POPULAR ENCYCLOPÆDIA,
EMBRACING ALL THE BRANCHES OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
NECESSARY TO CONSTITUTE A WELL INFORMED MAN.
The Work has been Edited by an accomplished American Scholar, who, without impairing in the slightest degree the integrity of the original text, has added such notes, and made such corrections and additions as were necessary to adapt it to the wants of the American public.
The plan on which the work is formed, was to select only the subjects on which it is important that a people, who feel the value of sound education, should be well informed. The minutiæ of biography, topography, scientific technicalities, and other matters to which there may be only need for occasional reference, are dismissed, and thus what usually fills the greater part of an Encyclopædia is at once got rid of. There only remains a series of articles on the MOST IMPORTANT BRANCHES OF SCIENCE, PHYSICAL, MATHEMATICAL, AND MORAL; NATURAL HISTORY, POLITICAL HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY. AND GENERAL LITERATURE. All is given which, if studied and received into the mind, would make an individual, in the common walks of life, A WELL INFORMED MAN. While, with a few exceptions, only that is omitted which is not needed as a part of the standing knowledge of any person whatever, besides those for whom it may have a professional or local interest.
INFORMATION FOR THE PEOPLE,
Therefore, is an ENCYCLOPÆDIA including such knowledge only as tends to improve every mind possessing it—such knowledge as expands, liberalizes, and fertilizes. The ruling objects of the accomplished authors, the Messrs. Chambers, have been to give what may be expected to prove the means of SELF-EDUCATION to the people generally, whether enjoying the means of academic instruction or not.
AMONG THE SUBJECTS TREATED ARE
| Astronomy, Geography, Geology. Physical Hist’y of Man, Ancient History— Egypt, Arabia-Petræa, History of the Jews—Palestine, History of Greece and Rome, History of the Middle Ages, History of Great Britain and Ireland, Constitution and Resources of the British Empire, Descriptions of— England, London, Scotland, Ireland, British America, United States, Australia, Van Diemen’s Land, New Zealand, South America, West Indies, East Indies, China and the Tea Trade, Ocean— Maritime Discovery, Navigation, | The Whale— Whale Fisheries, Conveyance— Roads, Canals, Railways, Zoology, Account of the Human Body, Vegetable Physiology, Botany, Natural Theology, History of the Bible—Christianity, Private Duties of Life Public and Social Duties of Life, Life and Maxims of Franklin, Preservation of Health, Commerce— Money, Banks, History and Nature of Laws. Political Economy, Population, Poor-Laws, Life Assurance, Mohammedan and Pagan Religions, Superstitions, Domestic Economy, | Cookery, Proverbs and Old Sayings, Natural Philosophy, Mechanics, Machinery, Hydrostatics, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Optics, Light, Acoustics, Chemistry, Chemistry applied to the Arts Electricity, Galvanism, Electro-Magnetism, Meteorology, The Weather, Phrenology, Principles of Civil Government, Language, English Grammar, Logic, Education, Drawing and Perspective, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Popular Statistics, Agriculture, | Social Economics of the Industrious Orders. Improvement of Waste Lands, The Kitchen Garden, The Flower Garden, The Fruit Garden, Arboriculture, The Horse, Cattle and Dairy Husbandry, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Poultry, Cage Birds, Bees, The Dog, Field Sports, Angling, Gymnastic Exercises, In-door Amusements, Chronology, Printing, Engraving, Lithography, Architecture, The Steam Engine, Mining, Metals, Coal, Salt, and a variety of other subjects |
The expense of preparing this work has been very heavy, as, in addition to the closely condensed printed matter, it has bean necessary to execute upwards of FIVE HUNDRED ENGRAVINGS, in order effectually to explain and embellish the various subjects of scientific, historical, and geographical information which the work embraces; but the publishers confidently rely on the intelligence and liberality of the public for remuneration.
This is one of the most useful books published, of which 100,000 copies have been sold in England. Price, elegantly bound in Two Volumes, only FIVE DOLLARS.