Penny Cyclopaedia
The Penny Cyclopaedia was a 19th‑century encyclopedia published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. It was edited by George Long and printed by Charles Knight, alongside the Penny Magazine. From 1833 to 1843, 27 thin volumes were issued, with two supplements following in 1851 and 1858. Despite its name, each volume cost 9 pence.
Many notable scholars contributed articles, but individual authors were not listed with their pieces; a list of contributors appears in the final volume. Among them were Henry Ellis, John Kitto, Charles Knight, George Henry Lewes, Augustus De Morgan, James Paget, George Richardson Porter, Thomas Southwood Smith, and Ralph Nicholson Wornum.
The Penny Cyclopaedia inspired several later reference works. Charles Knight published The National Cyclopedia of Useful Knowledge in 1847–1851 (12 volumes), with a second edition in 1856–1859. This later passed to W. Mackenzie and became the National Encyclopedia in 1867 (14 volumes, ending with a world atlas). Revised editions appeared in 1875 and 1884–1888. There was also an American edition.
One famous offshoot was the English Cyclopaedia, a two‑volume condensation focused on the British Empire (1850–1851), which helped form the basis of Everyman’s Encyclopaedia.
The Penny Cyclopaedia influenced writers as well. Herman Melville used it while writing Moby‑Dick and other novels, and scholar Paul McCarthy has suggested its sections on moral insanity and monomania may have shaped some of Melville’s characters.
The 27 volumes cover topics from A to Z.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:22 (CET).