New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-04-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

CLUs Translated by the late b. b. WOODWARD, Nj.
A, and Edited by Henry WOODWARD 2vols sVo.
q. p. Putnam & Sons
Few foreign works devoted to the illustration OF
popular science that have been brought before the
American public, can compare with the present ao
mirable volumes for richnessof material and fehcy
Of execution. Not only the vast amount OF mtorlna
ton concerning the phenomena OF the phys'cah
world that is embodied in their contents, but tIS
oompactness and lucdity of their method, ana thS
ehaste beauty Of their style, commend them y" 'is
attention of the intelligent reader and promise eqna
delight and improvement from the dligent stuoy OF
their pages The writer treats in the mist psoe, VI
the earth as planet comparing its dimensions "ilp
those of the sun and fixed stars, describing lts mo
tons and the succession of days and seasons and
discussing the various theories OF Its for1nsooh'
and the duration Of geological periods Inc ufs-
tribution of land and water Is next oonshereh COM
prising detailed account of continents plains
deserts, mountains glaciers rivers islands, lakes
and other prominent topics Of physical geography
and concluding with the explanation Of the suotef
ranean forces which produce volcanoes earthquakes
and great terrestrial upbeavas and depres'ois
Among the most remarkable chapters OF the WIN
are those devoted to mountains and glaciers "inOi
possess fascinating interest," both on account VI
the cearness of their expostions and the pic'uioSq
grace of their natural sketches lDo "iN
not dry collector of sclentic iao'S ou,
~ mon the wonders Of the physical
,orld Nth the eve and the heart of genuine poet
To him patnpe is alive with forms OF various
heantv and without sacrificing the fruits OF exact
research which compose the basis OF all hs oescri
tons he delights to portray the aspects IN which she
.Dnaals n the imagination. In his view the noun
taDs which tower up in solitary greatness from the
bosom of the sea- or fDom some level plain produce
An effect of the highest grandeur ana
make the most vivid and exciting I'M
pression on the mind. No natural pictures can
be imagined of superior beauty to those formed
by the graceful slopes and purple SUBMITS OF
isolated mountains like the VentOux, Etna the vol
cano of Tenerife, and other peaks, at the base OF
which whole horizon seems spread out VI the
mountains which lie in groups or IN extensive
ranges each is distinguished from its nelghbors by
certain characteristics of special beauty. Every
peak assumes an appearance OF independents NltaIty,
as if il enjoyed an individuality of its own. The
sight of these gigantic forms exercises singular
charm over some persons and they are tempted, as
by an urgent instinct, TO bend their steps towards
she mountain. and scale its towering nights Every
mountain whose summit in its bold traeery stands
out clear from the rest Of the seems TO be almost
endowed with personal life and is tempted to
elothe il with even human qualities In days gone
BY the people used worship mountains, or at least
TO venerate them seats Of their divintes In our
own day we have ceased TO worship mountains but,
as the author remarks, those that know them best,
seem to love them with perfect love. To scale the
Hottest SUBMITS has become passion, and the JOY
which it inspires is of the most thrilling nature. The
cause of this is explained in the following eloquent
paragraphs:
Whence proceeds the deeps eated Joy which s felt in
sealing lofty summit in the first place, there Is
great physical pleasure IN Dreaming le Iiesn Keen an,
1s1 has
of the plains. Man feels renovated by merely tasting
fils Atmosphere of lfe the higher he mounts up, the
more rared the air. deeper inspirations are
necessary to MI the lungs, the chest Is sweIed te
vades the mind The pedestrian who scales mountain
feels himself his own master and Responsible for ms own
hfe be is not delivered over 20 the careousnes OF the
elements like the navigator, who trusts hs fortunes o
the sea; muchless he like the railway traveller mere
human package-pald for tcketed ana put IN carlgS'
and then dispatched at fixed time, under the survel
lance Of the employees in uniform. On aighting, lie W.
gains the use of his limbs and ms liberty HIS eye en-
ables him avoid the stones that lie IN ms PAIN 10
ROCKY proecOns and cefts which VIII facilitate the
esoaade Of the cliffs. The force and elasticity OF ms
to maintain his footing on the steest inoes
and TO raise himself step by step, up Tie most d1uit
passages on thousand occasions during the ascent "
a steep mountain, he must fully recognize That lH is
running fearful danger should he either chance 10 Iose
his balance, allow sensation OF gfdness TO dlm his
~ ronfad service This c1naciousness OF sril oiped
10 the peasurabe knowledge OF his activity and health
t Aohes his feline of safety With what ioy does
he aterward relate the slightest incident of the ascent
IN into The torrenf beneath with deadened sound; the
root to which be hung suspended when he ad wall Of
rock the sreamet of sDOWWater at which ne queDched
his thirst; the first glacier erepGsSe over the brink
of which he stopped and yet dared leap the long and
weary slope up which he painfully climbed with his
legs buried kneedeep in the snow finally, the cuInnat-
ing pea from which he saw, spreading away into the
mist Of the horizon the immense panorama Of mountain
valley, and plain When the traveller looks back rom
aT upon the summit which he conquered at the cost OF
much excrOn IT is with perfect rapture that he s 1t
again, or traces out with ms glance the pain tiat be
followed, from the valleys al its base 70 its sn0v-ciad
peak. The mountain seems actually TO look down ana
smile upon him afar; for him alone its snow gtors
and the fading sunlight dummies II with MS ast Fay
With regard 10 the intellectual pleasure which noun
tain climbing Affords which however, Is intimately |
bound up with the material joys OF the ascent II IS pro
poronately greater the mind is expanded and
the various phenomena OF nature Rave been more sue
eessully studied. The destructive action OF water and
spects the movements of the glaciers, AMI the rolling
rocks powders making their way from the submits
ened strata he perceves the maseso OF granite upheav
ing the beds then, when he at last stands upon some
lofty peak, lie contemplate in its entirety tie
foresfs and It's meadows Tie hooVs and t, valleys
which the ice, the water and the tempest have carved
in the immense relief clearly defined and the whole
labor accomplished during thousands of centuries by AN
the geological agents is plainly by going 10 TIE
origin OF the mountains themselves, surer judgment
can passed the hypothesis sara,lis to
the rupture Of the earts crust, the displacement of
strata, and the eruption OF granite p0rPhyry. And
beside, without abiding 10 that meaner impulse OF
vanity which InstSates certain number OF men 10 dis
hnguish themselves rs mountainclmOers, there is a
sentiment OF natural PRIDE excited when we compare our
own itteDess with the grandeur Of the natural phe
which surrounds as The torrent the rocks the
svalanches aud the gacers-a remind OF his own
weakness; but, by natural reaction. his Intellect and
his will rise up I'm opposition To every obstacle He takes
pleasure In conquering the mountain which seems to
brave him. and in prOcaimng himself the victor over
Tie formidable peak, tho tJst glance II WHICH had nled
his mind With a kind OF religious awe
Owing the increasing facilities OF communication,
and 10 the love OF natur much developed IN modern
socety-Owing too 10 the example which has been set
by bold mOuntaincmbers the elevated regions OF cen
fTal Europe, where but few travellers cared 10
venture on account OF the want Of roads, the seepness
OF the incnes, the danger from avaanehes, and the
dread Of the unknown, nowadays become the great
center of popular attraction These very mOuntanl 40
difficult Of access which tower up rampant between
the north and south Of Europe have caused Swlzernd
no al