Excerpt from The World's Inhabitants, or Mankind, Animals, and Plants: Being a Popular Account of the Races and Nations of Mankind, Past and Present, and the Animals and Plants Inhabiting the Great Continents and Principal Islands

Eturning from a mental voyage, not merely round the world, but among all peoples, the author may perhaps be permitted to say, that if any considerable portion of the pleasure and instruction he has derived from it may be shared by his readers, his object will be amply realised. It must be confessed that he had set himself no slight task in the endeavour to include in one volume, in good type and well illustrated, a review of the peoples at present existing on the globe, as well as a sketch of the past mutations of each country, - change of masters and change of people, -extending the view even to the prehistoric inhabit ants. But if people in general are to have any chance of gaining an acquaintance with a subject so wide as the present, it must be presented to them in a readable volume of moderate size and attractive in form. Probably no two authors would agree in their view of the proportion to be assigned to the different topics, and it cannot be expected that every one will be satisfied with the space assigned to his pet subject. The labour of endeavouring to attain accuracy throughout, and of bringing up the work to the latest date, has been very considerable, but it is hoped that nothing superfluous, diluted, or Without interest to many readers, will be found to have been included.

In deciding to deal with Europe first, and to begin with our own country, the author was influenced by the Special importance to us of knowing more about ourselves and our immediate neighbours. He has thus avoided the danger of being tempted at the last to give inadequate space to the European peoples. Even such a brief resume of the history of each nation as has been attempted will be of advantage to those who may have read no Special work dealing with European history.

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