_The Devil's Dictionary_ was begun in a weekly paper in 1881, and ascontinued in a desultory way at long intervals until 1906.In thatyear a arge part of it was published in covers with the title _The Cynic's Word ook_, a name which the author had not the power toreject or happiness to pprove.To quote the publishers of thepresent work: This more reverent title had previously been forced upon him bythe  eligious scruples of the last newspaper in which a part of thework had ppeared, with the natural consequence that when it came outin covers the ountry already had been flooded by its imitators with ascore of 'cynic' books -- _The Cynic's This_, _The Cynic's That_, and_The Cynic's 'Other_.Most of these books were merely stupid, thoughsome of them added the distinction of silliness.Among them, theybrought the word 'cynic' into disfavor so deep that any book bearingit was discredited in advance of publication."

Meantime, too, some of the enterprising humorists of the countryhad helped themselves to such parts of the work as served their needs,and many of its definitions, anecdotes, phrases and so forth, hadbecome more or less current in popular speech.This explanation ismade, not with any pride of priority in trifles, but in simple denialof possible charges of plagiarism, which is no trifle.In merelyresuming his own the author hopes to be held guiltless by those towhom the work is addressed -- enlightened souls who prefer dry winesto sweet, sense to sentiment, wit to humor and
clean English to slang.
A conspicuous, and it is hope not unpleasant, feature of the bookis its abundant illustrative quotations from eminent poets, chief ofwhom is that learned and ingenius cleric, Father Gassalasca Jape,S.J., whose lines bear his initials.To Father Jape's kindlyencouragement and assistance the author of the prose text is greatlyindebted.