In 1828, Lardner was elected professor of
natural philosophy and
astronomy at
University College, London, a position he held until he resigned his professorship in 1831. Lardner showed himself to be a successful populariser of science, giving talks on contemporary topics such as
Babbage's
Difference Engine (1834). He was the author of numerous mathematical and physical treatises on such subjects as
algebraic geometry (1823),
differential and
integral calculus (1825), and the
steam engine (1828). He also wrote handbooks on various departments of natural philosophy (1854–1856). However, it is as the editor of
The Cabinet Cyclopædia (1830–1844) that he is best remembered.
The Cabinet Cyclopædia eventually comprised 133 volumes, and many of the ablest savants of the day contributed to it.
Sir Walter Scott contributed a history of
Scotland and
Thomas Moore contributed a history of Ireland.
Connop Thirlwall provided a history of
Ancient Greece and
Robert Southey provided a section on naval history. Many eminent scientists contributed as well. Lardner himself was the author of the treatises on arithmetic, geometry, heat,
hydrostatics and
pneumatics, mechanics (in conjunction with
Henry Kater) and electricity (in conjunction with
Charles Vincent Walker). The
Cabinet Library (9 vols., 1830–1832), the
Edinburgh Cabinet Library (38 vols., 1830–1844) and the
Museum of Science and Art (12 vols., 1854–1856) were his other chief undertakings. A few original papers appear in the Royal Irish Academy's
Transactions (1824), in the
Royal Society's
Proceedings (1831–1836) and in the Astronomical Society's
Monthly Notices (1852–1853); and two
Reports to the British Association on railway constants (1838, 1841) are from his pen. ==Involvement in scandal==