Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:32, 16 March 2006

Revision as of 19:25, 17 March 2006

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In 1922, they published an additional three volumes covering the events of the intervening years, including the [[First World War]]. These, together with a reprint of the Eleventh Edition, formed the Twelfth Edition of the work. A similar Thirteenth Edition, of three volumes plus a reprint of the Twelfth Edition, was published in 1926, so the Twelfth and Thirteenth Editions were of course closely related to the Eleventh Edition and shared much of the same content. However, it became increasingly clear that a more thorough update of the work was required. The Fourteenth Edition, published in 1929, saw a considerable revision of the text, with much being dropped or shortened to make room for new topics. Nevertheless the 11th edition formed the basis for every revision of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' up until [[1974]], when the completely new Fifteenth Edition, based on modern information presentation, was published.

The Eleventh Edition's articles are still of value and interest to modern readers and scholars, especially as a [[cultural artifact]]: the [[British Empire]] was at its very height, the [[paradigm]] of [[imperialism]] was largely unchallenged, much of the world was still ruled by [[monarch]]s, and the horrors of the modern [[world wars]] were still in the future. They are an invaluable resource for topics dropped from modern encyclopædias, particularly in biography and the history of science and technology. As a literary text, the encyclopedia holds value as a voice of early 20th century prose, particularly certain passages. The encyclopedia abounds in the use of [[pathetic fallacy]] and other dated [[literary devices]] which often confound a modern reader, yet portions have some appeal to the modern literary reader.<ref>*''All There is to Know'' ([[1994]]), edited by [[Alexander Coleman]] and [[Charles Simmons]]. Subtitled: "Readings from the Illustrious Eleventh Edition of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''". ISBN 067176747X</ref>

[[Image:EncycBrit1913.jpg|256px|thumb|1913 advertisement for the 11th edition]]