THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA; OR, "CONVERSATIONS LEXICON:" BEING A GENERAL DICTIONARY OF ARTS, SCIENCES, LITERATURE, BIOGRAPHY, HISTORY, WITH DISSERTATIONS ON THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF LITERATURE, BY SIR D. K. SANDFORD, A.M., Oxon., D. C. L. ON THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE, BY THOMAS THOMSON, M. D., F. B. S. L. & E., &c., &c. AND ON THE PROGRESS OF THE FINE ARTS, BY ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, Esq. VOLUME I. BLACKIE & SON, QUEEN STREET, GLASGOW; AND WARWICK SQUARE, LONDON, MDCCCXLVI. PREFACE. 6 THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA, now submitted to the public in its completed form, is founded on the celebrated German Encyclopedia, known by the name of Conversations Lexicon,' which has gone through a number of editions, and of which translations have appeared in almost every European language. Its more immediate basis, however, is the American edition of that work, translated and edited by Dr Francis Lieber, and published at Philadelphia, in thirteen vols. 8vo. The Conversations Lexicon,' originally a publication of comparatively small size and limited scope, has become, in the course of the various translations and editions through which it has passed, greatly enlarged, and is now remarkable, beyond its other excellencies, for the comprehensive character of the information which it embraces. Besides Germany, almost every other continental state of Europe may be said to have contributed to its contents as they now stand; for each translation of the early editions-whether French, Italian, Danish, Swedish, or Dutch-obtained the benefit of such revision, and such additional information regarding individual countries, as natives of the respective countries could alone bestow; and hence the later impressions of the work, taking advantage of these corrections and additions, display an accuracy and minuteness of knowledge on many historical and political points, which might be looked for in vain in any other single publication. In bringing out an English Encyclopedia, founded on a work possessing so much to recommend it, and which has long enjoyed a European reputation, little fear was entertained as to its favourable reception; and, indeed, the result, in that respect, has already proved highly satisfactory. But much, it was found, remained to be done, in order to render it equal to the wants, and worthy of the patronage, of a British public. Great additions, in particular, required to be made on subjects connected with the history, biography, and topography of this country; and most of the articles in the arts and sciences, with all their accompanying illustrations, required to be wholly supplied. In this way, at least one third of the work may be considered as entirely new, while the rest has undergone such correction and alteration as a careful revision suggested, or the progress of events demanded. The POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA, as will be seen from a very slight inspection, partakes more of the character of a General Dictionary, than belongs to the larger Encyclopedias with which this country is familiar. Instead of the subjects being treated of under certain great heads, so as to form rather a collection of historical and scientific Essays than a work alphabetically arranged for ready reference, they are here placed under their own proper catchwords, so that the reader at a glance may satisfy himself on any particular point of inquiry with the facility with which he may ascertain the meaning of a word in a dictionary. For example: In history, the more eminent sovereigns of Europe are not only noticed under the countries to which they belong, but memoirs of them are given under their own proper names: And, in science, all that relates to Chemistry, Geology, Optics, or the like, is not to be found under these heads alone, but the different branches of each science are separately treated of under the terms by which they are generally distinguished. This peculiarity in the POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA, while it eminently enhances its |