Table of Contents

Introduction: the encyclopaedic tradition; Part I: 1. Encyclopaedias in the Republic of Letters; 2. Scientific dictionaries and 'compleat' knowledge; 3. Containing knowledge; Part II: 4. From commonplace books to encyclopaedias; 5. 'The best book in the universe': Ephraim Chambers' Cyclopaedia; 6. Communicating the arts and sciences; 7. The Encyclopaedia Britannica and the Scottish Enlightenment; Part III: 8. Copyright and public knowledge; 9. Why dedicate an encyclopaedia to a king?; 10. Editors and experts; Conclusion.

Promotional Information

Cultural history of Enlightenment encyclopaedias revealing Enlightenment debates concerning organisation and communication of knowledge.

About the Author

RICHARD YEO is Associate Professor (Reader) in the School of Humanities, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.

Reviews

'Richard Yeo's ambitious study of a significant segment of encyclopaedic development is a contribution to the highly political debate about the dissemination and control of knowledge ... His book is both serious and fascinating. It catches exactly the mixture of intellectual excitement and commercial enterprise that in the Enlightment fuelled the search for the 'Best Book in the Universe". Judith Hawley, The Guardian '... sensitive and engaging study of Enlightenment encyclopaedias'. Nature 'Richard Yeo's ambitious study of a significant segment of encyclopaedic development is a contribution to the highly political debate about the dissemination and control of knowledge ... his book is both serious and fascinating. It catches exactly the mixture of intellectual excitement and commercial enterprise that in the Enlightenment fuelled the search for 'the best book in the universe'. The Guardian 'Encyclopaedic Visions is thoroughly researched and very well written ... is highly recommended for academic libraries supporting history of science departments, library and information science programs, or history departments with an emphasis on intellectual history or history of the book.' Ursula Ellis, University of Oklahoma '... delightful and informative book ...'. Australian Association for History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science '... there is ... much to be learnt from this excellent study of the work of British enlightenment encyclopaedists.' Australian Journal of Politics and History 'It is a wonderful virtue of Yeo's work that it uses one text to cut across so many pressing problems of Enlightenment science and literary culture ... a fundamentally groundbreaking work.' Brill