Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 5.djvu/22

 ''been often pointed out, follows strict mechanical facts. In 1870, when the book was published, such a structure was almost inconceivable except to a man of Verne's genius for imaginative construction. The building of a "Nautilus," still, after more than forty years, lies among the things unachieved, but it is no longer regarded as among things unachievable. Every year of experimentation with our own imperfect submarines brings us nearer to Verne's splendid ideal.''

''And the under-seas world through which Captain Nemo guides his astounded guests! What a wealth of knowledge our author pours out upon it! How fully, how widely did he know this terrestrial globe! Verne's own voluminous reading of books of travel became more manifest with each new book he published. Each work of his contained the assimilated and enlivened treasure of a mass of others. His favorite reading during these years, as he himself tells us, was the justly celebrated geographical magazine of France, "Le Tour du Monde." He familiarized himself with its every volume from cover to cover. He distilled its heart into his work.''