31 JULY 1880, Page 24

The Geography of Northern Europe. By the Rev. C. E.

Moberly. (Rivingtons.)—A geography without a vestige of a map cannot be regarded as a "self-contained" book. The author might have recommended an atlas to his readers, as a suitable and necessary accompaniment to his letter-press. But there is neither preface nor introduction, nor even a table of contents to this volume. There is, indeed, an index of places ; while throughout the booklet, in the text and in foot-notes, we meet with little scraps of reflection, comment, and anecdote, which if not as apt and useful as they might have been, do contain some elements of instruction and amusement. But we are unable to discern any adequate reason for the manufacture of such a compilation as this. Yet we can at least learn something from these pages, for we are told (p. 17) that "the cities of Ely and Cambridge are especially distinguished, the former for its admirable Cathedral, the latter for its glorious University." Monaco, it is said here (p. 81), "still uses its independence for plunder by the safer means of the gaming-table ;" while we are informed (p. 72) that "Versailles, a kind of suburb of Paris, has been ennobled since 1870 by the meetings of the Assembly."