696 MONTHLY REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND ART. 



Hut the Americans have produced also an English version, enriched by 

 contributions on matters of native interest, from the pens of their own 

 writers ; and to us is left the graceful task of receiving from the hands of 

 the Americans, that which we ought to have presented to them ! 



The object of the " Conversations Lexicon" was to furnish accurate and 

 condensed information on subjects likely to be discussed in enlightened 

 conversation. This was accomplished in a most complete and attractive 

 way. The Americans have added what they deemed important relating 

 to themselves ; and the advertisement to this edition contains a promise 

 of further additions, equalling in extent nearly a fourth of the whole. 

 Dissertations on various topics are announced, and one given, as a sort of 

 introduction to the first volume. 



Many popular works have appeared of late, which are not .of the least 

 benefit to the people : this, however, is of a totally different class, and we 

 have given the title fully to prevent mistake. There are other cyclopaedi- 

 cal publications professedly based upon the " Conversations Lexicon," but 

 which, in point of worth, are not to be compared with the " Popular 

 Encyclopaedia." To this, the first volume, is prefixed a " Sketch of the 

 Progress of Physical Science," by Dr. Thomson, in which is traced the 

 growth of this branch of knowledge since the revival of letters. This 

 sketch, on the whole, is admirably drawn, and is a very interesting and 

 useful accompaniment. The short, but well-written lives of eminent men 

 in the body of the work, enable the reader to contemplate each as an indi- 

 vidual ; whilst in this and the other dissertations, they will be found 

 grouped, compared, and placed in their relative positions. These prefixed 

 dissertations complete the interest and convenience of the publication. In 

 the purely scientific parts, Dr. Thomson is at once succint and perspicuous ; 

 but when he touches upon metaphysics, he seems to be treading on ground 

 with which he is not familiar. A profound knowledge of metaphysics is 

 not necessary to the formation of a good chemist ; it is, therefore, not in- 

 tended to charge Dr. Thomson with being incompetent to the task he 

 undertook, but we should have been glad to see the positions of so great a 

 man as Leibnitz handled a little less unceremoniously ; and it would have 

 been gratifying if the Doctor had engaged so much logic on his side, as to 

 prevent his intended refutation of Leibnitz from appearing as an actual de- 

 monstration of the position in question. Nor can we resist the conviction 

 that the following flippant, unbecoming, as well as scanty notice of 

 Descartes, in the Section on "Mechanics," is the result of prejudice, or a 

 want of power to judge. " Descartes, whose reputation was so great, and 

 his pretensions so high, likewise treated of motion ; but in general his 

 opinions were so erroneous or unsound, that in the present rapid sketch 

 they are not entitled to notice." We do not consider the rapidity of the 

 sketch an excuse for either this treatment, or the grammatical blunder in 

 the second clause of the sentence. But we are bound to acknowledge 

 that, with these exceptions, the perusal of this treatise afforded us much 

 pleasure, and we feel assured it will be very acceptable to the purchasers 

 of the book. 



Of the work itself we cannot speak in terms of too high praise. The 

 variety of topics ; the candid, condensed, and lucid manner in which they 

 are discussed ; the skilful adaptation of the book to the wants and tastes of 

 the English ; the excellence of the plates, of which there are sixteen to the 

 first volume ; and, though last, in no way least in importance, the very 

 moderate extent of its cost, render the " Popular Encyclopaedia" a pro- 

 duction to which we can most freely give our recommendation. In this 

 age of utility, it is the most full arid comprehensive of the publications that 

 have appeared. It will be a most instructive and attractive object on 

 which to occupy those interstitial moments, from the judicious employment 



