4 Printed for Shenuood, Neely, and JoneSj 



founded upon official and authentic Documents, to exhibit nxt exact Delinea- 

 tion of the present cendition of the civilized World. 



This is our primary puri>ose; but this is not all. With the restoration of 

 the liberties of Europe, arose also the recovered freedom of scientific research 

 and lit' rary inquiry. During t'le last four or five years, large accessions 

 have been made to our general stock of Geographical Knowledge. Enter- 

 prising travellers have spread themselves in every direction, and communi- 

 cated to the World the result of their observations. Many doubtful points of 

 science have thus been established ; many unexpected facts have been veri- 

 fied; the moral aspect of nations has been vividly pourtrayed; the change* 

 in manners and customs, and in jiolitical influence, have been ascertained; 

 Tenerable errors have been corrected; important truths elucidated; and, in 

 short, the energies of unimpeded intellect have been applied to tiie survey of 

 the World in such a way, as spreads an ample share of novelty before the in- 

 dustrious Compiler of a Geographical System. These, we need hardly add, 

 shall not be neglected. While, therefore, the reader will find all that is 

 unquestionable in preceding Works, he may expect to receive, in addition, 

 the concentrated information which subsequent reseai'Ches have supplied. 



There is a constant flux in the affairs of civilized Man. Wherever his in- 

 fluence extends, a change is visible. What may be called the permanent fea- 

 tures of Nature even are not protected from this influence. It is true, moun- 

 tains and rivers do not remove ; but the hand of man clothes the one with ver- 

 dure, and covers the other with traffic. Where forests stood, cities are reared ; 

 where the stagnant morass exhaled its baleful effluvia, plains smile with cul- 

 tivation ; where pathless tracts spread themselves around, roads are formed, 

 brid^^es constructed, and villages spring up. These ceaseless mutations pre- 

 sent a boundless variety to the Geographical Historian ; and they mark, at the 

 same time, the progressive advances of States and Empires in the i>ath of 

 civilization. 



We trust we have said enough to prove, that \.\\e present period is one pecu- 

 liarly fit for the execution of a work like this. We have shown that the entire 

 face of E.irope has undergone a political revolution since the year IS! t; and 

 that a ?^F.w SY^TtM of Geography, which should distinctly define all the effects 

 of that revolution, particularly as affecting territorial boundaries sud domi- 

 nion, would be a valuable accession to our National Literature. It may be 

 remarked, too, that sufficient time has now elapsed to consolidate those effects, 

 and that whit Europe is now, ske is likely to remain for a series of yeai's. We 

 have also shown, that the facilities of international communication, naturally 

 arising from a secure general peace, have been employed by intrlligi>nt indi- 

 viduals in accumulating valuable stores of Information with resprct to the 

 natural, the moral, and the political condition of different Countries. These, 

 then, are the sources whence- we propose to derive our claims to public pa- 

 tronage. If we make a skilful use of them, there can be liltlo doubt as to that 

 patronage being bestowed ; and the probability that we shall make such a use, 

 is at least increased by the fact, that we know and appreciate them. Men do 

 not commonly fail in their object, when they clearly discern the means of at- 

 taining it: it is only when they have to seek for the latter, that thj former 

 sometimes escapes. 



CONDITIONS. 



I. Tbis Work will be handsomely printed in 

 Quarto, with a bold and elegant Type, and on 

 fine wove Paper. 



n. It will be published in Monthly Parts, 

 CEig/it of wliich are already ptiblished,) Price 

 7s. each, and completed in Twenty-fonr Parts, 

 forming two very huge and splendid Volumes. 



III. The Work will be accompanied with a 



valuable and correct Set of coloured Maps, in- 

 eluding the whole of the latest ArrauKiiments 

 and Disooveiies. 



IV. it will be illuslnted with a great va- 

 riety of appropriate View-, and numerous 

 othor Engravinifs, reprerenting the Manners, 

 Customs, and Costumes of different Nations. 



" The forferunjiers of Mr. Myers in this important branch of literature and science— we refer to 

 such authors as Gutiirie, Pinkerton, and Plavfair — have certainly done much to extend our know- 

 ledge of the Globe wlii-n we iuh.ibit. They'have deserved well of their Country, and they have 

 obtained no mean rei-ompense. Hut the political events of our day have so entirely chang" d the 

 territoria' relations of different States, that all existing Geigraphical Works were becouiinc, in a 

 great measure, obsolete.- Mt. Myers's connexion with the Royal Military Vcaiicmy.at Woolwich, 

 is a consideration of vast moment, as it must open to him facilities of attaining valuable stores of 

 Information, with respect to the natural, the moral, and the political eonJiiion of different Coun- 

 tries; of which, if he make askilful use, iiis Work cannot fail to become of National Importance. 



" Those Parts of ihe Work, which have alreaiij aipeared, we are happy to say, furnish a most 

 encouraging specimen of what may be expected, when it is c mpleted. The mechanical part— 

 we mean, the paper, lypogvaphy, an i embellishments— are such as ;he importance of the Work 

 itself required. Such, indeed, is the excellence of the Views and Engravings hitherto given, that 

 it is scaneiv possible to speak of them in terrasofexagseration—thtry leave all former publications 

 of this kind at an inimense distance. Let the work proceed as it has begun, and it can scarcely 

 fail to find a place, sooner or later, in every library or closet of books, throughout the Country." 

 •—New Evangelical Magazine. 



