On Physical Geography. 273 



ed from them, in relation to the science of which they treat. 

 The blending of geography and statistics is injurious, as it at- 

 tempts to unite things which are necessarily distinct, and sepa- 

 rates things which have a necessary connection. Thus, the alpine 

 region, which certainly forms one whole, is found in the books 

 of geography in various places, under the heads of Switzerland, 

 Italy, France, Germany, Hungary, &c. ; so that that which 

 forms a great unit cannot be seized at one view, and therefore 

 the recollection of it cannot fail to be confused and imperfect. 

 Spain and Portugal, so closely united by nature, are also sepa- 

 rated ; in treating of Russia, Nova Zembla and the Crimea are 

 taken into the account ; in describing Denmark, they speak of 

 Iceland, Greenland, and the Danish colonies in Asia, Africa, 

 and America; and thus is produced a most singular confusion 

 of countries and climates, the most diverse and opposite. These 

 defects, in addition to that of introducing so much statistical 

 matter that has little or no relation to geography, are such as to 

 prevent the scholar's acquiring from them any just and faithful 

 image of our globe. There are, indeed, treatises expressly on 

 physical geography ; but they contain only the most general 

 notions of this science, — of seas, mountains, rivers, climates, 

 &c. ; but we do not find in them the globe divided into its na- 

 tural parts, nor the examination and comparison of these differ- 

 ent parts. 



" A second defect of our treatises of geography, whether po- 

 litical or physical, is, that the countries are not compared with 

 each other, 'i'he comparative method has produced the most 

 happy fruits in zoology, geognosy, and other sciences ; — physi- 

 cal geography may, in like manner, be developed by a compa- 

 rison of all countries, considered under all their physical rela- 

 tions." 



The author thinks as we do, that, in order that geography may 

 deserve the name of a science, the pupil should understand the 

 relations which exist between the exterior form of the globe, the 

 properties of the atmosphere, of vegetables and animals, and in 

 what manner the climate is connected with the soil, how it influ- 

 ences the animal and vegetable kingdoms, and how all these phy- 

 sical causes modify the character of the human race. He has 

 often been surprised that teachers should so fatigue their pupils 



JANUARY MARCH 1832. T 



