ACCOUNT OF BOOKS. 



925 



to join the expedition that had set 

 out to Egypt, from whence he 

 lioped to penetrate into Arabia, 

 and crossing the gulf of Persia, to 

 reach the Enghsh settlements in 

 India. But the situation of France, 

 after the battle of the Nile, became 

 every day more and more critical. 

 The Barbary powers, according to 

 their custom, made war on the de- 

 feated party, and the navigation 

 ' of the Meditterranean, for French 

 vessels, was extremely dangerous. 

 Humboldtstaid twomonthsat Mar- 

 seilles, where he hoped to obtain 

 a passage on board a Swedish fri- 

 gate vvith a consul from Sweden to 

 Algiers. His patience being worn 

 out, he went to Spain, in the hopes 

 of finding a ready passage to Bar- 

 bary from thence. He carried with 

 liim astronomical instruments, and 

 an apparatus for the cultivation of 

 experimental philosophy, which he 

 liad purchased in England. 



But a more extensive prospect 

 was now opened to him. After re- 

 siding some months, he obtained 

 from the court of Spain, in the most 

 liberal and flattering manner, per- 

 mission to visit her colonies in the 

 New World. He immediately call- 

 ed from Paris his friend Bompland, 

 whose profound knowledge in bo- 

 tany and zoology were equalled 

 only by his zeal to advance, with- 

 out ceasing, in the way of new dis- 

 covery. The two voyagers, with- 

 out losing a moment's time, went 

 on board a Spanish vessel at Co- 

 runna, and after touching at the 

 Canary Isles, where they climbed 

 the pique of Teyde to see its crater, 

 pursuing their voyage, arrived, in 

 the month of July, at Cumana, in 

 South America. 



The literary labours of Hum- 



boldt and Bompland, the fruits of 

 their long-continued, variegated, 

 and perilous travels in the Spanish 

 colonies of America, arc divided 

 into six parts ; each of these parts 

 being subdivided into a number 

 of volumes, and these again into 

 livraisons (deliveries), one of 

 which is presented to the public 

 from tim.e to time, according to 

 the progress made in the whole 

 work. Each of these volumes, 

 which may be considered as dis- 

 tinct works, is sold separately, and 

 with a particular title. This is very 

 judicious. 



The first part contains general 

 physics and an historical account 

 of the voyage; comprised in five 

 vols. 4to. vvith two atlasses. I'he 

 first volume is entitled "An Essay 

 on the Geography of Plants, ac- 

 companied with a Physical Table 

 of the Equinoctial Regions; found- 

 ed on Measurements from the 10th 

 Degree of North, to the 10th De- 

 gree of South Latitude; forming 

 an Introduction to the whole Work.' 

 This volume has been published, as 

 also those relating to the history of 

 the voyage. 



The second part is taken up with 

 "Comparative Zoology and Anato- 

 my." Published. 



The third part is "A Political 

 Essay on the Kingdom of New 

 Mexico; in one vol. 4to. with an 

 Atlas in folio." Published. 



The fourth part, "Astronomy 

 and Magnetism; three vols. 4to." 

 Published. 



The fifth part is intitled "An 

 Essay on Geological Pasigraphy, 

 (General and Physical Geography ) 

 one vol. 4to." tn the press. 



The sixth part is taken up with 

 botany. In the press. 



The 



