The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-01-18

There il probably no department of
literature or |scicncein which Americans
themselves would question the superb
ority of England either as regards aver
aro H1uality or quantity of production.
TLo nublic documents OF the States, in
docd arc. as our readers well know, of
far moro varied and general value and
interest than our own, and many scicn-
tilic and practical works of tho highest
merit have been, and are yearly pun
iiahnl nt tho cxpcnse ul the country.
Rut oven though thus aided, there is no
branch of study to which the entire re-
ccnt contribution Of America Is any
thing like IA important MS our own
And IN no class Of books, perhaps, is
his iurcriority more manifest than tIioS"
intended for the use of schools and col
lcrcs. But wcmust mako Onc impor-
taut exception alike to The general rule
and fine particular example. Upon &c
orraphy and kindred subjects Amcri-
cans hpyc written much and carefully,
stimulated and assisted no donbt by the
n]nor"nlic encouragement which the
Federal Government has constantly
given to explorations of every kind in
almost every part of the western Nunti-
/ menu I'tllliInl'i l''l''' S''~''''
mineralogists, and naturaIistS have
boon enabled to pursue their inquiries
nj the public cost, and have been en-
couraucd To painstakin" Investigation,
and to the publication of ample records
orlhcir discoveries blythe interest which
all classes of Americans have always
manifested in these subjects. 1t is n"
Doubt to their peculiar situation, IA Il
pcoplc of high civilization and unrest
ing cntcrprisc, in possession 0l IN mn
mcnsn, rich, and ilnpcrlcctly, known
territory, Ubat this Interest IL due, ami
il has led appar9ntly to Il study of gcOG-
raphy much more general and thorough
than is common in English schools.
As the demand creates the supply, the
American textbooks Of geography arr"
often moro complete, and certainly
much better calculated to fulfil their
purpose OF instruction, than our own,
Mr. NJ. +. Maury's series, II of which
we have already had occasion to notice,
arc ~cspecially adapted to excite tho Gu
riosity of boys and girls, and to make
that which as taught to our childrun, Is
about the dullest and most tedious of
oil dry matters of routine, tho agree
able and interesting subject it ought to
he. Tho volume now before us is ilttcd
to be the delight of any schoolroom in
which tho teacher is not utterly and
hopclcssly unfit To teach. 1t contrivcs
to make tho geographical definitions TO
which children so rarely learn to attach
q meaning Ineligible ut sight, by an
illustration in which each of the cons
mon terms of physical gcography-con-
tIncnt, island, sourd, strait, ocean, sea,
mountain, tabloland, &c.-ls clearly
presented to tho readers eye. 1t con
tains not only the ordinary maps which
show the political dcmarcations OF man
kind, but physical maps in which the
great natural features OF every region
AFRO clearly shown with equal distinct
ness. And, finally, multitude ofillus-
trations attach a living intolc est ana Wis
lhlo MOANING to the multitude OF names
and facts which form the drudgcry of
geography; presenting to- h sight and
intelligence of tho pupil characteristic
scenes which his memory VIII ever al
ter associate with the names Of capitals,
the course of rivers, the local -te,Iory,
flora, fauna, history, and industrial DE-
cuDatiOn which tho writers "f English
teXt-books expect him to learn by roto.
We can heartily recommend this vol
umc, and it's companions, to Tho use ct
every family, and the junior classes OF
every school; and we arc sure that
where il - adopted tho geography lesson
will become suddenly and surprisingly
popular.