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frain, in the beautiful preface to his fixth book. I fhall beg leave to infert here a small extract of it, which will not be ufelefs to the boys, as they will find it a model which fuits well with their age and condition.

After having mentioned his younger fon, who died at five years old, and defcribed the graces and beauties of his countenance, the prettiness of his expreffions, the vivacity of his underftanding, which began to fhine through the veil of childhood; "I had still left me," fays he, "my fon Quinctilian, in whom I placed all my pleafure and all my hopes, and comfort enough I might have found in him: for, having now entered into his tenth year, he did not produce only bloffoms like his younger brother, but fruits already formed, and beyond the power of dif. appointment. I have much experience; but I never faw in any child, I do not fay only fo many excellent difpofitions for the fciences, nor fo much tafte, as his masters know, but fo much probity, fweetnefs, good-nature, gentlenefs, and inclination to pleafe and oblige, as I difcerned in him.

"Befides this, he had all the advantages of nature, a charming voice, a pleafing countenance, and a furprising facility in pronouncing well the two languages, as if he had been equally born for both of them.

"But all this was no more than hopes. I fet a greater value upon his admirable virtues, his equality of tem

per, his refolution, the courage with which he bore up against fear and pain; for, how were his physicians aftonished at his patience under a distemper of eight months continuance, when at the point of death he comforted me himfelf, and bade me not to weep for him! and delirious as he fometimes was at his laft moments, his tongue ran of nothing else but learning and the fciences O vain and deceitful hopes!" &c.

Are there many boys amongst us, of whom we can truly fay fo much to their advantage, as Quinctilian fays here of his fon? What a fhame would it be for them, if, born and brought up in a Chriftian country, they had not even the virtues of Pagan children! I make no fcruple to repeat them here againdocility, obedience, refpect for their mafters, or rather a degree of affection, and the fource of an eternal gratitude; zeal for ftudy, and a wonderful thirst after the fciences, joined to an abhorrence of vice and irregularity; an admirable fund of probity, goodness, gentleness, civility, and liberality; as alfo patience, courage, and greatnefs of foul in the courfe of a long fickness. What then was wanting to all the fe virtues? That which alone could render them truly worthy the name, and must be in a manner the foul of them, and conftitute their whole value, the precious gift of faith and piety; the faving knowledge of a Mediator; a fincere defire of pleafing God, and referring all our actions to him.

A fhort

A fhort SYSTEM of GEOGRAPHY, from DR. GREGORY SHARPE'S Tranflation of BARON HOLBERG'S Introduction to Univerfal History *.

§ 1. Definition of Geography.
EOGRAPHY is a defcription
of the whole earth, as far as it is

GE

known to us.

Geography differs from Cofmographytas a part from the whole, and from Chorography as the whole from a part. Cofmography defcribes the hea. vens as well as the earth; Geography, only the fuperficies of the terraqueous globe; Chorography, any particular region; and Topography, any particular place, land, territory, town, or village.

The defcription of the terraqueous globe is ufually confidered as mathematical, phyfical, or political.

æquinoctial line, divides the globe into two parts, north and fouth, at an equal distance from each pole. The horizon or determinator, feparates the vifiole from the invifible part of the globe, and takes the lower hemifphere away. The zodiac is an oblique circle paffing through the middle of the æquator are called figns. Thefe figns being for It is divided into twelve parts, which the most part reprefentations of animals, are called figns. Thefe figns being for the name of the circle is taken from the Greek word (wo, which fignifies animal. This circle is divided by another concentric circle, called the ecliptic, making an angle with the æquinoctial of 23 degrees 30 minutes, which is the fun's greatest declination, in the points

§ 2. The mathematical Defcription of the of Aries and Libra.

Earth.

The artificial globe properly belongs to this divifion : it is fufpended by the two poles; the one on the north point of the orb is called arctic ++, the other, directly oppofite to it, antarctic II, and named poles from the Greek verb woλew, to turn, because upon them the whole frame of the earth turns round.

On the terraqueous globe are defcribed eight principal circles, four great, and four less.

The great circles are, the æquator, horizon, zodiac, and meridian, which divide the globe into two equal parts. The equator, commonly called the

* A few alterations have been made, to render the Syftem agreeable to the prefent ftate and times.

From yn, earth, and gapw, to defcribe. + From κόσμος, the world, and ygapa. From xogos, a region. **From Tomos, a place.

++ From aguros, a bear, because the real north pole in the heavens is diftinguifhed by a ftar in the conftellation, called the little bear.

# From a, contrary to.

The meridian, paffing through the into two equal parts, and takes its name two poles, divides the terraqueous globe from meridies, or medius dies, because when the fun comes to the meridian of a place, it is then mid-day in that place.

The leffer circles are, the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, which touch the ecliptic in the oppofite points of Cancer called folftitial points: the arctic and and Capricorn, which are therefore circles, divide the face or fuperficies of antarctic poles, and thefe four leffer the whole earth into five spaces or climates, called zones.

