English Cyclopaedia, A New Dictionary Of Universal Knowledge (Biography- Volume Ii)

Profiles that map a changing century. Every life recorded with care.Charles Knight’s English Cyclopaedia, A New Dictionary of Universal Knowledge - Biography, Volume II stands as a nineteenth-century encyclopaedic reference work and a definitive Victorian reference book. This biographical dictionary and comprehensive biography volume gathers concise entries on nineteenth-century figures across politics, science, industry, literature and the arts, forming a universal knowledge collection that maps the people and priorities of the age. Read as a historical biographies anthology, the Cyclopaedia balances breadth with readable clarity: entries are compact, fact-rich and often suggestive rather than exhaustive, making the work equally useful for quick consultation and for deeper contextual reading. The editorial voice favours clarity and practicality, a hallmark of Charles Knight’s approach to popular scholarship, and the book remains an illuminating witness to Victorian era scholarship and to the emergence of the modern organised reference ideal. Casual readers find vivid touchpoints; students and researchers discover a dependable academic research resource.Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike. Equally at home in a busy reference room or on a private shelf, it belongs in any library reference collection and will appeal to casual readers who favour brisk historical portraits as well as to collectors of classic British encyclopaedia and admirers of Charles Knight works. Genealogists, local historians and literature scholars can use the Cyclopaedia as a starting point for enquiry; collectors see in it both a research touchstone and an evocative object that connects present-day reading to nineteenth-century intellectual life. Its measured tone and scope make it an instructive companion for teaching Victorian literature and history, while the concise portraits point readers toward broader debates that reward further investigation. Alpha Editions’ careful presentation ensures the volume sits comfortably among essential references and collector shelves.