The ''Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography'' was a

biographical dictionary A biographical dictionary is a type of encyclopedic dictionary limited to biographical information. Many attempt to cover the major personalities of a country (with limitations, such as living persons only, in ''Who's Who'', or deceased people onl ...

of the nineteenth century, published by William Mackenzie in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

. The second edition, which was published in 1876, was released in two sets. One was a set of 28 volumes (parts), priced at 4 shillings each. The other set was in 14 volumes (divisions), in elegant cloth, bevel boards, cut edges, and priced at 10 shillings each.

Publication

The ''Dictionary'' was issued by

part publication A periodical literature (also called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a Academic journal, journal ...

, and its first edition appeared from 1857 to 1863. In collected form (1863) there were three volumes, originally issued in 16 parts. A later edition appeared from 1876.

Staff and writers

The ''Imperial Dictionary'' was edited by

John Francis Waller John Francis Waller (21 July 1809 – 19 January 1894) was an Irish poet, librettist and editor. Life The son of Thomas Maunsell Waller, of an Irish baronetical family, and Margaret Vereker, Waller was born in Finnoe, County Tipperary, studied a ...

from 1857 to 1866;

Patrick Edward Dove Patrick Edward Dove (31 July 1815 – 28 April 1873) was born at Lasswade, near Edinburgh in Scotland. He is mainly remembered for his book ''The Theory of Human Progression'' of 1850 which sets out his philosophy that land should be in common ow ...

was general editor for the first 20 numbers, John Service was on the editorial staff 1858 to 1862, acting as sub-editor under Dove. Also involved editorially were

William John Macquorn Rankine William John Macquorn Rankine (; 5 July 1820 – 24 December 1872) was a Scottish mechanical engineer who also contributed to civil engineering, physics and mathematics. He was a founding contributor, with Rudolf Clausius and William Thomson ( ...

Francis Bowen Francis Bowen (; September 8, 1811 – January 22, 1890) was an American philosopher, writer, and educationalist. Biography He was born in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He was educated at Mayhew School, Boston, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Harvard ...

John Eadie John Eadie (9 May 1810 – 3 June 1876) was a Scottish theologian and biblical critic. Life He was born at Alva in Stirlingshire (now in Clackmannanshire). Having studied the arts curriculum at the University of Glasgow, he studied for the mi ...

, and

John Pringle Nichol John Pringle Nichol FRSE FRAS (13 January 1804 – 19 September 1859) was a Scottish educator, phrenologist, astronomer and economist who did much to popularise astronomy in a manner that appealed to nineteenth century tastes. Early life Born ...

. A list of contributors appeared in the first volume, and a further list in volume II. Other contributors included: *

John Merry Ross John Merry Ross (1833–1883) was Scottish academic author and teacher. He was an expert on British poetry. Life He was born in Kilmarnock on 21 April 1833, the third son of George Ross and his wife Agnes Merry. He was educated at Kilmarnock A ...

, *

Christina Rossetti Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English writer of romantic, devotional and children's poems, including "Goblin Market" and "Remember". She also wrote the words of two Christmas carols well known in Brit ...

Petrarch Francesco Petrarca (; 20 July 1304 – 18/19 July 1374), commonly anglicized as Petrarch (), was a scholar and poet of early Renaissance Italy, and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch's rediscovery of Cicero's letters is often credited w ...

, and numerous other Italians *

William Michael Rossetti William Michael Rossetti (25 September 1829 – 5 February 1919) was an English writer and critic. Early life Born in London, Rossetti was a son of immigrant Italian scholar Gabriele Rossetti and his wife Frances Rossetti ''née'' Polidor ...

, *

Algernon Charles Swinburne Algernon Charles Swinburne (5 April 1837 – 10 April 1909) was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He wrote several novels and collections of poetry such as ''Poems and Ballads'', and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition ...

, There were engravings included by

William Thomas Fry William Thomas Fry (1789–1843) was a British engraver. He occasionally exhibited his engravings at the Suffolk Street exhibition. Works Fry worked chiefly in stipple. He engraved four portraits for Fisher, Son, & Co.'s ''National Portrait Gall ...

, James Thomson, and

Richard Woodman Captain Richard Martin Woodman LVO (born 1944) is an English novelist and naval historian who retired in 1997 from a 37-year nautical career, mainly working for Trinity House, to write full-time. Writing His main work is 14 novels about the car ...

Notes

External links

* Waller, John Francis; Eadie, John; editors (1863). ''The Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography'', 3 volumes. Glasgow: William MacKenzie. Vols
1
(AA–CZU)
2
(DAA–IWA), an
3
(JAA–ZWI) at

HathiTrust HathiTrust Digital Library is a large-scale collaborative repository of digital content from research libraries including content digitized via Google Books and the Internet Archive digitization initiatives, as well as content digitized locally ...

. {{Authority control Biographical dictionaries 1863 non-fiction books 1876 non-fiction books