TO ALEXANDER BARON VON HUMBOLDT,

AS A MARK OF THE HIGHEST RESPECT,
FOR THE EXTENT OF HIS KNOWLEDGE
AND THE ACCURACY OF HIS RESEARCH,
AS WELL AS
FOR HIS ARDENT ZEAL IN THE PROMOTION OF SCIENCE,
AND FOR HIS CANDOUR AND VIGILANCE
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF LITERARY JUSTICE,
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED
BY HIS OBLIGED FRIEND,

THE AUTHOR.