Editing Encyclopædia Britannica (section)

==== 1768–1826 ====
[[File:Rosetta Stone.jpg|thumb|The early 19th-century editions of {{lang|la|Encyclopædia Britannica}} included influential, original research such as [[Thomas Young (scientist)|Thomas Young's]] article on Egypt, which included the translation of the [[Egyptian hieroglyphs|hieroglyphs]] on the [[Rosetta Stone]] (pictured).]]
In the first era (1st–6th editions, 1768–1826), the ''Britannica'' was managed and published by its founders, Colin Macfarquhar and Andrew Bell, by Archibald Constable, and by others. The ''Britannica'' was first published between December 1768<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Encyclopaedia|volume=9|page=377}}</ref> and 1771 in [[Edinburgh]] as the ''Encyclopædia Britannica, or, A Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, compiled upon a New Plan''. In part, it was conceived in reaction to the French ''[[Encyclopédie]]'' of [[Denis Diderot]] and [[Jean le Rond d'Alembert]] (published 1751–1772), which had been inspired by [[Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences|Chambers's ''Cyclopaedia'']] (first edition 1728). It went on sale 10&nbsp;December.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Encyclopaedia Britannica {{!}} History, Editions, & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Encyclopaedia-Britannica-English-language-reference-work |access-date=20 November 2023 |website=Britannica |language=en}}</ref>

The ''Britannica'' of this period was primarily a Scottish enterprise, and it is one of the most enduring legacies of the [[Scottish Enlightenment]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Herman |first=Arthur |author-link=Arthur L. Herman |title=How the Scots Invented the Modern World |title-link=How the Scots Invented the Modern World |publisher=Three Rivers Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-0-609-80999-0}}</ref> In this era, the ''Britannica'' moved from being a three-volume set (1st edition) compiled by one young editor—[[William Smellie (encyclopedist)|William Smellie]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |year=1992 |title=Collier's Encyclopedia |publisher=Macmillan Educational Company |location=New York |volume=9 |pages=135 |lccn=91061165 |last2=Balou |first2=Patricia K. |last1=Krapp |first1=Philip}} The ''Britannica''{{'s}} 1st edition is described as "deplorably inaccurate and unscientific" in places.</ref>—to a 20-volume set written by numerous authorities.<ref name="KafkerLoveland2009" /> Several other encyclopaedias competed throughout this period, among them editions of [[Abraham Rees]]'s ''Cyclopædia'' and [[Samuel Taylor Coleridge|Coleridge's]] ''[[Encyclopædia Metropolitana]]'' and [[David Brewster]]'s ''[[Edinburgh Encyclopædia]]''.