PREFACE. 



UPON completing the first two volumes of " THE ENGLISH CYCLOPEDIA" 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 

 arrangement. 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 

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

 to regret that it was resolved to produce a NEW Cyclopa>dia 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, arid 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 



