Books in our language.

Empires of fiction and of fact.

digested, it would require 500 years to read all the books worth reading in the English language alone! This result shows the importance of selection in our reading; or we may misdirect our powers, and misemploy our lei sure on inferior works, neglecting the nobler and more useful.

We first perceive two distinct empires of Bibliography; one imaginative, the region of poetry and romance, or light literature-the other logical, the region of deep litera ture, of science and the arts. The empire of fiction and the empire of fact, they unite in the temperate zone, and their extremes diverge to the torrid and frigid zones of Philosophy. But they are not entirely distinct or independent of each other; for many plants natural to the one are found sparsely scattered over the other. There is science in poetry; and there is poetry in sciencefor who can study its mysteries, without experiencing emotions which constitute the essence of poetry?

The empire of fact, the region of science, has been often travelled over; and attempts have been made to give a general view of it in the form of Encyclopædiasso named from Greek words signifying the Circle of the Sciences. The principal works of this class in the English language are the following:

Dr. Chambers' Cyclopædia, or Universal Dictionary of the Arts and Sciences; first published in 1728, in 2 volumes folio. Being then a globemaker's apprentice, Dr. Chambers wrote some of the articles for it behind his master's counter.

The Encyclopædia Britannica, first published in 1788, in 10 volumes quarto; of which the seventh edition is now publishing, greatly enlarged and improved.

Dr. Rees' Cyclopædia, commenced in 1802, and republished in Philadelphia, in 41 volumes quarto.

Encyclopædias.

Tree of philosophy.

Dr. Brewster's Edinburgh Encyclopædia, commenced in 1810, and republished in New York and Philadelphia, in 20 volumes quarto.

The Encyclopædia Metropolitana, London, commenced in 1815, to consist of 25 volumes quarto, still publishing. Nicholson's British Encyclopædia, commenced in 1809, complete in 12 volumes octavo.

The Encyclopædia Americana, edited by Dr. Lieber, commenced in 1830, complete in 13 volumes octavo.

Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopædia, commenced in 1829, still publishing.

In France, the great Dictionnaire Encyclopédique of Diderot, D'Alembert, Condillac and associates, had a strong influence, by its political effusions, in bringing about the Revolution.

And the Encyclopédie Méthodique, commenced in Paris, in 1782, is the largest work ever yet published; comprising 148 quarto volumes of text, and 52 of copperplates, making in all 200 volumes.

But not one of all these' Encyclopædias contains a classification of Philosophy, or human knowledge, in all its branches, so arranged as to show their relations, and give an adequate idea of the whole; nor are we aware that this task has ever been performed in a methodical manner. An attempt to effect this object has resulted in the Tree of Philosophy, which will form the frontispiece to the present volume of the Scientific Tracts. On this engraving are inscribed the names of more than fifty branches into which human knowledge is already divided. A part of these were already formed in groups, those of each group having a more intimate connection among themselves; and one of these groups had received, from time immemorial, a general distinctive name; viz., the department of Mathematics. Taking this for a model,

Bibliotics, or Preparatory branches.

we have found that all the branches may be arranged in twelve departments, four of which belong to Literature, four to Science, and four to the Arts. For these departments, we have taken the liberty to borrow, from the Greek language, names which will be at once understood by all classic scholars, and which will themselves define the departments of Philosophy. These we shall now attempt to define, though most of them are doubtless already familiar to the reader. Our apology must be that the order of the subject requires it.

1. The department of BIBLIOTICS, (from bibliov, a book,) comprises those branches which are accessory or preparatory to the study of books in general, including Psychology, Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Criticism and Bibli ography.

Psychology, or Mental Philosophy, (from wuzn, the soul, and loyos, a discourse,) treats of the human mind, its faculties and cultivation. It also includes the subject of Phrenology, and for this has a deserved claim to atten tion.

Grammar, (from youuua, a letter or epistle,) treats of the structure and right use of language; or in a more extended sense, it comprehends the study of all languages, as the medium through which knowledge is communicated.

Rhetoric, or Oratory, (from eng, an orator,) treats of literary composition, particularly with regard to style and figures of speech; together with the rules for public speaking, or Elocution.

Logic, (from loyixn, its Greek name,) teaches us to reason justly, and serves to direct us aright in the investigation of truth. Its study enables us to detect sophistry, or false reasoning; and thus teaches us to correct our own errors, as well as those of others.

Perichronics, or History, &c.

Epistatics, or Law, &c.

Criticism, (from xorixos, a judge,) takes a wider range; and, investigating the principles of taste and propriety, prepares us to appreciate all productions, particu larly in literature and the fine arts, at their true value.

Bibliography, (from 6ibhov, a book, and yoagn, a description,) describes all the important works which have been published, their dates, authors and subjects; thus assisting us to select our reading or study. It comprehends, therefore, a general course of Literature; and particularly Light Literature, or Poetry and Romance.

2. The department of PERICHRONICS, (from 78, concerning, and zoovos, time,) treats of the past, and includes History, Antiquities, Chronology and Biography.

History, (from otopia, its Greek name,) in its most general sense, is a narration of all past events whatever, with their causes and consequences; but it is here restricted to Civil History, relating to states, empires, and nations.

Antiquities, (from the Latin antiquus, ancient,) describe the manners, customs and relics of ancient nations; and thereby assist the understanding of History.

Chronology, (from xgovos, time,) relates particularly to the dates of events, and the manner of ascertaining them. It is therefore likewise subordinate to History.

Biography, (from 6ios, life,) narrates the lives of eminent men, of all ages and nations; and exhibits their faults as a warning, and their excellences as an example, to all future generations. It is History restricted to individuals, and the sphere in which they were placed.

3. The Department of EPISTATICS, (from Exotαrew, I govern,) comprehends the subjects of Law and Government, including Legislation, and its auxiliary, Political Economy.

Prostheotics, or Theological branches.

The term Law, (from the Saxon lage,) comprehends all those regulations established by societies of men, to govern their intercourse with each other.

Civil Law, in its more general sense, includes all the regulations which appertain to private citizens, concerning the safety of both persons and property. In a more limited sense, it is opposed to criminal law; the latter referring principally to persons, while civil law relates to property.

Constitutional Law, regulates the duties of public officers, and the administration of governments:

International Law, or the Laws of Nations, relates to the intercourse of nations with each other, and can only be established by their common consent.

Political Economy, (from whis, a state, and oizoroμia, housekeeping,) treats of the means of increasing and preserving the wealth of nations; which, however, excepting the property owned by the state, consists in the wealth of individuals.

4. The Department of PROSTHEOTICS, from лgоs, from, and feos, God,) comprises all religious subjects, including Ethics, Christianity, Judaism, Mohammedanism, Paganism, and Mythology.

Ethics, (from 0os, morals,) called also Morality, and Moral Philosophy, treats of the duties of mankind toward themselves, their fellow men and their Maker. Although founded on the constitution of our nature, its structure was incomplete, without the aid of the gospel.

Christianity investigates the evidences on which the gospel rests, describes its doctrines as understood by all the various sects, and enforces its divine precepts by the sanction of revelation. It comprehends, therefore, the subjects of Christian Divinity and Theology.