CONTENTS OF VOL. I. 



The T ranslator's Preface iii 



The Author's Preface vii 



Summary xv 



INTRODUCTION. 



The Results of the Study of Physical Phenomena 23 



The different Epochs of the Contemplation of the external World. 24 

 The different Degrees of Enjoyment presented by the Contempla- 

 tion of Nature 25 



Instances of this Species of Enjoyment 26 



Means by which it is induced 2b 



The Elevations and climatic Relations of many of the most cele- 

 brated Mountains in the World, considered with Reference to the 



Effect produced on the Mind of the Observer 27-33 



The Impressions awakened by the Aspect of tropical Regions ... 34 

 The more accurate Knowledge of the Physical Forces of the Uni- 

 verse, acquired by the Inhabitants of a small Section of the tem- 

 perate Zone 36 



The earliest Dawn of the Science of the Cosmos 36 



The Difficulties that opposed the Progress of Inquiry 37 



Consideration of the Effect produced on the Mind by the Observa- 

 tion of Nature, and the Fear entertained by some of its injurious 



Influence 40 



Illustrations of the Manner in which many recent Discoveries have 

 tended to Remove the groundless Fears entertained regarding 



the Agency of certain Natural Phenomena 43 



The Amount of Scientific Knowledge required to enter on the 



Consideration of Physical Phenomena 47 



The Object held in View by the present Work 49 



The Nature of the Study of the Cosmos 50 



The special Requirements of the present Age 53 



Limits and Method of Exposition of the Physical Description of the 



Universe 56 



Considerations on the terms Physiology and Physics 58 



Physical Geography 59 



Celestial Phenomena 63 



The Natural Philosophy of the Ancients directed rt ore to Celestial 



than to Terrestrial Phenomena 65 



The able Treatises of Varenius and Carl Ritter 66, 6"i 



Signification of the Word Cosmos 68-70 



The Domain embraced by Cosmography 71 



Empiricism and Experiments 74 



The Proce.ss of Reason and Induction 77 



