rocks of the first, second, third and fourth groups may be due to subsequent faulting, but they are nevertheless more recent. The accompanying map gives the general outline of the groups. I have used Prof. Frazer's section along the Susquehanna river for illustration with my interpretation. He produced the section through Chickis in his report 0. C. of the Second Geological Survey. The changes I have made are on structural grounds. An Account of an Old Work on Cosmography. By Henry (Read before the American Philosophical Society, January 16, 1880.) It has occurred to me that as all knowledge is within the scope of our pursuits, an analysis of a work on Cosmography, the production of a once famous author, might not prove unacceptable. The errors among which men once blindly groped, the silly tales of wonderment with which returned travelers were wont to astonish their stay-at-home friends, the absurd statements once received as absolute facts, but later exploded by the Ithuriel-touch of truth, now at these later days, when we are entirely freed from superstition, folly and ignorance, and a blind reliance upon the ipse dixit of anyone, may afford us a lesson pregnant with instruction. It is, therefore, with this view that I venture, this evening, to present to our Society an account of a book which bears for its title: "Cosmographia Universalis Libri VI. in quibus juxta certloris fldei seriptorum traditionum desoribuntur omnium habitabilis orbis partium situs proprireque dotes, regionum topographtcse effigies. Terrse ingenia quibus fltuttam differentes et varias specie res et animatas et inanimatas ferat. Animalium peregrinorum natura et pictura. Nobiliorum civitatum icones et descriptiones, Regnorum initia, incrementa et translationes. Regurn et principium Genealogiee. Item omnium gentium mores, leges, religio, mutationes; atque mtmorabilium in hunc usque ad annum 1559gestarum rerum Historia. Autore Sebast. Munstero." On the recto of the title-page appears the portrait of the author, an elderly, hard-featured man, beneath which are two Latin poems, laudatory of that distinguished person and his work. The preface is dated at Basle, March, 1550. Sebastian Munster may serve us as an example of the scholars of the olden time. He was born at Ingelheim, in 1489, and became a Cordelier monk, but, having adopted the opinions of Luther, he renounced the robes and the yoke of a cloister and took to himself a wife. Such.was the usual course in those days which the converted clergy took to show their hatred to the tenets of the church of Rome, where enforced celibacy was of primary importance, and weighed so heavily upon them. For several years Munster taught at Basle, where he gave to the public many valuable works, having rendered himself so very learned in geographical and mathematical science, and in the Heorew language, that he was* known as the Esdras and the Strabo of Germany. The mere enumeration of his writings in Gesner's Bibliotheca occupies several folio pages. He died at Basle, of a prevailing pestilence, on the twenty-third day of May. 1552, in the sixty-third year of his age. This book was one that became very popular and ran through many editions. It was published at Basle originally in 1550, then successively in 1569, 1574, 1578, 1592, 1598 and 1614. All these editions were in German. The Cosmography was issued in Latin in 1550 and 1554, having been translated by Munster himself. It was issued in French at Basle in 1552, and at Paris in 1575; in Italian at Bale, 1558. A selection from its contents, entitled "A treatise on the New India with other newe founde lande and islandes as well eastwarde as westwarde by Sebastian Munster, translated into English by Richard Eden," was published at London in 1553, and another translation, "A brief collection of strange and memorable things gathered out the Cosmography of Sebastian Munster," was published at London in 1574.* The book, which is crowded with quaint and rude wood-cuts, begins ■with a number of full-page maps, among which are the world on the Ptolemcean system (America, of course, not shown), surrounded by a border representing the various winds, Europe and its various divisions (embracing the kingdoms of Bohemia, Hungary, Poland . Africa, Asia and the New World. The British Islands were not of sufficient importance to warrant a special map and are crowded up towards the top of a general map of Europe in such a manner that very little of Scotland is shown. England was at this time under the dominion of Edward VI. (1547-1553), and the influence exercised by it upon the politics of Continental Europe was very inconsiderable; it was looked on, in fact, only as a semi-barbarian island in the far-off northern seas. Naturally the author begins with the beginning and starts with the creation of the world, drawn from Biblical sources. To this chapter is prefixed a wood-cut representing the world as a plain from whose bounds arise lofty mountains, inhabited solely by animals. In the background is a circle of flames; in the foreground is an ocean with fishes and an oldfashioned high-pooped Dutch galliot, navigating apparently by its own instinct (for not a living being is anywhere to be seen upon it) the newmade waters. Sea monsters raise their heads from the billows and gaze with rapt amazement at the ship, taking it, doubtless, for some novel marine creation. Overhead are shining the sun, moon and stars, while God, represented as an old man with a papal tiara upon his head, is seated between the heavenly bodies upon a cloud. At each of the upper corners of the plate is an angel; at each of the lower corners a very satyr-looking demon. Then follow chapters upon land, sea, islands, the earth with its vegetable and mineral wealth, earthquakes, hot springs and baths, fires existing * Brunei. in the bosom of the ground, natural phenomena, metals and their mode of being mined, the mines and the spirits and devils who rule in them, and the localities where metals are found. On page 9 is represented a man using the divining rod (Olueckruth) of forked witch hazel, that is turning in his hands as he steps over a place where mining operations are being