SOURCES OP HUMAN KNOWLEDGE. 27 



ages : particularly the Speculum of Vincent, which we shall again have 

 occasion to mention : but the term Encyclopaedia, appears to have 

 been first introduced by Professor Martinius of Bremen, in his Idea 

 methodicae et brevis Encyclopedie, published in 1606. Another 

 similar work was published by Alstead, in 1620. Three large 

 Encyclopedias have been commenced in Germany ; one by Krunitz, 

 which has been extended to 146 volumes; another by Ktister, suc- 

 ceeded by J. F. Roos ; and a third by Ersch, succeeded by Gruber : 

 but we are not aware that either of these works has been completed. 

 In France, the celebrated Encyclopedic, or Dictionnaire Raisonne, 

 sometimes called the Dictionnaire Encyclopedique, of Diderot, 

 D'Alembert, Voltaire, Condorcet, and other associates, was pub- 

 lished in Paris, from 1751 to 1772, in 29 volumes folio; to which 

 6 volumes were afterwards appended. It promulgated speculative 

 views in philosophy, and liberal opinions in politics; the influence 

 of which had no small share in producing the French Revolution. 

 The Encyclopedic Methodique, commenced in Paris in 1782, is the 

 largest work ever yet published; having already been extended to 221 

 quarto volumes, more than 50 of which are of copperplate engrav- 

 ings. It is a collection of dictionaries, each one treating of a 

 distinct branch or department of knowledge ; and these dictionaries 

 are arranged simply in alphabetical order. 



The first work of this kind, in our own language, if we except 

 the writings of Lord Bacon, which treat of nearly all the subjects of 

 human knowledge, was the Cyclopedia, or universal dictionary of 

 the Arts and Sciences, by Dr. Ephraim Chambers ; first published 

 in 1728, in 2 volumes folio ; and enlarged in successive editions. 

 Being originally a globe-maker's apprentice, Dr. Chambers wrote 

 some parts of this work, in leisure hours, behind his master's counter. 

 The Encyclopedia Britannica, was first published in Edinburgh, in 

 1788, in 10 vols. folio, by a Society of Gentlemen in Scotland; 

 James Tytler being the original editor. The seventh edition is now 

 publishing, edited by Prof. Napier. Dr. Rees' Cyclopedia, an 

 enlargement of that by Chambers, was published in London, from 

 1802 to 1820, and republished in Philadelphia, in 47 volumes 

 quarto, including 6 volumes of plates. It contains much information, 

 especially concerning the Arts ; but the subjects are too much sub- 

 divided, on account of the alphabetical distribution. Dr. Brewster's 

 Edinburgh Encyclopedia, was commenced in 1810, and repub- 

 lished in New York and Philadelphia, in 18 vols. quarto; the last 

 volume appearing in 1832. It is a highly valuable work; but the 

 latter volumes are less complete than those of the former part of it. 

 The Encyclopedia Metropolitana, the original editor of which was 

 the late Rev. Edward Smedley, was commenced in London, in 

 1815; to comprise 25 volumes quarto, still publishing. It is 

 arranged, for the most part, according to the connection of the 

 subjects: and this alone would in our view give it a preference; 

 aside from its being the latest, on so large a scale. 



We have barely room to mention the Encyclopedia Londinensis, 

 by Wilkes, begun in 1796; the Encyclopaedia Edinensis, by 

 Millar, begun in 1816; Nicholson's British Encyclopedia, com- 



