то

ALEXANDER KEITH JOHNSTON, ESQ.

THIS FIRST ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE

THE WORKS OF THE GREAT AND EXCELLENT RITTER

TO THE BRITISH NATION

Is Inscribed,

NOT LESS AS A TRIBUTE DUE TO

EMINENT ATTAINMENTS,.

THAN AS AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FOR

REPEATED ACTS OF KINDNESS.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

THE name of the late Professor Carl Ritter of Berlin is familiar, not merely to the highest circles of our men of science, but to nearly every one who is in any way interested in geographical studies. For nearly half a century, and up to his death, he was considered the first in his department, as well as the founder of Historical Geography. His great work on Asia, in nineteen massive volumes of more than a thousand pages each, has long since passed into a second edition, and is considered one of the most important works of our time.

During his laborious life as Professor of Geography in the University of Berlin, Ritter published very little excepting the successive volumes of the Erdkunde;' but he perfected three courses of Academical Lectures, one of which is now placed before the English public. Professor Ritter's great eminence, both as a teacher and as a scholar, are

a sufficient guarantee of the value of his writings; and it is trusted that the clearness of his thought, the beauty of his method, and the conciseness of his matter, will secure for this work the same hearty reception which followed its posthumous publication in Germany.

It may be not improper to remark that such slight changes have been made in measurements and the like as were necessary to bring the work up to the present date.

W. L. G.

LONDON, March 1, 1865.