The historical thread Of the present volume is cut short near the close of the eighteenth century, ex cept in regard to geographical exploration, which is pursued into the nineteenth century in order that the physical sketch Of the world's surface may include a few ideas concerning the deep ocean and the Polar regions. Existing political geography is reserved for the fourth and last volume Of the series. Adhering as in the two preceding books to the idea that a text book should present a text, and that commentary and question can only come with vivid interest from the living teacher, I have refused to cumber my pages with an apparatus of notes and exercises which, so far as I remember my boyhood, made school books repellent.