conducted. A section of a hill is shown with men at work breaking ore and loading a rail car upon a tramway which leads to an elevator running up to a level with the opening of the mine. On page 11 we find a machine in use for crushing the crude ore, represented as somewhat similar to a modern quartz crusher, the motive power of which is furnished by an overshot-wheel. In speaking of the earth and its dimensions, the author says it is hollow in the centre ; that this opening or void space is full of flames, and is hell; that it is of sufficient capacity to contain all the millions of damned souls that it will be required to hold. That the earth itself is round, about 5400 (German) miles in circumference, and about 1718 (German) miles in diameter. There are accounts given of early sea navigation, the deluge, and the terrestrial paradise, of which latter there is an illustration exhibiting the Garden of Eden with a fountain in the centre, walled around with crenated battlements, a lofty tower rising from the middle of the enclosure, and wc are also favored with a view of the trees of life and knowledge. On page 37 we find a picture representing the migration of some early tribe, every one of whom, male and female, is dressed in the fashions prevalent among the Germans of the sixteenth century; before them is drawn a low truck containing standard stores for the journey, in which are several barrels distinctly suggesting to the mind of the observer the idea of beer. The parade is passing an old castle. On page 42 occurs a description of the British Islands, accompanied by a map of the same. England has only three towns represented, viz : London, Dover, and what the engraver is pleased to call Ochsenfurt (Oxford). Scotland has only Edinburgh, and Ireland a large city in the extreme south, called Vatford. The shape of the British Islands is simply atrocious. It must be a mortification to an Englishman to consider of how little importance his country was but three hundred years ago, while kingdoms that now have sunk into oblivion and their names even lost, were then potent, flourishing, and even objects of dread. The description of England is short, and contains nothing of interest. Speaking of Ireland, reference is made to the rebellion of 1534, and the great slaughter that followed in its wake. The manners of the Scotch are condemned, but their mental and moral qualities much praised; a statement is made that the use of coal for burning is so common, that in Scotland the beggars supplicate it for alms. In this kingdom is found the very wonderful stone known as Gagates (p. 45): • "A stone which, although of a rough and common appearance, yet partakes somewhat of a Divine essence, for It kindles Ore in running streams which nothing bat oilcan extinguish. If any one should drink the water In which this stone has been steeped, if there has been any stain upon the chastity of such a one, he (or she) will immediately be compelled to micturate, nor can he (or she) possibly avoid It: but if it is drunk by one who Is pure, no such evil effects will result."* The English language is thus spoken of: "It is a mixture of many tongues, especially German and Gallic. Formerly, as we learn from Bede, it was entirely Germanic, who thus writes: 'The ancient inhabitants of England were accustomed to reckon their months according to the course of the moon, calling the moon Mona (which the Germans call Mon\ and a month, Mont ha. December was called HaUg monath, (t. «., Holy month), and April, Eo*ter monnth, from a goddess named Eostrt, to whom the Teutonic tribes were wont to sacrifice in this month in Pagan times. Msy was called Thri wiWri (thrice milked), because in that month they usually milked their cattle so often.' This passage," continues Minister, "is not to be in the printed copies of Bede's works, but I found it in a manuscript which Glareanus ex Nigra Silva in 1545 sent here to Basle." Scotland possesses yet another wonder (p. 49): "Here there are trees which produce a fruit enveloped In leaves; this when the proper time arrives falls down into the water below and is turned Into a living bird which Is called the Tree <;<x«c. This tree grows in the island of Pomonia which lies to the north of soot laud at a short distance therefrom. This tree is mentioned by all the old Cosmographers, especially Saxo Grammaticus. so you must not think we have made up this account. .Rneas Sylvius writes in this manner concerning it: 'We have formerly heard that there was a tree in Scotland growing on a river's bank, whose fruit was in the form of aniseed, which when it had come to maturity fell of its own accord, some on the land and some into the water; and those which fell on the land petri tied, but those that alighted In the water soon receiving life began to swim and afterwards on their wings and pinions took to flight. When we were In Scotland in the reign of King James hearing of tbese things we endeavored to investigate them, all persons uniting in affirming the marvel, but the further to the north we traveled the further was removed the place of the miracle so that it was finally said not to exist In Scotland at all but in the Orcades Islands.'" The description is accompanied by a wood-cut representing the tree with its fruit in various 6tages of development. Some are entirely closed, some are a crack open, some have the heads of the birds peeping out of them. At the base of the tree is water within whose vivifying influences a number of these rare exotics may be seen disporting themselves. Owing to the favorable position of the tree, only two of its fruits are threatened with premature extinction by falling upon the dry land. There is a map and metrical description of the city of Paris, dated 1548, and on page 185 is a large two-page plate representing the theatre at Verona, in its perfect state as it formerly appeared, but of which "only ruins now remain." It is a huge edifice built upon arcades and around it •The Venerable Bede speaks of a stone called gagales, and says: "it (Britain) hath much and excellent Jet, which is bl<ck and sparkling, glittering in the tire, and, when heated, drlveth away serpeuts." |