THE present is designed as an improvement of the sixth American edition of this valuable little work. No alteration has been made in the collection of scientific matter: indeed, none could, advantageously, be accomplished. The subjects, originally chosen, appear the best adapted to combine utility with conciseness. Much, however, has been done, to render the compilation more instructive. The language has been refined; the punctuation completed and corrected; the definitions are given with more clearness, and modern discoveries in natural philosophy substituted in the room of long exploded speculations. The civil divisions, in the geographical department, have been assimi a lated to the present time; and political institutions, as well as statistical accounts, have been equally the object of attention. Chronological errors, it is presumed, will, in the present edir tion, seldom be detected; and inaccuracies of every kind, accumulated in all works, when long confided to the sole examination of the printer, without the occasional superintendence of the author, are as few, the editor believesa as the variety of matter, contained in a book of this nature, will admit. The Arts and Sciences, by being wrapped up in the learned languages, and obscured by a multitude of technical terms, have long been held beyond the reach and capacity, not only of youth in general, but of maturer years atso; especially, where the advantages of education have been limited. This epitome, however, will, it is hoped, bring them to the level of the most moderate capacity; and without much expepse, either of time or money., furnish a tolen, ably correct outline and general idea of all the principal branches of useful and polite literature. This little volume will be found to contain information upon a great variety of pleasing and highly interesting subjects, well worthy the attention of youth in every walk of life; but it must be peculiarly acceptable to those whose time at school is somewhat limited, and whose leisure for reading is so contracted, as to preclude an opportunity of their looking into larger works and more detailed systems of those things, of which, not to know something, must, at this enlightened day, be considered as reproachful. Philadelphia, March 27th, 1820. |