A correspondent from Illinois, last month, said: "Maps are far behind the age so far as they have a reference to the West, where towns spring up even while the binder is putting the gilt trimmings upon his splendid large atlas." We remarked that map publishers are continually making efforts to remedy this. If they do not catch up always with the incessant tramp of progressing civilization, we must call in the aid of the Gazetteer; if our friend will turn to Lippincott's great work, by Thomas and Baldwin, we think he will say that not only have the proper men been placed in their proper positions as publisher and editors, but that they have jointly, by the aid of capital, and enterprise, and information, enthusiasm, and perseverance, produced a work that may challenge the world for its compeer. It is a most portly volume, of 2,182 closely packed pages, every one filled with valuable matter, so valuable as to be an indispensable work of reference to all who care to possess accurate knowledge, whether student or merchant; so many improvements have been introduced in this great book, such numerous sources of knowledge have been ransacked to procure the materials, and such indomitable labor has been bestowed upon the contents, that, collectively, it exhibits a mass of human intelligence that it is difficult to appreciate, much less to digest.

In geography, it is what Loudon's Encyclopoedia of Plants is in botany, or his Arboretum Britannicum; it is, in short, the greatest contribution to geography we have ever had. Though a town may have sprung up while it was in progress, the information regarding neighboring towns, counties, and States, is so fall that no one can venture on making that an objection; but it is here that our editors are so correct; you may take up a post-office book, and find an account of every town in existence, with accurate descriptions of even the number of its blacksmith shops. We commend this work no less to our correspondent than to all the readers of this periodical.