248.26,5GS"

DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT, ss.

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the first day of May, L. S. in the forty-sixth year of the Independence of the United States of America, WILLIAM C. WOODBRIDGE, of the said District, and EMMA WILLARD, of the district of New-York, have deposited in this Office, the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as authors and proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

"Rudiments of Geography, on a new plan, designed to "assist the memory by comparison and classification; with cc numerous engravings of manners, customs, and curiosities; "accompanied with an Atlas, exhibiting the prevailing reli66 gions, forms of government, degrees of civilization, and the 66 comparative size of towns, rivers, and mountains. By "William C. Woodbridge, A. M."

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act for the encouragement of learning, "by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the

authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times "therein mentioned."-And also to an act, entitled, "An act "supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encour"agement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, "Charts and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned, and extending "the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and "etching historical and other prints."

CHARLES A. İNGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut. A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me, CHARLES A. INGERSOLL,

Clerk of the District of Connecticut:

500 OF DUCATION

Ver 11.1930

TO THE THIRD EDITION.

Ir is by comparing facts of the same kind, by arranging them in classes, and reducing them to general principles, that so much simplicity and beauty have been given to modern works of science. We are not now compelled to learn every fact in philosophy by itself; but a single statement or principle is given which includes a thousand particulars, and enables us to judge correctly in many cases where we have no other means of information.

This valuable method of instruction has not been gene, rally adopted in systems of Geography. Most works on this science are arranged in a manner which seems only adapted to a gazetteer, or a book of reference. Every variety of information, in politics, history, topography and natural science, is collected under the head of each country, and facts of the same kind are usually scattered under so many different heads, that it is a laborious task to form correct views of any single subject. The hope of applying the principles so much valued in other sciences to Geography, induced the author to undertake the present work. The merit of some already published would otherwise have rendered it unnecessary. That the execution is imperfect, is almost a matter of course in a first essay. The narrow limits also to which he was confined, and the danger of encroaching too much at once on established methods, prevented the full execution of his plan. In a larger work, which is now in press, the system has been rendered more complete and extensive.

The importance of gaining general views on every subject which the mind can comprehend, is generally acknowledged. The traveller who ascends an eminence from which he can overlook a great city at a single glance, with an experienced guide to point out the most prominent buildings and remarkable objects, is prepared to examine every part with more interest, and will gain a more distinct conception of the whole, than he could ever attain by wandering from one street to another. The painter observes the outlines of a landscape before he attends to the smaller objects. The anatomist studies the skeleton of the human frame, before he examines its minute organs. On the same principles, the student in Geography should fix the great outlines of the subject in his mind, before he attempts to learn those minute particulars which form only the "filling up" of the picture. Indeed, this method of study is peculiarly applicable to this subject. Climate, production, religion, and civ

ilization have their own limits, which are not dependent on the will of kings, or the changing boundaries of states.

In the present work, every subject of this kind, is considered as belonging to General Geography. A chapter is devoted to each subject, that the pupil may receive deep and distinct impressions before another is introduced; and general statements are made which include the most important facts on this subject in every part of the world. In the same manner, those characteristics of a great division of the earth, which are similar in all its countries, are described by a single remark, and the pupil is referred to this, instead of repeating it for each country. Thus, when it is stated that savage nations" have little knowledge of agriculture and the mechanic arts," (p. 48,) the pupil knows of course, after exa mining the state of nations on his chart, that this is true of the Siberians, the Indians, &c. When he is told that the countries of the Torrid Zone produce the " finest fruits, and the most beautiful vegetables," (p. 38,) the mere inspection of his map will show him that this is the fact in Hindoostan, Guinea, &c. In the same manner, when he learns that the Northern Countries of Europe, "have neither spring nor autumn," like ours, (p. 107,) he need not be told again that this is the case in Sweden, Norway, and Lapland. By this method, the time and space, and effort of memory, which would be necessary in repeating the statement under each country, are saved, and the comparison renders the idea more valuable to the learner.

