First Teachings about the Earth; its lands and waters; its countries and States, etc

Front matter

FIRST TEACHINGS ABOUT THE EARTH; ITS LANDS AND WATERS ; ITS COUNTRIES AND STATES. 3 B.ginnitt-*- to CfjtfBrcn. EY M. OGLE. London: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, & CO. Dorking: R. J. CLARK, High Street. R. I. CLARK, PRINTER, DORKING, SURREY. PEEFACE. This little elementary geography has been written to supply what I conceive to be a want ; it begins where " first teachings" usually end, with physical geography. I have practically ascertained that the child to whom that weary collection of names and sounds in " ordinary political geography," is distasteful and meaningless, becomes at once interested and pleased when taught about " the earth as a whole ; as a planet spinning on its axis, with its bulging tide waves, its fire spitting craters," its blue atmosphere, its cloud vapours, its mountain chains, and its coral islands.

I believe, and experience has confirmed me in the belief, that when the child's attention has been pleasurably awakened by a description of the earth and all its wonders as God's creation, it is a far easier task to lead him to a knowledge of the same earth as the dwelling-place of man, with all his artificial and social surroundings. The facts in this little elementary work are compiled from all the best geographers of the day — Stewart, Reid, Sullivan, Heald, Hughes, &c, but I claim originality

Preface

. for the manner in which I have arranged, and tried to teach these facts. A very young child must not merely be made to learn, he must be taught; and must be taught moreover by simplification and repetition ; simplification of sound, simplification of sense ; repetition of sound, repetition of sense. I have endeavoured fully to carry out this plan of simplifica tion and repetition throughout these " FHst Teachings," and amply shall I be repayed for the time bestowed on them, if perhaps some other Httle ones besides my own, be brought by these " FHst Teachings," without sorrow and without tears, to a thorough rudimentary knowledge of theH geographical elements. January, 1870. CONTENTS. 0

Part I. Page

Preface. LESSON I. Geography — Its meaning ; What it teaches ; Deri vation of word; Meaning of word "description"; questions 1 — 2 LESSON II. Mistake in olden times about earth's shape ; True shape ; Bound ; Many proofs of its roundness ; Three easy proofs; First proof; "Surface;" Its meaning; Repetition of proof ; questions 2 — 5 LESSON III. Second proof of earth's roundness ; questions 5 — 7 LESSON IV. Ball ; Globe ; Sphere ; Meaning ; Derivation of word "sphere;" Hollow; Solid; Their meaning ; Questions 7 — 8 LESSON V. Third proof of earth's roundness ; Familiar examples of shadow; Repetition of proof ; Questions 9 — 11 LESSON VI. Earth measured ; When ; By whom ; Its size ; Com parative examples ; Questions 11 — 12 LESSON VII, Seeming movement of the stars round the earth; Discovery of Copernicus ; JReal movement of earth ; Familiar exampleof seeming movement ; Questions ... 15 — Discovery of two kinds of stars ; Names ; Meaning and derivation of planet ; Our earth a planet ; Questions 18—21 LESSON IX.

Movement of the earth forward into space ; Inward round the sun; Sun a magnet; Meaning of Magnet; Example; All bodies more or less magnets; Law of Attraction ; Meaning and derivation of Attraction ; Seasons, how caused ; Questions 18—21 LESSON X. Second motion of the earth ; Rolls round on itself; Familiar examples : Day and Night, how caused ; The earth's two motions have two different names ; Mean ing and derivation of both terms ; Repetition ; Ques tions 22—24 LESSON XI. The moon ; Attends upon the earth ; Satellite ; Meaning and derivation of the word; Why the moon is earth's satellite; Questions 25 LESSON XII. Earth not a true sphere ; Spheroid ; Meaning and derivation of term ; Gen. cap. 1, part v. 2 ; Earth at first liquid ; Meaning of word " liquid ;" Earth proved a spheroid ; Earth, when first correctly measured ; Questions 26—27 LESSON XIII.

Crust of the earth ; Meaning of Crust ; Depth from crust to centre of earth ; Supposed thickness of crust ; supposed condition of earth beneath crust ; Familiar examples ; Proofs in volcanoes and earthquakes ; Questions 27 — 31 LESSON XIV. Air ; Everywhere about the earth ; Atmosphere, its meaning and derivation ; Of what composed ; Gas, its nature ; Colour of atmosphere ; Clouds ; Mists ; Questions 31 — CONTENTS. PAGE.