For further information the reader is referred to Nasmyth's late
magnificent work: the MOON.]
CHAPTER XI.
FACT AND FANCY.
"Have you ever seen the Moon?" said a teacher ironically one day in
class to one of his pupils.
"No, sir;" was the pert reply; "but I think I can safely say I've heard
it spoken about."
Though saying what he considered a smart thing, the pupil was probably
perfectly right. Like the immense majority of his fellow beings, he had
looked at the Moon, heard her talked of, written poetry about her, but,
in the strict sense of the term, he had probably never seen her--that
is--scanned her, examined her, surveyed her, inspected her, reconnoitred
her--even with an opera glass! Not one in a thousand, not one in ten
thousand, has ever examined even the map of our only Satellite. To guard
our beloved and intelligent reader against this reproach, we have
prepared an excellent reduction of Beer and Maedler's _Mappa_, on which,
for the better understanding of what is to follow, we hope he will
occasionally cast a gracious eye.
When you look at any map of the Moon, you are struck first of all with
one peculiarity. Contrary to the arrangement prevailing in Mars and on
our Earth, the continents occupy principally the southern hemisphere of
the lunar orb.
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