212 Bibliography. 



an atlas. From our opportunities of knowing the extent and value of 

 the labors performed by this expedition, we hazard nothing in saying 

 that these volumes will be by far the most important contributions to 

 geographical science ever made from this country ; while the historical 

 and commercial information they contain, combined with the varied 

 incidents of a cruise around and about the world for four years, will 

 render it an attractive book to the general reader. We have some time 

 since laid before our readers a map on which the route of the expedi- 

 tion was laid doWn, (Vol. xlv, p. 153,) and a summary account of the 

 nature of their labors, (Vol. xliv, p. 393,) especially in science. It is the, 

 less necessary, therefore, to repeat here what has there been stated. The 

 specimen of letter-press and illustration which we have seen is unrivalled 

 in this country for the beauty with which the mechanical and artistic por- 

 tion of the work has been executed. Forty six exquisite steel plates are 

 interspersed among the letter-press, beside the sixty eight large steel 

 plates, three hundred finely executed wood cuts and thirteen large 

 maps and charts. The letter-press will extend to 2,500 pages. No 

 pains or expense have been spared to make this work in every respect 

 worthy of the subjects it records, and of the government under whose 

 authority the voyage was undertaken. When we have seen the vol- 

 umes, we shall have it in our power to speak more definitely of their 

 contents. The five volumes and atlas cost $25. 



It will be remembered that the work now announced is only the nar- 

 rative of the Commander of the expedition, and does not present any of 

 the detached labors of the naturalists and gentlemen of science, con- 

 nected with the squadron. How many more volumes of text and plates 

 will be necessary to exhibit the full amount of research and discovery 

 made in the several departments of natural history, it is difficult to say. 

 But it is strongly to be desired that no curtailment of these works may 

 be enforced from any false notions of economy, or from a fear that too 

 much time will be lost, if they do not appear at once — before the sev- 

 eral subjects have been thoroughly worked up. The character of the 

 gentlemen in whose hands the difl^erent departments are placed, is a 

 sufficient guarantee of the faithfulness and ability with which these 

 labors will be performed. 



12. Prof. X F, W. Johnston's works on Agricultural Chemistry. — 

 The new editions of the works of this laborious and successful author, 

 have just reached us in an enlarged and improved form. His " Lectures" 

 form an octavo of one thousand pages, and are now every where re- 

 ceived as of the most accurate authority, being filled with the most 

 common sense views of the application of science to agriculture. 



