. 
- 
, 
AMERICAN 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. — 
Art. 1.—Meteorolozical Observations during a Residence in 
Colombia, between the Years 1820 and 1830.* By Colonel © 
Ricuarp Wricut, Governor of the Province of Loxa, and 
Confidential som of the Republic of the Equator, &c. &e. 
§ the materials of science could be g 
labor; but it frequently happens that, in distrnit countries, the 
opportunity of observing natural phenomena falls to the lot of 
those very ill fitted in most respects to profit by it. The genius 
of Humboldt, like an incantation of science, descends upon. the 
New World but once in a series of ages. ‘The most that canbe 
done by an ordinary observer, is to offer his mite,—a single stone 
towards the pyramid of knowledge,—in the hope that he may 
casually prove useful; and with such humble pretensions can 
scarcely be deemed mnportinmte: Should even this apology 
barely extenuate the sterility of a ten years’ residence in a coun- 
try so admirably varied and rich in natural phenomena as Colom- 
bia, something farther may be urged in excuse of the military 
traveller, obliged frequently to hurry through the most interesting 
parts, aud to vegetate whole years in others of minor importance ; 
without books, without instruments, without resources ; fettered 
too often by the chain of his own daily wants and sufferings ; and 
* From the London and Re Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Sci- ‘ 
ence, Vol. 14, No. 85, Janua 
Vol. xxxvu, No. i. Faroe. roy I 
ered only by the sci- — 
s useless 
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