A New and General Biographical Dictionary: Containing an Historical and Critical Account of the Lives and Writings of the Most Eminent Persons

A New And General Biographical Dictionary: Containing An Historical And Critical Account Of The Lives And Writings Of The Most Eminent Persons is an eighteenth-century encyclopedia-style collection of concise life sketches of notable figures from antiquity to the early modern period. Each entry combines basic biographical details with major works, character notes, and judgments about historical significance. The collection emphasizes the interplay of learning, power, and patronage, religious and political contexts, and the preservation and organization of knowledge. Notable portraits range from Maecenas, Machiavelli, and Mohammed to Magliabechi, Madox, and Madden, among others, reflecting a central concern with how reputation, memory, and scholarly networks shape historical understanding. The encyclopedic form arranges entries alphabetically, provides dates and key works, and often concludes with evaluative judgments about influence and legacy. The tone blends factual biography with critical appraisal and occasional anecdotes, illustrating the editors’ broad ambition to map European intellectual life from antiquity through the eighteenth century.