(History, Cartography): Geography and Some Explorers

Washington DC: The National Geographic Magazine, 1924. This is the complete March 1924 issue, but the article of note is a late article of Joseph Conrad's from pp. 239-274, by the title above. The other articles are all present (vol XLV, number 3). Conrad's article has 13 illustrations, including maps, ships and antarctic views. This article divides the history of geography into 3 eras: fabulous, militant and triumphant. The phrase "Geography Militant" has been used to title a recent book (published Blackwell Publishers, 2001) by Felix Driver, where he explains Conrad's perspectives. Conrad's "fabulous" era is one where "extravagant speculation which had nothing to do with the pursuit of truth" was the norm. The "militant" phase reflected a more empiric quest for knowledge and relates to those voyages of many of the great early explorers, such as Captain Cook. The "triumphant" time meant, for Conrad, a nostalgic end to heroic exploration, where open spaces had vanished and people were "condemned to make...discoveries on beaten tracks". This is not an argument for the accuracy of those views, rather just to point out Conrad's perspectives. This is an uncommon essay, occasionally seen as a separately bound (and very pricey) item. The front magazine cover is minimally soiled. The internal pages and illustrations are quite clean. .