In acquiring a knowledge of Physical Geography, this method is particularly useful. When subjects so unchanging as the climate and productions of the earth, are associated with its political divisions, the pupil is not only liable to great inaccuracy in his views, but will often find his ideas thrown into confusion, by the frequent changes in the names, extent and boundaries of states. But on the plan proposed, some degree of permanency is given to our knowledge, and much of this inconvenience is avoided. The natural features of every portion of the globe remain the same, whatever names or states may be found within it. In addition to this, we can often judge with correctness of countries unexplored by travellers, by knowing the region in which they lie. To supply the deficiencies of general views, it is only necessary to state under the head of each country, the important peculiarities which distinguish it from others in the same region, or in a similar state of society.

In this work the principle of comparison is also ap

plied to the difficult subject of numbers; and mountains, ri vers, cities, &c. are arranged in classes, according to their size. This method not only "relieves the memory from a fruitless burthen, by substituting a few numbers for many," but it leads to those comparisons of known with unknown objects, without which numbers are of little value.

In every part of the work, the author has also kept the principle in view, that no language can impress ideas so deeply on the mind as information addressed to the eye. It is peculiarly important to adopt this method in a science that treats chiefly of visible objects, of which it is impossible to gain a complete idea without inspection or delineations. A description cannot give so distinct views of the geography of a country as a map; and no words can so fully convey the idea of a remarkable custom or curiosity as a drawing or engraving.

On these principles is founded the plan which forms the basis of the following work, of obliging the pupil, by means of questions, to acquire his knowledge of natural geography almost entirely from an atlas. In order to furnish a more complete delineation of countries, the class of each object is marked upon it in the maps of this work; and by means of distinct numbers and characters, they exhibit, not only the place of rivers, mountains and cities, but their size, the capitals of countries and the seats of universities. In the Chart of the inhabited world, not only the situation and outlines of countries are shown, but their population, government, religion, and state of civilisation. In the View of Regions and Climates, the same countries are exhibited with lines which mark their climate, and point out in the list of animals and vegetables, such as are usually found in them. With the same objects in view, a series of engravings have been selected from the works of distinguished travellers and other authors, many of which will be found to convey ideas which no description could have furnished.

It has been proved by experience that the various methods described, not only oblige the pupil to understand what he is learning, but increase his interest in the study. They are also fitted to improve his mind, to give him the habit of arranging his knowledge, and to assist him in forming those general views which are so important to the correctness of his judgment on all subjects. To aid still farther in the same object, the travels on the map are introduced, and many questions are asked, which require the pupil to apply his knowledge in a manner calculated to ex

ercise his reason as well as his memory. It has also been the author's aim throughout the work, to lose no opportunity of cultivating the moral feelings as well as the intellectual powers of those who may study it, and to teach them how to value the privileges of a free, enlightened, and Christian country. THE plan of teaching Geography from the maps, and the "interrogative system," usually ascribed to Guy and Goldsmith, were used in this country before the introduction of their works, by the Rev. William Woodbridge, formerly of Newark, New-Jersey, and adopted in books prepared for his pupils. The plan of this work was formed by the author in 1813, and some materials collected; but from the pressure of other avocations and ill health, it was not executed until 1821. After the printing of the first edition was commenced, the author learned with surprise, that Mrs. Willard, Principal of the Female Seminary at Troy, in the State of New-York, had begun to prepare, and designed to publish, a system of geography on a plan of classification and arrangement corresponding, in some respects with singular exactness, to that of the present work, but not including the views of moral and physical geography found on the charts, or the engravings illustrating customs and curiosities. It was thought desirable that both should unite in the support of one work, composed of the Modern Geography then prepared by the author, and a system of Ancient Geography which had been used by Mrs. Willard in the instruction of her pupils. The Ancient Geography has been recently published, and from the opinion of competent judges, it is hoped will be found a valuable acquisition to schools, both for the simplicity and excellence of its plan.

The author has availed himself of the suggestions of Mrs. Willard in improving the arrangement of the tables, and a few other parts of this work, and adding some questions; but in all other respects it remains as prepared by himself. The coincidence of the plan with that of Mrs. Willard, and the result of long experience in its use in the well known Seminary at Troy, will be seen in the following extracts from her preface, which will be found at length in the first edition, and to which the author takes pleasure in referring as an interesting exhibition of the principles on which this work is founded.

"Although this system has never before been published, yet it has been brought to the full test of experiment. It is nearly eight years since I began to teach geography in