"It is to me a standing marvel how scholars can endure, for all these centuries, to have only the name of hills and rivers on their lips, . . . and never one

line of conception of them in their mind's sight.'

JOHN RUSKIN.

PREFACE

THE modern teaching of geography, like that of history, lays increasing stress on the value of original authorities. One of the first steps in this direction was the bibliography appended to Sir Archibald Geikie's Teaching of Geography, followed in 1897 by Dr. H. R. Mill's Hints to Teachers and Students on the Choice of Geographical Books, compiled at the request of the Geographical Association. The present series goes a step further, and attempts to depict the world in the language of men who have seen it. The difficulties of the task of selection, and of avoiding either deficiency or redundancy, have been exceedingly great. The inexorable law of copyright has in many cases largely restricted the area of choice. Many excellent extracts have had to be rejected on account of their length, or because they dealt with matters of secondary importance, or, still more often, because an individual author was already too fully represented. In several cases a certain amount of condensation has been necessary. This has been effected by omission where necessary.

It is hardly necessary to say that the series is intended as a stimulus to, and not as a substitute for, individual reading, and to this end a number of additional references are given without quotation, and a somewhat full bibliography is appended. From almost every book and paper included, a large number of excellent supplementary passages could be made. With regard to the best method of using the series, the editors do not presume to dictate to teachers, but for those who may wish to use it as a class-book an introduction is prefixed, summarising the

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