CARL RITTER, the late Professor of Geography in the University of
Berlin, is known by name to many who are comparatively uninformed
respecting the extent and value of his labours. In portraying the
connection of geography with the physical sciences, Alexander von
Humboldt had no superior; while in establishing the relation between
geography and history, CARL RITTER was as unquestionably pre-eminent. A
chair was created for him in the Berlin University as early as 1820. He
lived to occupy it for forty years, and to confer no less honour upon
the city where he resided, and the institution in which he taught, than
upon his own name. And though but slight glimpses of his career have
been caught by the people of Great Britain, yet such references to him
as that in the Preface to Robinson's _Biblical Researches_, and works
of a similar character, will convince the readers of this country that
whatever comes from his pen must have great and permanent value.
Professor RITTER'S main work relates to Asia, and includes
therefore all of that territory which is known as the Holy Land. To
this,--including the Lebanon district, Palestine proper, the country
east of the Jordan, and the Sinaitic Peninsula,--RITTER devotes a
space equal to 6000 pages of the size employed in Messrs Clark's
publications. To translate a mass so voluminous as this would be
evidently impracticable; and yet the immense erudition and power of
graphic description of Professor RITTER, conjoined with the fact that
he brought to the study of the Holy Land, not the unbelief of a
rationalist, but living faith of a genuine Christian, has convinced the
publishers that a portion of his great work would be a welcome offering
to all students of Biblical Geography.
Messrs Clark accordingly now publish a translation executed by REV.
WILLIAM L. GAGE, a pupil and friend of the lamented RITTER, comprising
that portion of the volumes relating to the Holy Land, which, in his
judgment as editor, shall be the most acceptable addition to our
biblical literature. The work is comprised in four octavo volumes. MR
GAGE has been engaged for several years in the study and interpretation
of Professor RITTER'S writings, and has enjoyed the active co-operation
of many of the most eminent living geographers.
The main object which has been held in view in condensing and in
selecting from the original, is to prepare the work for the use of
biblical students. Everything illustrating the Bible bas been
considered of prime importance, and everything has been retained,
needful to maintain the unity of the work. Notes are added, indicative
of discoveries made since RITTER wrote, and the object has never been
lost from sight--to make the work worthy of taking the same place in
English that it has already done in German literature.