ANALYTICAL INDEX. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA is in the hands of a 

 large portion of the community whose hooks are 

 few. With the exception of the Bible, and a few 

 miscellaneous volumes, this Work perhaps forms th< 

 entire library of a very numerous class; and to i 

 they naturally refer for information and knowledg< 

 on all subjects whatever. Without assuming an in 

 fallibility, which belongs neither to the present pub- 

 lication, nor to any other that has ever appeared 

 the proprietors venture to say, that no other book 

 of similar compass has presented such various anc 

 complete information concerning all matters thai 

 are interesting and useful to the great mass of man- 

 kind. Its suitableness, in this respect, for the lite- 

 rary wants of those who are denied the privilege of 

 many books, is apparent ; and it was with the view 

 of increasing its usefulness to this class of readers, 

 that the Analytical Index was prepared. 



An Encyclopedia, if constructed on legitimate 

 principles, is, like any other dictionary, a book of 

 occasional reference ; it has indeed been made a 

 ground of objection to encyclopedial publications, 

 that they offer isolated modicums of information, 

 and give that "little knowledge" which, according 

 to the poet, " is a dangerous thing." The objec- 

 tion; however, loses all its weight if these detached 

 items of knowledge are compiled with reference to 

 one great whole ; if, in short, they form in the ag- 

 gregate the sum and substance in all the grand di- 

 visions of Literature, Science, and Art. It is a 

 mathematical axiom, that the sum of all the parts is 

 equal to the whole : if, therefore, in the formation 

 of an encyclopedia, the compiler be careful to omit 

 no important details, it is merely necessary that we 

 assort these details, and bring them into natural 

 connection with each other, and the book then be- 

 comes not only an Universal Dictionary for ready 

 reference, but also a methodical and satisfactory 

 expositor, in all the departments of human know- 

 ledge. The Analytical Index which follows confers 

 this twofold value on the present work. 



An Analytical Index is very simple in theory, but 

 presents many difficulties in the course of its con- 

 struction. The same details which, taken collec- 

 tively, form a methodic treatise on one subject, com- 

 bine also with other details to make up a complete 

 digest of various branches of knowledge ; and amidst 

 the items in any one branch, many will be found 



claiming a right to stand out prominently in connec- 

 tion with the minor particulars to which they relate. 

 To explain : Painting necessarily requires amongst 

 other details, that of Colour and its varieties ; Co- 

 lour claims also a separate place, having conjoined 

 with it all the particulars which the term includes ; 

 Chemistry likewise takes cognizance of colour ; and 

 Dyeing would be incomplete if the articles on colour 

 were not ranged in its analysis. Here then, is an 

 instance in which one term, with many of its subor- 

 dinates, must enter into four separate combinations. 

 The result of this is, that to give full completeness 

 to the Index, a very expensive and bulky appendage 

 to the book is necessary ; and to restrict the Index 

 within moderate limits, involves the danger of omit- 

 ting many secondary, yet important, generic terms. 

 It remains for us to justify the plan we have adopted 

 in the present case ; to prove, so far as we may be 

 able, that we have struck a fair balance between the 

 two difficulties ; and, in a few explanatory remarks, 

 to show that the Analytical Index annexed is suffi- 

 iently adapted to the end in view. 



The Index is divided into Six Sections, em- 

 bracing all the great divisions of human know- 

 ledge. 



SECTION I. 



I. 



HISTORY IN GENERAL. 



FABULOUS HISTORY. 

 MYTHOLOGY. 



ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY. 



Biographies connected with Church History. 

 Greek Church. Romish Church.] 

 CHRONOLOGY. 

 MISCELLANEOUS. 



The particulars ranged under these several heads, 

 make up a bold and general outline of history ; and 

 f the reader be sufficiently persevering to store his 

 mind with these preliminary details, he will enter 

 with great advantage upon the more extensive ana- 

 lysis in the Third Division of this Section. 



