BEFORE proceeding directly with the analysis of Zedler's
Grosses Vollständiges Universal Lexicon, a few general con-
siderations concerning the work are in order. In the first
place, unlike Ephraim Chambers, who had a definite interest
in science, ¹ and Diderot and D'Alembert who made contribu-
tions of their own in the field of science, ² the editors of the
Lexicon were not, so far as we know, men of science. Johann
Peter von Ludewig, for example, was interested in constitu-
tional law; ³ P. D. Longolius ⁴ another collaborator, was
chiefly interested in philology, education and history. Hence,
although the sciences are included, it is doubtful whether
science was uppermost in the minds of the editors. Con-
sidering the number of volumes (64) they published, one
would conclude that their aim was all-inclusiveness rather
than scientific specialization. And in that respect their work
was unique and an innovation for its age. Nevertheless,
this very desire for all-inclusiveness compelled them to give
much space to the sciences and related fields.

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