PREFACE

(TO THE FIRST EDITION.)

It is possible that the act of presenting a bulky volume as a part only of a larger work (although this part be complete in itself, in respect of its proper subject), may startle the Public, to whom it is offered. This, however, is the fact. The Author, several years since, undertook the task of correcting the geography, ancient and modern, throughout that part of Asia situated between India and Europe; in effect the great theatre of ancient history in Asia, as well as of European commerce and communication in modern times. His first object was to adapt the system so formed to the use of statesmen and travellers; the next, to apply it to the illustration of such parts of ancient military history as were, in his idea, deficient, from a want of the necessary aids of geography, and which have been, in a degree, supplied in latter times.

This task he has some time since performed, to the best of his ability, and as far as his stock of materials admitted; but the work had grown to such a size, that it would have been an act of imprudence in an individual to venture on so great an expence as the execution of the work, in all its parts, required. In the mean time, however, he has ventured so far as to prepare the first division of it, consisting of the GEOGRAPHY of HERODOTUs, and which, as preparing the ground for the remainder of the ancient geography, he now, with great deference, offers to the Public, accompanied with maps necessary to its explanation.

The remaining parts will consist of the ancient geography, as it was improved by the Grecian conquests and establishments, together with such portions of military history as appear to want explanation. Maps of ancient geography, on scales adapted to the purpose, will accompany it; whilst the modern geography (in which the most prominent features of the ancient will also appear), will be contained in a large map, similar in size and scale to the four-sheet map of India, already in the hands of the Public. It may be proper to remark, that as the present Volume forms a complete Work of itself, so will each of the succeeding ones, they being no

otherwise connected with each other than as being in the same series. The same is to be understood that are to accompany the too large to be folded into

of some large maps volumes, but will be them.

A Map of POSITIONS, intended to explain and to preserve the ground-work of the whole geographical construction, will be added. One principal use of this is to preserve, in their original and unmixed state, the authorities collected from a great variety of sources, and which may aid the construction of future systems of geography, although a part of the materials may be superseded by those of a better kind; in which case the geographer, discarding such portions as he finds necessary, may be enabled to make his own use of the rest in their original state. Were they to be found only in a mixed state, as in the geographical maps, without discrimination of quality, and most probably divested of their originality, by having been formed into a general mass with others, they must either be employed in future to a disadvantage, or again sought out; and if found at all, with great and unnecessary loss of time to the community of science. This portion of the work, then, will form, in the least possible room, and at the least expence, a great depót of the materials of geography for future times.

After the above explanation, it will of course be understood that the progress of the work at large must necessarily depend on the reception given to the present part; and the Author flatters himself that, in forming the decision, which is finally to determine the fate of the succeeding parts, a due regard will be had as well to the extent and labour of the search after, as of the compilation of the materials, that compose this portion of the work (thus offered as a specimen of the work at large); as amongst such a mass of matter, error, no doubt, must sometimes have lurked unnoticed, or even have assumed the garb of truth, to deceive.

It is proper that the reader should know that the Author, being ignorant of the Greek language, could only obtain the knowledge of the TEXT of Herodotus through the medium of translations. The magnitude of this defect will perhaps be differently estimated by different persons. It may doubtless be said, with truth, that no ordinary reader of Greek is likely to be so perfect a master of the subject of Herodotus, by a perusal of the original work, as by translations made by professed scholars, who have devoted a great portion of their time to the study of it; although it must at the same time be allowed, that such scholars, if also skilled in the science of geography, would be by far the fittest persons to