The Edinburgh encyclopædia /

Abstract

The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia (1808-1830) was produced and edited by Sir David Brewster, the Scottish man of science who invented the kaleidoscope in 1816. As such, it was a work that incorporated the latest knowledge and developments in science and technology, as well as covering the full range of subjects expected in works of this kind in the early nineteenth century. It quickly became a competitor of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, another Scottish publication that began in the late eighteenth century. Unlike the Britannica though, Brewster's work did not go beyond one edition, but at the time it was a trend-setter, especially in its recruitment of a large number of expert contributors (over 150) who wrote major articles under Brewster's direction. As a leading scientific figure, Brewster himself wrote many articles. At 18 volumes the Edinburgh Encyclopaedia is agreeably more compact than our current encyclopedias. It also provides an invaluable window on the state of knowledge at the start of the Victorian period, indicating the intellectual preoccupations of the time. One of these concerns is still with us: namely how to select and organize a relaible summary of human knowledge in a comprehensive, encyclopedic reference work. Brewster was also instrumental in the foundation of several academic organizations, including the Edinburgh School of Arts in 1821, the Royal Scottish Society for Arts in 1821, and the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1831.

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