The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-12-22

The Great English Literary Aufhori-
~ en- .Maury's Biographies, of
the University Series of school
Books. z 49,
What are We to think OF Teachers
and School Commissioners, here in
Tennessee, the birth State of MAURY.
who reject and try to keep out of our
schools, these books, thus receiving
! golden opinians in England? The Sat
lrday Reuieto of London, is the highest
authority in such matters in Europe.
From the Saturday Rericlr. London OF
Nor. p, ls7l.l
American LiterafuS-
There is probably no department OF
Iitoraturc or science in which Americans
themselves would question the SUPERB
ority Of England eiGher as REGARDS aver
age quality or quantity OF producil0h'
The bubble documents of the States, IN
deed, are, as our readers wen KNOW, VI
far more varied and general Value anu
;ntorast than our own, and many scien-
tific and practical works of the highest
merit have been, and are yearly pub
Iished at the expense OF the country.
Rut even though thus aided, there Is no
branch of study to which the entire re-
cont cnntribution of America IS any
thing like as importaD as our own.
Al; no class Of books, perhaps, Is
Ills inferiority more manifest than those
Intended for the use OF schools ana col
jepes Rut we must make one llHpor-
tant execution alike to the general rule
and the particular example. Upon ue-
orraphy and kindred subjects Ailori-
cans have written much ana careIuiiy,
stimulated and assisted no uoitoO ny tno
energetic encouragement Whlcn tne
Federal Government has constantly !
r,i,,n,, tn exDlorations of every kind III |
almost every part of the western CONT
npnt Geographers proper, BIOLOGISTS,
miueralopists, and naturallsts nave
been enabled to pursue their inquiries
AT the hubble cost, and have been en-
couroped to painstakino investigation,
and TO the publication of ample records
oftbcir discoveries by the interest which |
ali classes of Americans have always
manifested in these subjects. 1t Is no
doubt to their peculiar SITUATION, as
people of high civilization and unrest
ing enterprise, in possession Oh an lul-
mensa, rich, and imperfectly known
territory, Ihat this interest is que, ana
ii has led apparently to study OF geog-
"a, nv uuck more general and thorough
tban s. common in English schools
As the demand creates the supply, the
American textbooks of geography are
often more complete, and certainly
uuah better calculated to fulhl their
ruruose of instruction, than our own.
iIr. VI. r. MauTy's series, one OF which
we have already had occasion 10 notice,
are especially adapted TO excite the Gu
riOsiLv Of boys and girls, and to make
that which as taught to our children, Ia
about the dullest and most tedious OF
all dry matters of routine, the agree
able and interesting subject II cnght 10
Ice. The volume now before us IS htteu
20 be the delight of any schoolroom III
which the teacher is not utterly ana
unfit to teach. IL contrlNes
TO make the geographical dehhlSlolls 10
which children so rarely learn 10 attach 4,
, meaning Ineligible at sight, by an
Illustration IN which each OF the CONS
mon terms OF physical geographY-con-
.iueut, island, sourd, strait, ocean, sea,
mountain. lakeland, &c.-iss clearly
presented 10 the readers eye. ii con-
.lius not only the ordinary maps which
show the political demarcailons OF man
kind but physical maps III which the
great natural features OF every region {
arc clearly shown with equal distinct .
ness. And, finally, multitude OF Nus s
.Tstious attach a living inter est and VS.
.b.e meaning to the multitude of names
and facts which form the drudgery OF
geography; presenting to the sight and
Of the pupil characteristic
scenes which his memory Will ever al
.rr associate with the names OF capitals, 9
he course Of rivers, the local scenery, !
Iora, fauna, history, and industrial oc- :
.upation which the writers Of English
expect him to learn by rote
We can heartily recommend this vol
lme. and its companions, to the use oi
very family, and the junior classes OF a
very school; and we are sure thai (
where il is adopted the geography lesson
yilI become suddenly and surprisingly
popular.
Hhsry's G.0ggags ie.iI .Sariss: Manual Of &c ,
.r,plV; CaHpi.fe Treofic- on AaihGE@ I
.T~T. oa I Phy.ir7I GopgrHpbV. BY NJ. r. Maui 4
y. IL. D., Author of Physical Geography Of
le sea- &c. New York: University Pun '
ishiug Company. London: Sampson 10" "a I
70. :