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The mode in which instruction has hitherto been conveyed, on the peculiar subjects of the present work, has chiefly been by small books, in question and answer, denominated catechisms. But such, however respectable in themselves, or however advantageous for children, are wholly insufficient for persons who are in search of extended knowledge, and desirous of furnishing their minds with useful information.

On these subjects there has not hitherto been published any work in which they are collectively to be found; nor could a knowledge of them be obtained but by the consultation of many and expensive writings. That they are generally important to be known will not probably be denied.

It has consequently been the object of the author to compress all the interesting information that could be obtained respecting them, within as narrow a compass, and at the same time to render this information as entertaining, and as devoid of technical words and phrases, as possible.

The scheme of the work will, it is hoped, be found sufficiently simple. The passage in smaller characters at the head of each article, is in general so arranged as to reply to the questions, “What is?” “What are?” or “How do you know?” For instance: “What is flint?” (See Vol. I. p. 53.) The answer will be found thus: “Flint is a peculiarly hard and compact kind of stone, generally of smoke-grey colour, passing into greyish white, reddish, or brown. It is nearly thrice as heavy as water, and, when broken, will split in every direction, into pieces which have a smooth surface.” The author is aware that, in many instances, the definitions are defective: but this has, in general, arisen from a necessity of rendering them short, and at the same time of using such terms as would be likely to convey information to the minds of persons who have had no previous knowledge of the systems of natural history.

After the definition, a further illustration sometimes follows; and in the large characters will be found a brief detail of the history and uses of the object described. The articles are numbered, for the greater convenience both of reference and explanation, but particularly the latter. Thus, under the explanation of Carbon, it is stated that “in combination with oxygen (21) it forms carbonic acid (26), and that it is the chief component part of pit-coal (217), petroleum (213), and other bituminous substances.” By a reference to the numbers inserted, each of the words, against which they stand, will be explained: whilst at least three of them would otherwise have been incomprehensible by the generality of unscientific readers.

It must be remarked that the reader will not here find an account of every production of nature, which is employed for the use of man, nor even all the uses of such objects as are described. The most important of the productions, and the principal of the uses, are all that he trusts can reasonably be required in a work of the present extent. On this ground it is that a great number of animals, which are in request only for food, have been wholly omitted.

The figures that are inserted have been drawn upon as small and economical a scale as was compatible with a sufficiently accurate representation of the objects to which they relate. If the reader be desirous of reference to further illustration, he will derive much satisfaction from the invaluable figures of Mr. Sowerby in his British and Exotic Mineralogy, and English Botany, and Woodville’s Medical Botany; as well as from those in Dr. Shaw’s General Zoology, and Bewick’s Histories of Quadrupeds and British Birds. There are also many figures of useful animals in the author’s own work, entitled “Memoirs of British Quadrupeds.”

Since this work was first printed, the author has made in it considerable improvements. The first volume, particularly, contains many additional articles, and more than half of it has been re-written. The plates also have been re-engraved. For the plate of the mountains a new drawing has been made, that the scale might be extended, and many particulars might be introduced which before were omitted. For the plates of vegetables every drawing has been corrected; and, in place of such figures as were most defective, new ones have been inserted.