ADVERTISEMENT. 



THE " Conversations Lexicon" was originally published in Germany about fifteen 

 years ago, under the superintendence of several distinguished German literati ; and 

 such has been its popularity, that although a work consisting of TWELVE large 

 volumes it has already gone through SEVEN EDITIONS in that country. It has 

 also been translated into the Danish, Swedish, Dutch, Italian, and French lan- 

 guages, and is altogether the most popular work, of an extensive nature, upon the 

 continent. Nor is its reputation greater than its merits ; for in completeness of 

 information, impartiality of opinion, and elegance of language, it is equalled by no 

 work of a similar nature in the world. Unlike other Encyclopedias, it does not 

 pay a disproportioned attention to the Sciences and their technicalities, but disposes 

 of each and all its subjects according to their relative importance. It partakes, 

 indeed, of much of that cosmopolitanism which is said to distinguish the German 

 character, being universal in its sympathies as it is unlimited in its scope. In 

 Biography, History, Geography, Statistics, Commerce, and the Fine Arts, it is 

 particularly complete ; and it abounds in articles upon familiar and fireside subjects, 

 which are not to be found treated of elsewhere, and which bestow upon the work a 

 peculiar charm and interest. 



In bringing out an edition of a work which has attained such unprecedented 

 popularity on the continent of Europe and the United States of America, the 

 Publishers have spared no exertion or expense to render it worthy of British 

 patronage. Their first object has been, to present the public with a faithful edition 

 of the original, for it is upon that, certainly, that the great claims of their publica- 

 tion to distinction must eventually rest. No work of similar dimensions has ever 

 enjoyed so wide a popularity in Europe as the Conversations Lexicon ; and, with 

 the knowledge of this fact, the Publishers have felt the propriety of retaining in 

 their edition almost the entire original, in the persuasion, that what has been so 

 highly estimated elsewhere, can scarcely prove valueless in this country. The 

 recommendation which it carries with it must be applicable to every quarter 

 This they felt more particularly when they came to prepare the work for press 

 The information which it contained they found to be so new and complete so far 

 surpassing in extent and freshness of source that of any British publication ; the 

 method of arrangement and language they found to be so unexceptionable that 

 they considered it would be worse than useless to remodel or materially alter the 

 work, and that any affectation of doing so would be its condemnation. They, 



