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more complete and correct idea of the figure of a continent or island 

 than could be expressed in words, so do these maps of facts give a 

 more complete insight into physical phenomena than could be gained 

 by any amount of reading. Where the body of facts is so immense, 

 and the description of information so diversified, it follows almost as 

 a matter of course that errors should occasionally creep in and omis- 

 sions now and then occur. A few such we think we could point out, 

 but we notice this simply for the sake of asserting that a careful and 

 critical examination of several of the maps in detail has convinced us 

 that the greatest care has been taken in making them correct and 

 complete : and we have great pleasure in pronouncing the 'Physical 

 Atlas ' an invaluable boon to the man of science ; and in recommend- 

 ing it most cordially to the readers of the ' Phytologist.' 



At the present moment, when clairvoyance, hypothetical floras, 

 physiophilosophy, and vestigianism have induced many of our 

 younger and weaker-minded botanists to crave rather for fictitious 

 than real wonders — when a kind of diluted philosophy, a loose and 

 vague generalization has been partially adopted as an easy substi- 

 tute for scientific proficiency, — it is most delightful and refreshing to 

 meet with a work in which truth takes its proper station, and in 

 which no kind of quackery is allowed to mingle. We quote the pro- 

 spectus in order to give a better idea of the undertaking than any 

 description we could draw up for the occasion, and we advisedly 

 pronounce that the work itself fully bears out all that the publishers 

 say in its favour. 



" For imparting information, or for retaining what may already be 

 possessed, those means are calculated to be most successful which 

 readily commend themselves to the eye. Hence ordinary Geographical 

 Maps convey more rapid and accurate knowledge regarding the posi- 

 tions of places, and their relative distances from each other, than can 

 be done by the most elaborate verbal description ; but the inventive 

 genius of Professor Berghaus has imparted a significance to symbolical 

 representation, transcending all the anticipations which have been 

 formed regarding the capabilities of the art. The contents of the many 

 volumes which formerly were the sole depositories of information re- 

 garding the different kingdoms of nature, have been condensed and 

 reproduced in a graphic shape, in his Physical Atlas, with a concise- 

 ness, precision, completeness, and promptitude of expression altogether 

 unattainable by any agency previously employed. And not only has 

 this been the case in the reproduction of the reading matter contained 

 in books, but the process has been extended to the transmutation of 



