Ancient Geography is an essential adjunct to history, and the usefulness of a compendium of such geographical information for a full and just appreciation of the latter hardly needs any mention, specially when time has mutilated or obscured the ancient names of places that usually figure in the historical narratives.
Indian history, ancient or mediaeval, and the documents upon which it is principally based, are full of these names; and unless they are elucidated in a systematic way as far as possible, the path of the historian and, for the matter of that, of the ordinary readers of history, will continue to be uneasy for this difficulty alone.
A study of the words in this Encyclopaedia will show that time has mutilated many original names almost out of recognition. The arrangements of name of places has been strictly alphabetical in view of its great convenience for reference, and authorities applied for statements that were in want of such support. Considerable additions have bee made in this present edition and the blemishes of the previous works in the field removed as far as possible. |
