At the end of his Preface, Chambers describes the purpose of his project:

Such a Variety of Views, Principles, and Manners of thinking, is a sure Remedy against being too violently attached to any one ; and is the best way of preventing the making of Pedants, Bigots, &c. of any kind. It may be said, that every Art tends to give the Mind a particular Turn ; and that the only way of maintaining it in its natural Rectitude, is by calling in other opposite ones, by way of Counter-balance. Thus we find nothing more perverse and unsufferable than a mere Mathematician, mere Critic, Grammarian, Chemist, Poet, Herald, or the like ; and the proper Disposition is only to be had from a just Temperament or Mixture of them all. (XXX)