

PKEFACE. 



UPON completing the first two volumes of " THE ENGLISH CYCLOPAEDIA " namely, one 

 of GEOGRAPHY, and one of NATURAL HISTORY the Conductor is called upon to say a few 

 words upon the general nature of the work, and its progress to the present time. 



" The English Cyclopaedia," as announced from the first, is based upon " The Penny 

 Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge." The copyright of that 

 great work being the property of the Conductor, he alone had the power of remodelling it 

 throughout, so as to adapt the original materials to the existing state of knowledge. To 

 accomplish this in the most effectual manner, it was determined to publish " The English 

 Cyclopaedia " in FOUR DIVISIONS, each having its own alphabetical arrangement ; these 

 Divisions being I. GEOGRAPHY ; II. NATURAL HISTORY ; III. SCIENCES AND ARTS ; IV- 

 HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, MORAL SCIENCES, LITERATURE. 



During the progress of the publication, the Conductor has become more and more satisfied 

 that the plan of issuing " The English Cyclopaedia " in Four Divisions is a judicious arrange- 

 ment. It has the obvious advantage of completing, in a comparatively short time, large 

 departments of knowledge with the most recent information. Finishing the great branches 

 of Geography and Natural History in two years and a half, the beginning and the end of 

 each Series will not present different aspects the one somewhat antiquated, the other 

 perfectly fresh. The editorial labour, too, being more condensed, the relations and pro- 

 portions of each article and subject can be better preserved. The Conductor has no reason 

 to regret that it was resolved to produce a NEW Cyclopaedia in a NEW form. The old 

 materials were of the highest value ; but the edifice required to be rebuilt. 



The amount of literary labour which this remodelling has involved will at once be seen 

 by any one who will compare the articles of the present work with those of the original. 

 That labour has not been confined to revision and correction. Many new articles have been 

 introduced, and many of the old ones supplied by others wholly re-written. The changes 

 which have taken place since the " Penny Cyclopaedia " was commenced, twenty years ago, 

 have rendered every branch of information in some degree a new study. That no diligence 

 has been spared to collect every fact not previously recorded ; to systematise articles that from 



