"The editors define philosophy in the widest possible terms, including scientists and other intellectuals, even influential foreigners (e.g., Descartes, Carl von Linné (Linne) [Linnaeus]). The connecting threads include attacks on and defenses of Cartesian philosophy. The set begins with an introduction, acknowledgements, "How to Use the Dictionary," a list of contributors, and another of illustrations. The entries, alphabetically arranged, include not just persons but institutions of learning and a few important publications. "How to Use the Dictionary" should be read carefully for its explanation of the choices made in establishing forms of names. The illustration section appears at the end of volume 1, the index at the end of volume 2. The individual entries are lucid, and each has a bibliography. The latter include both primary sources and further readings. No effort is made to list English translations, making the dictionary less useful for beginners than for scholars well versed in Dutch thought of the Golden Age. The most famous of the figures covered can be found elsewhere, but second-rank intellectuals will be harder to find outside this set. Summing Up: Recommended. Research libraries." -CHOICE

T. M. Izbicki, Johns Hopkins University