Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Dübner, Johann Friedrich" to "Dyeing" / Volume 8, Slice 8

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

34751

Title

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, "Dübner, Johann Friedrich" to "Dyeing" / Volume 8, Slice 8

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This volume of the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica offers authoritative entries on a diverse array of historical figures, geographical locations, and scientific concepts. From classical scholars and French cardinals to atmospheric dust studies and the history of the Dutch East India Company, the text provides concise, factual overviews of significant subjects in arts, sciences, and general information.

Summary up to 500 words

This volume of the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, presents a diverse array of knowledge ranging from classical scholarship and musical composition to statecraft, atmospheric science, and industrial chemistry. The entries begin with Johann Friedrich Dübner, a German classical scholar whose critical editions of Greek authors, including Caesar, significantly raised the standards of philological criticism in France. Following him is François Clément Théodore Dubois, a prolific French composer who rose to become the director of the Conservatoire, known for his sacred music and operas. The historical narrative continues with Guillaume Dubois, a controversial French cardinal and chief minister under the Regent. Despite his dissolute private life and immense wealth, Dubois maintained peace in Europe through diplomatic skill, notably negotiating the Triple Alliance, before dying in 1723. Shifting to natural science, the text details J. A. Rankin's investigations into atmospheric dust. His observations in Switzerland and elsewhere revealed that atmospheric transparency and the beauty of cloud scenery depend entirely on suspended dust particles. Rankin demonstrated that humidity affects haze density by causing particles to grow larger, and he established mathematical relationships between particle count, humidity, and visibility limits. The volume then examines the Dutch East India Company, founded in 1602 to regulate trade and prosecute wars against Spain and Portugal. Endowed with a monopoly and the power to wage war, coin money, and establish colonies, the company expanded across Asia and Africa, establishing its headquarters in Batavia and outposts at the Cape of Good Hope. Finally, the entry on dyeing explores the chemical constitution of dyestuffs, particularly coal-tar derivatives. It explains how chromophorous groups determine color and how auxochromous groups influence solubility and affinity for fibers. The text distinguishes between acid and basic colors, noting that dyeing animal fibers is often a chemical process involving the fiber acting as a mordant, whereas dyeing cotton is largely mechanical. While acknowledging the toxicity of certain dyes like picric acid, the entry highlights the immense advances in the art of dyeing since the discovery of mauve in 1856, suggesting a future where artificial means will dominate vegetable dyes.

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Categories

• Encyclopedias and dictionaries