GEORGE PERKINS MARSH. 449 



lectures in "Washington, New York, and Boston. In 1861 President 

 Lincoln accredited Mr. Marsh as Envoy Estraordiiiary and Minister 

 Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of Italy. He con- 

 tinued to hold this honorable office until he died. 



Besides numerous minor writings, including his contributions to peri- 

 odical publications, and besides any writings whicli his literary execu- 

 tors may yet bring to light, Mr. Mai-sh left several larger published 

 works which may conveniently be arranged in two classes. 



To the first class belong the two works entitled, i-espectively, "The 

 Earth as Modified by Human- Action," and "The Camel, his Organ- 

 ization, Habits, and Uses, considered with Reference to his Introduc- 

 tion into the United States." The former of tliese books is a corrected 

 and enlarged edition of an earlier work of the same author, entitled 

 "Man and Nature, or Physical Geography as modified by Human 

 Action." 



This book, upon which Mr. Marsh's reputation could well afford to 

 rest, is, like his other works, characterized by thoroughness, earnest- 

 ness and practical good sense. It does not profess to Ije a scientific 

 work, but to address itself to the common sense of men of average 

 intelligence, for purposes merely practical. 



The work is so complex in its structure, and so full of details as 

 heterogeneous as they are important, that it can only be analyzed in 

 the most general terms. Its general scope is to exhibit the exceptional 

 position of man, as distinguished from all other living organisms, in 

 respect to the power of infiuencing the aspect and the operations of Na- 

 ture ; and to inculcate the wisdom and the duty of directing this power 

 according to the dictates of sound reason and the teachings of experience, 

 so as not only to reach the best results and avoid former errors, but 

 also to remedy, so far as is still iwssible, the evil already caused by 

 inexperience and want of caution. 



INIan, who in his savage state is a mere consumer of what Nature 

 has provided, soon becomes a producer, using to that end, and modify- 

 ing to a remarkable extent, the powers of Nature of which he has 

 learned the secret more or less completely. That he shall learn it 

 most thoroughly so far as such knowledge is permitted to him, and 

 that he shall use due caution in his interference with Nature's sponta- 

 neous operations, is the author's wise endeavor. 



Mr. Marsh approached the work in his wonted spirit of earnestness, 

 and with that faithful preparation which he brought to all that he at- 

 tempted. The works which he consulted ai-e more than three hundred 

 in number, and are written in a dozen languages. To give credit in 

 VOL. XVIII. (n. s. X.) 29 



