The twenty-fifth edition of Hart’s Rules was published in January 1921, by Humphrey Milford in London and Hart’s successor, Frederick Hall (University Printer 1915–1925). .

Two prefaces appear (see below): the first, written by Hart originally in 1904 and updated in 1914 with slight modifications and three new paragraphs, replaces the cumulative list of changes that appeared in the twenty-first and -third edition. The second preface—new to this edition—was written after Hart’s death by Frederick Hall. The twenty-sixth edition (June 1921) contained only minor modifications of the previous edition.

This edition is 112 pages in length, and in addition to adjusted spellings contains two new appendixes: ‘Division of Italian Words’ and ‘Abbreviations Used in the Metric System of Weights and Measures’.

To subsequent editions the late Professor ROBINSON ELLIS and Mr. H. STUART JONES contributed two appendices, containing instructions for the Division of Words in Latin and Greek; and the section on the German Language was revised by Dr. KARL BREUL, Reader in Germanic in the University of Cambridge.

Recent issues of this work comprise many additions and some rearrangement. The compiler has encouraged the proof-readers of the University Press from time to time to keep memoranda of troublesome words in frequent—or indeed in occasional—use, not recorded in previous issues of the ‘Rules’, and to make notes of the mode of printing them which is decided on. As each edition of the book becomes exhausted such words are reconsidered, and in their approved form are incorporated into the pages of the forthcoming edition. The same remark applies to new words which appear unexpectedly, like new planets, and take their place in what Sir JAMES MURRAY calls the ‘World of Words’. Such instances as (page 5) airman, airship, sabotage, sea-plane, stepney-wheel, syndication, will occur to every newspaper reader.

Lastly, it ought to be added that in one or two cases, a particular way of spelling a word or punctuating a sentence has been completely changed. This does not often mean than an error has been discovered in the ‘Rules’; but rather that the fashion has altered, and that it is necessary to guide the compositor accordingly.

H.H.

January, 1914.

 

The twenty-fifth edition contains additional information by way of new Appendices, and new words have been recorded in accordance with the custom recommended above by Mr. Horace Hart, the compiler of this work, who died in 1916.

F.J.H.

January, 1921.

 

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