Encyclopédie méthodique ou par ordre de matières

The Encyclopédie méthodique was a French reference work published from 1782 to 1832. It was an expansion of the original Encyclopédie, which was a significant work of the Enlightenment and a key project of the Philosophes. Unlike the original, which was arranged alphabetically, the Encyclopédie méthodique was organized by subject matter. This systematic approach aimed to provide a more structured and comprehensive overview of knowledge. The project was extensive, eventually comprising 166 volumes. It reflected the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason, secular thought, and the advancement of science and the arts, and it had a profound impact on intellectual and social thought in France.12