2. 



. 



utility as a book of reference, may lead some, unacquainted with its character, and 

 taking only a casual survey of its principal articles, to conclude that it is meagre or 

 deficient in its details, even in cases where it would be found, on proper consulta- 

 tion, to be abundantly copious. Indeed, it was a knowledge of such misapprehen- 

 sions existing in several quarters, that first suggested the necessity of appending to 

 the work an ANALYTICAL INDEX of its various contents. This INDEX, which has been 

 compiled at a great sacrifice of time and labour, will prove, it is hoped, highly ser- 

 viceable in directing the reader in his inquiries regarding any branch of knowledge 

 treated of in the Encyclopedia. The DISSERTATIONS ON THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF 

 LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE FINE ARTS, which accompany the work, and which 

 add so greatly to its value and to the reputation of their distinguished authors, will 

 still further assist the reader in his researches, inasmuch as they trace, step by step, 

 man's gradual advance in civilization, and give, in one connected view, a summary 

 of what he has accomplished in all that really tends to ennoble the human intellect. 



Since the publication of the POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA commenced, many changes 

 have taken place in the literary, political, and scientific world. To record these 

 changes, and especially to render the early parts of the Encyclopedia uniform with 

 the later in point of recent information, a SUPPLEMENT has been made to the 

 whole, which embraces, as far as practicable, whatever of importance has occurred, in 

 history or science, within these few years, and which has also furnished an oppor- 

 tunity of making such emendations and additions as have been overlooked or omitted 

 in the body of the work. From the character of its contents, the SUPPLEMENT will 

 doubtless form to a number of readers the most interesting portion of the Encyclo- 

 pedia. Many of the articles relate to subjects of present moment, and the information 

 they convey is chiefly of a novel nature. The memoirs, in particular, of eminent indi- 

 viduals recently deceased, in which the Supplement abounds, must be the more highly 

 estimated as they are not to be found in any similar work, or have not yet made 

 their way into any biographical dictionary. 



In dismissing from his hands a work which has more or less occupied his attention 

 for a period of nearly ten years, the editor has to acknowledge the assistance he re- 

 ceived, in the prosecution of his labours, from many gentlemen eminent in the arts 

 and sciences. It would be now difficult to particularise individually all who have 

 contributed to the POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA ; but of those who have had a considerable 

 share in certain departments of the work, may be mentioned Mr WILLIAM GRIER, 

 author of the Mechanic's Calculator and other popular treatises, who furnished a 

 number of articles on subjects connected with the Useful Arts and Natural Philo- 

 sophy, and Mr ROBERT CAMPBELL, a young chemist of rising celebrity, who contri- 

 buted various papers on his own favourite science. Both these gentlemen have been, 

 alas! cut off by death, while yet in the prime of manhood. Most of the long articles 

 in Natural History, and the illustrations connected therewith, are the production of 

 Captain THOMAS BROWN, F.L.S. In the latter portion of the Encyclopedia, particu- 

 larly in the Supplement, the editor has to acknowledge the valuable assistance of Dr 

 THOMAS ANDREW, in Anatomy; of Dr GREGORY, professor of Medicine in King's 

 College, Aberdeen, in Chemistry; of Mr WILLIAM RHIND, member of the royal college 

 of surgeons, Edinburgh, in Geology; and of Messrs JAMES and GEORGE WHITELAW, 

 in Mechanical Science. 



ALEX. WHITELAW. 



GLASGOW, 1841. 



