman well known in the world of science; it bears the impress of a well-informed mind. It is specific in its directions, and illustrated by numerous wood-cuts. Too much credit cannot be given to both the compiler and publisher for the remarkable care and skill exercised in compressing into one volume, and that so carefully printed, so great an amount of useful information. FROM THE PHILA. EVENING BULLETIN, DEC. 12, 1865.
This work has been thoroughly re-written, and comprises all manner of improvements and discoveries, brought up to October of this year. It forms a complete library of valuable knowledge upon almost every imaginable subject connected with the useful and domestic arts, and is a most important volume of reference for the manufacturer, agriculturalist and housekeeper.