EXPLAl^ATOEY. 



The object of this little work is to enable a non-professional 

 or non-scientific person readily to accomplish two things, — to 

 find the technical terms used in the arts and sciences by merely 

 knowing the popular words relating thereto, and to translate 

 into popular language technical terms which he may meet with 

 but not understand. For example, by turning to the word 

 " Plants," he will learn that the name of the science which re- 

 lates to plants is " Botany," and he will find brought together 

 all the important terms that express the structure, growth, 

 origin, classification, etc., of plants. So, if one should happen 

 upon the unfamiliar term " Xylography," and desire to learn its 

 meaning, he has only to consult the index to ascertain the page 

 upon which the definition of the wood-engraver's art may be 

 found. 



In these respects lies its difference from a dictionary, which 

 only undertakes to deal with single and separate terms, alpha- 

 betically arranged, and does not exhibit any portion of the 

 terminology of an art or a science collected together, which is 

 attempted here. In this work the veriest novice can find both 

 the terms and the definitions relating to a science, whereas in a 

 dictionary he could find only the definitions of terms already* 

 known to him. 



The index contains, in strict alphabetical order, the names of 

 the several arts and sciences, and of all the terms connected 

 with them, whether technical or popular, so that the first place 

 to look for anything is in the index. 



The author here takes occasion to acknowledge his indebted- 

 ness to Mr. Charles E. Illsley, of Washington, D. C, for valu- 

 able services rendered in the compilation of this work. 



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