848 



INTRODUCTION. 



of several branches of mechanical art. In explana- 

 tion of the apparent deficiency of analysis in this 

 section, it may he sufficient to inform the reader 

 that there will usually be found under every term 

 in the list of Arts and Inventions, a very full ac- 

 count and explanation of the particular art to which 

 it refers : and that consequently, no separate de- 

 tails occur in the work, to admit a formal analysis. 

 The second Division, including Manners aud Cus- 

 toms, presents a large amount of useful and inter- 

 esting information concerning the domestic and 

 social habits, the occupations, the national charac- 

 teristics, <fcc. Ac., of mankind, throughout all coun- 

 tries and in all ages of the world. The third Divi- 

 sion takes in a few of those Miscellaneous subjects 

 with which the Encyclopedia abounds : and the rea- 

 son why this department of the Index has not been 

 carried to greater extent is, simply, because no very 

 important end would have been answered by such 

 extension. 



Having briefly remarked on the several Sections 

 of the Index and their subdivisions, it remains only 



for us to say, that the great object has been to clas- 

 sify and arrange the details in all the grand divi- 

 sions of knowledge in a satisfactory manner and 

 within a moderate space. We believe that we have 

 done this : and as regards History, Geography, and 

 Natural Philosophy, which certainly embrace the 

 greater and the more useful part of human discovery 

 and science, we have no hesitation in saying that 

 they are singularly complete in their details, very 

 much more so than any candid reader could expert 

 to find them in a miscellaneous work of compara- 

 tively limited extent. We therefore, now commend 

 our labours to that public whose approval lias 

 hitherto cheered and sustained us through a pro- 

 tracted and laborious undertaking : fully convinced, 

 that as we have used every endeavour to render the 

 work deserving of their approbation, they will justly 

 appreciate our exertions, and judge with candour. 



GLASGOW, 

 1841. 



