OF

MODERN GEOGRAPHY;

WITH

AN APPENDIX,

CONTAINING

AN OUTLINE OF ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY, AN OUTLINE OF
SACRED GEOGRAPHY, PROBLEMS ON THE USE OF
THE GLOBES, AND DIRECTION FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF MAPS.

For the Use of Schools.

BY ALEXANDER REID, A. M.,

Rector of the Circus-Place School, Edinburgh; Author of " Rudiments of
English Grammar,'
," "Rudiments of English Composition," &c.

FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.

EDINBURGH:

PUBLISHED BY

OLIVER & BOYD, TWEEDDALE COURT;

AND

SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO., LONDON.

1842.

154.

ENTERED IN STATIONERS' HALL.

Printed by Oliver & Boyd,

Tweeddale Court, High Street, Edinburgh,

PREFACE.

THE following compilation has been prepared as an introduction to the Study of Geography, for the use of the Younger Classes in the Institution with which the Author is connected; but it is hoped that it may also serve to supply the place of larger and more expensive works in schools where only a limited portion of time can be devoted to this branch of education. The larger Text-books to which chiefly it is meant to be introductory, are Ewing's System of Geography, Stewart's Compendium of Modern Geography, and the Outlines of Geography for the Use of the Edinburgh Academy. In imitation of the last of these, the names of places in the text have been accompanied with short descriptions, and occasionally with the mention of some remarkable event, by which the labour of the Pupil in preparing his lesson is much diminished, and greater interest is excited during the examination upon it in the class, than could be effected by the repetition of a mere list of names. Following the method adopted in the works of Ewing and Stewart, there have been appended to the several countries notices of the physical geography, productions, government, and religion. These notices are necessarily very brief; but the Author has endeavoured to make them embrace as much as possible of that kind of information which is interesting to the minds of the Young, and to which a skilful teacher will readily add by oral instruction. To guide to the correct pronunciation of names of places, they have been accented according to the best authorities which the Compiler has had an opportunity of consulting.

In the Appendix will be found an Outline of Ancient or rather of Comparative Geography, designed to assist younger

classes in the study of Ancient History. The Outline of Sacred Geography is meant to facilitate their understanding of Scripture History. As many problems on the Globes have been given as appear to be really useful in elementary schools. The Directions for the Construction of Maps have been added, to enable Pupils to perform with greater accuracy an exercise, which at once increases their acquaintance with Geography, and fixes it in their minds; namely, the delineation, on a board or on paper, of the outlines and principal features of those countries, the places and description of which they are studying. To these Directions is appended a Table, showing the length of a degree of longitude on any parallel of latitude between the equator and the poles. The heights of the principal mountains, the lengths of the rivers, and the population of the chief cities, have also been arranged in Tables, to which reference can easily be made when they occur in the lessons.

It remains to be observed that, except for the Problems on the Globes, no Questions or Exercises have been given, as has hitherto been usual in elementary books of this kind. The Author is of opinion that it is better to leave these to the judgment of the Teacher, who can more efficiently exercise the intellectual powers of his Pupils and promote their progress, by examinations of his own adapted to their various capacities and proficiency, than could be accomplished by their merely seeking out answers to printed questions. On this subject he would only take the liberty to suggest, that he is in the practice, in his own class, of varying the examinations upon the lessons in the following manner,-by pointing to the places on the map, and asking their names, their situation as described in the Text-book, and for what they are remarkable,-by naming the places, and causing the Pupils to point them out on the map,-and by describing the situation of the places, and for what they are remarkable, and then asking their names.

EDINBURGH, April 1837.