COSMOS: 



A SKETCH 



OF 



A PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE UNIVERSE. 



BY 



ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN, 



BY E. C. OTTE AND B. H. PAUL, Ph. D., F.C.S. 



Natures vero rerum vis atque majestas in omnibus momentis fide caret, si quis modo 

 paries ejus ac non totam complectatur animo. Plin., Hist. Nat., lib. viL, C. 1. 



VOL. IV. 



NEW YORK: 



HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, 

 329 & 331 PEARL STREET, 



FRANKLIN SQUARE. 

 1 8 5 5. 



