Vll 



the English translation further rectifications and en- 

 largements, which he might afterwards embody in the 

 work itself, on the completion of its concluding portion. 



In compliance with this honourable and gratifying 

 request, I have ventured to make some corrections in 

 pp. 104 to 107 of the original (114 to 117 of the 

 translation), and have added three notes one on the 

 figure of the earth, and two on subjects in terrestrial 

 magnetism; these will be found in pp. 453 to 516. 

 That in so doing I have not gone beyond either the 

 letter or the spirit of M. de Humboldt's express desire 

 will, I think, best appear by the following extracts from 

 his correspondence, which I therefore permit myself to 

 make : 



" Tout ce qui appartient aux details des corrections 

 speciales, comme pp. 113-117, que je possede deja im~ 

 primees en votre traduction, peut etre reserve a la 

 nouvelle edition de tout le ( Kosmos ' qui sera publiee 

 quelques mois apres que le 4 me volume, seconde et 

 derniere partie, sera termine. Tous les changemens que 

 vous daignerez faire dans la traduction actuelle du 4 me 

 volume, partie premiere (et je vous supplie d'en faire 

 beaucoup), seront employes consciencieusement." . . . " Je 

 ferai la plus vive attention a toutes les corrections que 

 vous daignerez aj outer en notes a la traduction, comme 

 aux changemens que vous introduirez immediatement 



