Lexicon technicum
Lexicon technicum was the first alphabetical encyclopedia written in English that we know. Today it is considered as the first modern encyclopedia of arts, science and technology.
In 1704, John Harris published a book entitled "Lexicon Technicum": a universal English dictionary of arts and sciences.
As its name implies, John Harris considered it a "dictionary of arts and sciences", but it was more than that. By the way he treated the subjects, and by the format he had, he is considered today, as the first of a series of modern encyclopedias, preceded by Etymologies of San Isidoro (1470), and ancestor of modern encyclopedias, as Cyclopaedia of Ephraim Chambers (1728), The Encyclopédie of Denis Diderot (1750), and Encyclopaedia Britannica (1768).
The first edition had 4 plates, 1220 pages and many diagrams and figures. Profesa not simply explain the terms used in the arts and sciences but the arts and sciences themselves.
The second edition appears:
A second volume of 1419 pages and four plates was published in 1710. John Harris intends that this second volume serves as a small mathematical library. Much of it consists of mathematical and astronomical tables. Sir Isaac Newton allowed him to print his treatise on acids. In this second volume a table of logarithms appears with 7 decimals (44 pages), and one of breasts, tangents and secants (120 pages), a list of books of 2 pages, and an index of articles in the two volumes with 26 headings occupying 50 pages. The longest list was of laws (1700 items), surgery, anatomy, geometry, fortification, botany and music. The mathematical and physical part is considered very good. Harris frequently mentions his sources and shows list of books in a particular subject, such as botany and chronology.
Lexicon Technicum was very popular. The 5th edition was published in 1736 with 2 volumes.
A supplement, which did not include new themes appears in 1744, containing 996 pages and 6 plates. He tried to rival the work of Ephraim Chambers, but was not well received by the readers.
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