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None appear to us to have a more decisive claim to biographical notice than inventors; including in the class all who, by the exercise of their faculties in an original path, have durably added to the stock of valuable products of human skill and ingenuity. Perhaps, in the history of the human mind, there is nothing more curious than to trace the operations of an inventive talent, working its way, often without any foreign aid, and deriving from its own resources the means of overcoming the successive difficulties which thwart its progress. It is in such a process that the distinguishing powers bestowed upon man are most surprisingly exerted, and that the superiority of one individual over the common mass is most luminously displayed. How much higher, as an intellectual being, does a Brindley rank, directing the complex machinery of a canal, which he himself has invented, than an Alexander at the head of his army! A Newton, who employed the most exquisite powers of invention on the sublimest objects, has attained a point in the scale of mental pre-eminence, which perhaps no known mortal ever surpassed.

Between invention and improvement no precise line can be drawn. In reality, almost all the great discoveries in art or science have arrived at perfection through the gradual advances given to them by successive improvers, who have exercised a greater or less degree of invention on the subject. When the addition made has been something considerable, the improver seems to have a just title to have his name perpetuated; and accordingly we have been careful not to omit recording every person, of whom it may be said, that any of the nobler pursuits of the human mind received from his labours a conspicuous advancement. The attainment of uncommon excellence in any particular walk, though not attended with what can strictly be called improvement, may be regarded as a just cause for commemoration; since it implies a vigorous exertion of the faculties, and affords animating examples of the possibility of effecting extraordinary things. Many painters, sculptors, mu

sicians, and other artists of high reputation, come under this head, and have been noticed accordingly.

The class known by the general term of writers has presented to us difficulties of selection more embarrassing than any of those hitherto mentioned. It comprehends many whose claims on the biographer are surpassed by none; for where is the celebrity which takes place of that of a Homer and Virgil, a Livy and Thucydides, a Swift and Voltaire ? But from such great names there are all the shades of literary distinction down to the author of a pamphlet; and where must the line be drawn? Desirous of rendering our work as well a book of reference for the use of men of letters, as a store of biographical reading, we have extended our notices of authors much beyond what the single circumstance of remaining celebrity would warrant; and it has been our purpose to include some account of all those persons whose works still form part of the stock of general literature, though perhaps now rather occasionally quoted than perused. We are sensible, however, that, with respect to the individuals who come under this description, infinite differences of opinion must prevail; and we can only assert that we have, in our several departments, exercised our judgment on this head with all the intelligence and impartiality of which we were capable.

Two other circumstances by which selection may be affected are, country and age. We have seen no general biographical work which is free from a decisive stamp of nationality; that is, which does not include a greater number of names of natives of the country in which they were composed, than the fair proportion of relative fame and excellence can justify. Perhaps this fault is in some measure excusable, on account of the superior interest taken by all nations in eminence of their own growth; and if readers are gratified by such a deference to their feelings, writers will not fail to comply with their wishes. We do not pretend to have made no sacrifices of this sort; but being sensible that disproportion is a real blemish in a work, and that in this

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instance it partakes of the nature of injustice, we hope we shall be found not to have exceeded the bounds of moderation in this particular. We have most sedulously endeavoured to avoid the more serious fault, of awarding to our countrymen individually, more than their due share of merit in comparison with foreign competitors. In this point we would be truly citizens of the world.

The circumstance of age or period in which the claimants have lived, has an operation similar to that of country. We are much more impressed with the relative consequence of persons who have trod the stage of life within our own memory, than of those whose scene of action has long been closed, though equally eminent in their day. Of course, curiosity is more active respecting the former; and to this natural predilection it may be proper for the biographer to pay some deference, provided he does not too much infringe the principle of equitable proportion, which ought essentially to regulate a work, professing to comprehend every age of the world, as well as every country. One cause that will always give to modern and domestic articles somewhat more than their exact share of extent, is the greater ease and copiousness with which information respecting them is usually obtainable. This presents a temptation to prolixity, which a writer can with difficulty resist.

Prolixity, however, we have in all cases studiously avoided; which leads us to speak of the remaining consideration, viz; that of the compass we have allowed ourselves. Biography will certainly bear to be written much at large; and in judicious hands it is often the more entertaining and instructive the more it is minute. But with so vast a subject before us as the lives of eminent men of all ages and nations, it is obviously impracticable to employ a very extensive scale; and the aim must rather be, to give a set of characteristic sketches in miniature, than a series of finished and full-sized portraits. The scope we have taken admits, in our opinion, of such an execution with regard to all characters of real eminence; and we hope we have

dismissed few of that class, without fully answering the leading biographical questions, What was he? What did he? His moral and intellectual qualities, the principal events of his life, his relative merit in the department he occupied, and especially, the manner in which he was first formed to his art or profession, with the gradations by which he rose to excellence, have engaged our attentive inquiries, and we have endeavoured to develope them with all the accuracy that conciseness would allow. But having been thus diffuse with respect to the higher claimants, we have been necessarily reduced to very brief notices of those of inferior rank. These articles we have considered as rather designed for being consulted than read; and we have comprised under a few short heads of information, all that we had to say concerning them.

If we have faithfully observed the rules of composition above suggested, it is evident we cannot have been mere copyists or translators; since we may venture to assert, that no model exists of a work of this species, executed with any degree of uniformity, upon such principles. For our materials, it is true, we must in general have been indebted to the researches of former historians and biographers. The acknowledged accuracy and impartiality of many of these will justify a liberal confidence in their statements of fact, especially when confirmed by mutual agreement. But, in melting down the substance of different narrations into one, in proportioning the several parts, in marking out the characteristic features of the portrait, and in deducing suitable lessons and examples of human life, we have freely exercised our own judgments, and have aspired, at least, to the rank of original writers.

**Besides the references to authorities occasionally given in the substance of articles, at the end of every one are printed in Italic the names of all the authors who have been consulted in compiling the narrative. But it is to be understood that, in general, we have derived from these sources the matter of fact alone, not the sentiments and reflections.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE future volumes will be conducted as nearly as possible in the same spirit with that now presented to the public. The new literary assistance which the death of Dr. ENFIELD has rendered neceffary, has already been in part secured, and will in due time be made known to the encouragers of the undertaking.