I 
— 
6 PREFACE. 
sure given place to those occupied with descriptions 
of nature, physical or moral,—and the phenomena 
of the material world now afford entertainment to 
many who in former times would have sought for it 
at a different source. Romantic incidents, perilous 
adventures, the struggles of conflicting armies, and 
vivid delineations of national manners and indivi- 
dual character, naturally excite a lively interest in 
every bosom, whatever may be the age or sex ; but, 
surely, the great facts of creative power and wis- 
dom, as exhibited in regions of the globe of which 
they have no personal knowledge, are not less cal- 
culated to fix the attention of all reflecting minds. 
The magnificent vegetation of the tropical regions, 
displaying forests of gigantic trees, interspersed with 
the varied foliage of innumerable shrubs, and adorn- 
ed with festoons of climbing and odoriferous plants ; 
the elevated table-lands of the Andes, crowned by 
voleanic cones, whose summits shoot high into the 
region of perennial snow; the earthquakes that have 
desolated populous and fertile countries; the vast 
expanse of the Atlantic Ocean, with its circling cur- 
rents; and the varied aspect of the heavens in those 
distant lands,—are subjects suited to the taste of 
every individual who is capable of contemplating 
the wonderful machinery of the universe. 
It is unnecessary here to present an analysis of 
the labours of the illustrious philosopher whose foot- 
steps are traced in this volume. Suffice it to observe, 
that some notices respecting his early life introduce 