The zones are, 1. Torrid, including the space between the two tropics, and is fo called becaufe of the great and continual heat of the fun, under whofe courfe it lies. This zone comprehends Guinea, lower Lybia, Ethiopia, part of Arabia and of the Eaft Indies, as alfo the West Indies. 2. The temperate zone, which is either fouth or north, and includes thofe parts of the globe which are greatly improved on

account

account of the temperature of the air. 3. The frigid zone, is alfo north or fouth, and comprehends fuch lands as are defert and uncultivated on account of exceffive cold.

Each circle, as well as the whole globe, is by geometricians divided into three hundred and fixty parts, called degrees; each degree into fixty, called fcruples or minutes, anfwering to fo many Italian miles: fo that, as four Italian miles make one German mile, fifteen German miles are equal to a degree. This may fuffice for the mathematical divifion of the globe; and he that would know more, must have recourfe to the profeffors of geometry.

§ 3. A phyfical Defcription of the Earth. The next defcription of the earth is called phyfical or natural, according to which the globe is divided into land and

water.

Waters are either confined within banks, or encompass the earth.

Waters which wash their banks are fprings, ftreams, rivers, lakes.

Springs rife from the earth, and form ftreams, feveral of which meeting together, make rivers.

A lake is a collection of waters furrounded with land: if no ftream flows in or out, it is called a pool.

Waters encompaffing the earth, are called the fea or ocean, which is again divided into many different feas and gulphs.

The four feas, or greater parts of the ocean, are, 1. The Atlantic, which flows between Africa and America. 2. The Pacific, contained between America and Afia. 3. The Northern, about the north pole. 4. The Southfea, upon the fouth coaft, which is known.

These great feas have other names given them, from the feveral regions and fhores they wafh. Hence fo many leffer feas; the Atlantic, Gallic, British, Baltic, Mediterranean, &c.

Whenever the fea extends itfelf like an arm, within land, having no paffage, it is called a gulph. The principal of which are, the Arabian, Perfian, Bothnian, Adriatic, &c.

Whenever it flows between two fhores at no great distance from each other, it forms a ftrait or fretum, a fervendo. The most noted ftraits are thofe of Gibraltar, the Sound near Copenhagen, the traits of Magellan, and the Hellefpont.

The land is divided into continent, iflands, and peninfulas.

The continent is a large tract of land not furrounded by the ocean, though in part washed by it.

An ifland is feparated from the continent, and furrounded by the fea. It is called infula, from falum, the sea, becaufe furrounded by it.

A peninfula or cherfonefus, is almoft furrounded by the fea, being by fome fmall part or neck of land joined to the continent, and therefore called a peninfula, from pene infula, as being almoft an island.

An isthmus is a narrow traft or neck of land, which joins a peninfula to the continent or any larger ifland.

The earth, with respect to its uneven furface, is divided into mountains, promontories, vallies, and plains.

A mountain is that part of the earth which is lifted high above the vallies and plains. Some mountains vomit forth fire, as Etna in Sicily, Vefuvius in Campania within feven miles of Naples, and Hecla in Iceland.

A promontory, mons prominens, is a a high land ftretching itfelf out into the fea. The most remarkable promontory is the Cape of Good Hope, at the most fouthern point of Africa.

§ 4. The political Defcription of the Earth.

It is called political, becaufe the earth is divided into various empires, kingdoms, and principalities. The most general divifion of the earth, in this refpect, is into known and unknown parts.

The unknown comprehends the regions near the poles, which are fup. pofed to be uninhabited on account of exceffive cold.

The habitable part of the globe is by geographers divided into Europe, Afia, Africa, and America. $ 5. of

$5 Of EUROPE, and its feveral Kingdoms.

Europe, now more famous than any other part of the globe, is bounded on the ealt by a river of Tartary in Europe called Tanais or Don, on the fouth by the Mediterranean fea, on the north by the Northern, and on the weft by the Atlantic ocean. The figure it makes is like a woman fitting, whofe head is Spain, neck and breaft France, arms Italy and Britain, her belly Germany, and the rest of her body other regions. The chief kingdoms in Europe are Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, Sclavonia, Croatia, Dalmatia, Bofnia, Servia, Bulgaria, Tartary the lefs, Mofcovy, Greece; to which we add fuch republics as are not inferior to fome kingdoms, as Venice, the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and the

Swifs Cantons.

6. SPAIN, formerly called Iberia. It is bounded on the east by the Pyrenean mountains and part of the Mediterranean fea, on the weft by Portugal, on the fouth by the Mediterranean, and on the north, by the bay of Bifcay. The ancient divifion of Spain was into Boetica, Lufitania, and Tarracona: the modern is into various ftates and kingdoms. The metropolis of Spain is Madrid, ennobled by the refidence of its kings. The rest of the most famous cities are Barcelona, Cæfar-Augufta, or Saragoffa, Pompejopolis or Pampeluna, Valentia, Murcia, New Carthage or Carthagena, the beft harbour in Spain; Granada, which was reckoned one of the largest cities in Europe when under fubjection to the Moors; Seville, formerly Hifpalis, whence the whole kingdom called Hifpania or Spain, the great eft city for commerce in Spain; Corduba, a very large city, and the old feat of the Saracen kings; Toledo, the centre of Spain; Valladolid, efteemed one of the neatest cities in Europe; Compoftella or St. Jago, to which holy pilgrimages ufed to be made, on acCount of St. James's bones, believed to be preferved there; and Burgos, the capital of Old Caftile.

