Chap. XXIV.] Encydopcedias^Kc, ll.O 



It deserves also to be noticed, that the last age 

 produced an unprecedented number of systematic 

 works on particular sg^ences, exhibited in the 

 form of dictionaries, and having the several parts 

 disposed according to alphabetical arrangement. 

 Of these the number is too great to be recounted. 

 As a specimen, it may be observed, that we have 

 dictionaries of Agr^iculture, by several associa- 

 tions and individuals ; of Gardening, by Miller, 

 Mawe, and others ; of Trade and Commerce, by 

 Savary, Postlethwaite, and Rolt; of Law, by 

 Jacob; of Mathematics, by Hutton ; of Chemis- 

 /n/, by Macquer and Nicholson; oi Mineralogy, 

 by Rinman ; of Botany, by Martyn ; and of 

 Painting, Music, &c., by various persons of learn- 

 ing and taste, in different parts of the world. 



That these numerous and extensive collections 

 of the different brandies of human knovdedgo 

 have had a considerable influence on the literary 

 and scientific character of the age, will scarcely 

 be questioned. They have contributed to render 

 modern erudition multifarious rather than deep. 

 By abridgeing the labour of the reader they have 

 diminished his industr\^ But they have been at- 

 tended, at the same time, with considerable ad- 

 vantages. To those residing at a distance from 

 large libraries, and other repositories of science, 

 they have furnished a very instructive epitome cf 

 knowledge. They have thus contributed to en- 

 large the mind, and to show the connexion be- 

 tween the several objects of study ; and though 

 they are far from presenting a sufficiently minute 

 and detailed view of each of the various subjects 

 ©f which they treat ; yet, to general readers, they 



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