SOMERVILLE*S PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
149 
But let us not be misunderstood. We have noticed these faults lest 
any of our readers, impressed with the real merit of a considerable 
portion of Mr. Jukes’s work, should too hastily adopt all the statements 
which it contains: and we are far from wishing to detract in any way 
from the fame of an author who is justly entitled to a high place in the 
ranks of British geologists. 
Physical Geography. By Mary Somerville. Fourth Edition, thoroughly 
revised, with a Portrait. London: John Murray. 1858. 
In this volume we have the fourth edition of Mrs. Somerville’s “ Phy¬ 
sical Geography,” with a portrait of the authoress, and many additions 
contributed by her scientific friends. 
In a work of this kind originality of thought is not to be expected, 
and it has fallen to the lot of a lady to have written the most popular 
work in English on Physical Geography, as well as on the connexion 
of the Physical Sciences. The female mind is, perhaps, better suited 
than that of man for such compilations, as the habits of the sex ren¬ 
der them more familiar with the scissors than can be expected of their 
rougher brothers in literature. Whatever the reason be, we must con ¬ 
fess that we always found Mrs. Somerville’s books heavy reading: they 
are too condensed, too instructive, and resemble a Christmas pudding 
into which the zealous housekeeper has put too much raisins, currants, 
and citron. This, however, is a matter of taste, and we are well aware that 
many persons, better judges than ourselves, think differently, or at least 
say so; for it must be admitted to be a peculiarity of Mrs. Somerville’s 
position, that, owing to the deference due to her sex, she is not likely to 
hear the whole truth respecting either her books or scientific attain¬ 
ments from those with whom she associates. She has herself, also, fallen 
somewhat into the British Association style of speaking of all persons 
who have either written a book or read a paper, as “ able,” “admirable,” 
“ highly original,” &c.—terms which are now beginning to be estimated 
at their true worth, even by the lookers-on. For example, in the Pre¬ 
face to the present work we find the following :—“ Humboldt’s invalu¬ 
able Cosmos,” “ Sabine’s excellent notes,” “ Sir Charles Lyell, wherever 
the English language is read or spoken,” “ Sir Roderick Murchison, un¬ 
rivalled in everything connected with geology,” <( the able direction of 
Colonel Waugh;” and the equally “ able Survey of Mr. Gregory,” and 
last, and, certainly, not least in his own opinion, “her great authority 
and guide,” the Master of Trinity. 
Such conventionalities and courtesies smack of the conversazione or 
Red Lion Club too much to suit our taste; but with an authoress, we 
presume, they are indispensable. 
VOL. v. —REV, 
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