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Gaul was anciently divided into Gallia Cifalpina and Tranfalpina; and, from the drefs of the inhabitants, into Togata, or thofe who wore long garments, and Braccata et Comata, or who wore breeches and their hair. It has for boundaries, to the eaft, Germany, Switzerland, and Savoy; to the west, the bay of Biscay; to the north, the British channel; and to the south, the Mediterranean fea, and Pyrenæan mountains.

It is at this time divided into twelve general provinces.

The most famous cities are, Paris, the capital of the kingdom, a city which for greatnefs and number of inhabitants may well be called an epitome of the world; Rouen, a most opulent trad. ing city near the English channel; Rennes, and Nantes; Rheims, the feat of an archbishop, who anoints the kings of France with the holy oil; Dijon, formerly the refidence of the dukes of Burgundy; Poitiers, next to Paris in fize; Rochelle, a well-fortified city, once the bulwark of the Protestants; Bourdeaux, a large city, and one of the

moft

moft noted for trade in France, famous for Roman antiquities and ruins; Tholoufe; Narbonne; Montpelier, inba. bited by phyficians; Nifmes, once a Roman colony, and therefore abounding with Roman antiquities and ruins; Marfeilles, a city famous for trade, where the royal gallies are ftationed; Toulon, the harbour for the king's fleet in the Mediterranean; Gratianopolis or Grenoble, fo called from the emperor Gratian; Lyons, a large and fine city; Orleans, and many more.

The most celebrated univerfities are at Paris, the real feat of the Mufes; Orleans; Montpelier, famous for the ftudy of phyfic; Bourdeaux, Tholoufe;

&c.

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$ 9. ITALY.

It is faid to refemble a boot; it advances into the Mediterranean fea, and has France on the weft, and Germany to the north.

It is at this day divided into king doms, principalities, republics, and fe.

veral iflands.

There is but one kingdom, that of Naples, on the continent of Italy, which formerly was in fubjection to Spain, but is now governed by a king of its own, Ferdinand IV. fon of Charles III. king of Spain. The metropolis of this kingdom is Naples, the feat of its kings, and for magnificence of buildings, and number of inhabitants, inferior to few of the most famous cities.

Tufcany, Savoy, and Milan, are the principal dukedoms.

Tufcany, diftinguished by the name of the Grand Duchy, has Florence for its capital, the feat of the great dukes, and is reckoned one of the molt beautiful cities in Europe. All the great duchy is fubject to Peter-Leopold, brother of the prefent emperor of Germany.

Savoy, which together with Piedmont is under the dominion of the king of Sardinia as duke of Savoy. The principal cities are Chambery and Turin, the capitals of Savoy and Pied

mont

The duchy of Milan, whofe metropolis is Milan, a city which, for its extent, ftrength, and number of inhabitants, is very refpectable. Formerly it was governed by its own dukes, afterwards it was fubject to the Spaniards, and now it is under the dominion of the emperor of Germany.

The molt confiderable republics in Italy are, Venice, Genoa, and Lucca.

The Venetian republic, whofe chief city is Venice, built on certain islands in the Adriatic fea, has a duke of its own, calied the Doge, who is elected by the fenate. The power of this city was once fo great as to be envied by all Italy; and at this time it may in fome fort be reckoned amongst the wonders of the world, for the beauty of its build. ings, the opulence of its inhabitants, and well-contrived form of govern

ment.

The capital of the Genoefe republic is Genoa, a city inferior to few others in the world for the magnificence of its edinces: it is therefore called by the Italians, who are wont to give epithets to cities, Genoa the proud, as Venice is by them called rich, Florence fair, and Rome holy, &c.

Lucca, is alfo a free city, but within the territories of the emperor. Not far from this place is hewn cut in great plenty the most valuable marble in all Italy.

The islands of greatest confequence near Italy are, Sicily, Sardinia, Corfica, and Malta.

Sicily is fituate in the Mediterranean fea, and once was joined to Italy, but afterwards feparated by the influx of the Sicilian fea. If we credit what authors have written, this was formerly called Sicania and Trinacria. The capital of old was Syracufe, at prefent Palermo. Sicily is famous for the burning mount Etna, and three promonto ries, Pachynas, Lilybæum, and Pelorus, whence the island was called Triquetra. It is feparated from Italy by a narrow ftrait, which dire and uncertain paffage is well known by the tremendous names of Scylla and Charybdis.

Sardinia is the fecond largest ifland in the Mediterranean, formerly, on account of its fertility, diftinguifhed as a 3 M

kind

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