Chart representing the extent population & revenue of the principal nations in Europe in 1804 by W. Playfair. No. 3. To face page 192.

• Main Authors: Playfair, William, 1759-1823, Marchant, W.
• Format: Map
• Language: unknown
• Published: Greenland and Norris 1804
• Subjects: Statistical; Population; Commerce; Economics; Data Visualization; Detroit; Greenland
• Online Access: https://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~347499~90114921; https://media.davidrumsey.com/MediaManager/srvr?mediafile=/Size4/RUMSEY~8~1/199/14294015.jpg

Fold-out, hand-colored engraved chart showing population and national revenues for European nations in 1804. Includes a comparison of the total revenues of Europe, Asia, Africa, the Russian Empire, Turkish Empire and United States. In addition, square miles given for each European nation. The data appears as circles of comparative sizes within the chart. Descriptive text accompanies the circles to clarify their visual representation. Chart is 27 x 50 cm, on sheet 35 x 55, folded to 26 x 19. "Published as the Act directs." William Playfair's An inquiry into the permanent causes of the decline and fall of powerful and wealthy nations . , published in London by Greenland and Norris, 1805. First edition; second edition published in 1807. Pagination: [i-iii], iv-xx, [1], 2-301, with [4] fold-out leaves of plates throughout. Includes a preface, table of contents, and historical text, followed by an index. Marbled page edges, now faded. This copy has embossing on title page: Library of the University of Detroit. Plates contain four hand-colored engraved charts showing worldwide economic histories and international relationships, as well as the populations and square miles of nations. The exquisite graphics convey the data through easily comprehensible visuals, which are also stunningly beautiful in pastel hues. William Playfair was the inventor of statistical graphs, and thus a pioneer in infographics and data visualization. "Playfair’s charts can thus be understood as a direct response to the profusion of knowledge and information that we associate with the Enlightenment specifically and with the eighteenth century more generally. This seeming explosion of information—the sheer proliferation of raw data—is, of course, what enables Playfair’s time-series graphs" (Sachs). Full text transcription available via Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/16575/16575-h/16575-h.htm http://www.branchcollective.org/?ps_articles=jonathan-sachs-17861801-william-playfair-statistical-graphics-and-the-meaning-of-an-event