The greatest river is the Thames, which flows through London, and empties itfelf into the German ocean.

kind nurfe to Rome; but as it is fruitful, it is alfo peftilential, and the foil is more beneficent than the sky. The chief city is Caralis or Cagliari, which has a noble port. Sardinia now belongs to the duke of Savoy, who takes his title of king from thence.

Corfica is lefs than Sardinia, and not fo fruitful. There have been cruel contefts between the inhabitants of Pifa and the Genoese, and between the Genoefe and the natives, for the dominion of this ifland, which is now in the poffeffion of the French: the metropolis is Baftia.

Malta, though it lies near Africa, is generally reckoned among the islands of Italy. It is governed by the knights of the order of St. John, whofe chief is grand mafter of the order. Valetta is the place where he refides, and it is extremely well fortified.

The most famous univerfities in Italy are thofe of Bononia and Pifa. The rivers are the Po and the Tiber. The mountains are, the Alps, the Apennine, and the burning Vefuvius.

$10. GREAT BRITAIN. It includes three kingdoms, England, Scotland, and Ireland.

England is fo called from the Angles, a people of Cimbric Cherfonefus, who, invited over by the Britons to affift them against the Scots and Picts, made them felves mafters of the whole country, and obliged the old inhabitants to retire to that part which is now called Wales.

England is divided into feven provinces, and each province into feveral hires or counties. The chief city is London, the head and abstract of the whole kingdom. It is reckoned the largest city this day in Europe, and the moft celebrated emporium in the world, and deferves the name of a world rather than of a city. The cities next to this for fize and number of inhabitants, are Briftol, Norwich, and York.

Wales, which had long been governed by British fovereigns, is now part of the kingdom of England. From this country the eldeft fons of the kings of England are called princes of Wales.

The univerfities in England are at Oxford and Cambridge.

Scotland is divided into North and South, and the islands. The principal city is Edinburgh. The univerfities are four, at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews.

Ireland is divided into four provinces, Uifter, Leinster, Connaught, and Munfter. The chief city in this island is Dublin.

§ 11. DENMARK, formerly called Dacia.

It is bounded on the west by the Ger man ocean, on the eaft by the Baltic fea, on the north by the Sound, and on the fouth by part of Germany: it is diftributed into feveral portions. The whole kingdom is divided into continent and iflands.

The continent is called the Cimbrian Cherfonefus: it is a peninsula, joined by the fouthern parts to Germany. The continent of Cimbria is divided into north and fouth.

South Cimbria, or the duchy of Slefwic, for a long time was fubject both to the kings of Denmark and the dukes of Slefwic of the royal houfe of Denmark, but it is now under the fole dominion of the Danish king. Slefwic, with the castle of Gottorp, once the refidence of the dukes, is the principal city in this duchy; the other cities are, Henfburg, Haderfleb, &c.

North Cimbria, or Jutland, is divided into four diftricts or commanderies; namely, of Ripen, Wiburg, Arhu fen, and Alburg, fo called from the feveral cities under those names.

In Denmark are feveral islands. The larger iflands are those of Zeland and Funen.

Copenhagen is the principal city in Zeland, the capital of Denmark, where the king refides. The rest of the cities in this ifland are, Helfingore, famous for the refort of ships that pass through the Baltic, which are here to pay a tax for their paffage. Near to this place ftands the most magnificent and wellfortified tower of Cronenburg, erected by Frederick against any invasions from the Baltic. In the heart of the island.

whole kingdom; now remarkable for the fepulchres of the kings. The tower of Fredericksburg, fituate in a moft delightful country, is the fummer refidence of the kings of Denmark.

Funen, which on account of its fertility may be called the nurfe of Denmark. In the centre of the island is Odensee the principal city, Newberg,

&c.

The leffer iflands are, Laland, of which the principal town is Naxkow; Falfter, with the city of Nykoping; Langland; Mona; Arroa; Boringia or Bornholm, fituate in the midft of the Baltic, with avery commodious harbour and station for fhips.

Denmark is not divided by rivers: the provinces are feparated by three feas; the leffer Belt flows between Jutland and Finland; the greater Belt divides Funen from Zeland; befides the famous ftrait called the Sound, through which is a paffage for fhips from the German ocean into the Baltic.

There is but one univerfity belonging to Denmark and Norway, and that is at Copenhagen.

$12. NORWAY, ufually called Norrighe and Norghe by the Natives.

It is bounded on the eaft by Sweden, from which it is feparated by a continued chain of mountains; to the fouth it has the chops of the Baltic, codani finus fauces; the western fide is bounded by the ocean; and the northern by Finmarck. It is a waste dreary land, but abounds with ports and markets. The whole kingdom is divided into four governments, of Aggerhus, Bergen, Chrif tianfand, and Nidrofe. The chief cities are, Chriftiana, where the viceroys refide; Bergen, the most famous and the greatest emporium of the kingdom, formerly the ftaple of the Hanfe towns; Nidrofe, the ancient capital and place of refidence to the kings of Norway; Chriftianfand, anew city, built by Chrif

tian IV.

To Denmark and Norway belong; 1. Finmarck, which extends as far as the North Cape. 2. Iceland, fo called from the ice that is perpetual there; it

discharges fire. 3. The Zerroen islands. 4. Greenland, which, whether it is an island, or joins the continent of America, is uncertain. The coaft of this wafte region is noted for the whale-fishery.

Amongst other wonders in this kingdom is reckoned that dreadful vorago maris or gulph, not far diftant from the fhore of northern Norway, called Malftrom, which rifes and falls at certain times as if the fea drew breath there.

§ 13. SWEDEN.

It is bounded on the fouth by the gulph of Finland, and by the Baltic; on the eaft by Muscovy; on the north by Norwegian Lapland; and on the weft by the mountains of Norway.

The land is rough and horrid, covered with barren rocks or vaft forefts, but rich in ore of filver, copper, and iron; and in a prodigious quantity of fish, with which it abounds, is exceeded only by Norway.

It is at this day divided into four regions; namely, into Sweden properly fo called, Gothland, Nordland, and Finland.

The chief city in Sweden properly fo called, and the capital of the whole kingdom, is Stockholm, the place of refidence for the king, fortified both by art and nature: it is fituate in the marshes, after the manner of Venice, and derives its name from its fituation, having its foundation raifed upon piles driven into the fea-marfshes. The next city to this is Upfal, where there is a famous academy, and where the kings of Sweden are crowned.

Gothland is divided into eaft, west, and fouth.

South Gothland, or Scania, is the moft fertile of all the provinces in Swe den, and is divided into Scania, Halland, and Bleking. The most noted towns are, Malmoge, Lunden, Chrif tianftadt, and Chriftianopolis. This whole region was, for a long while, matter of contention between the Danes and the Swedes.

Nordland is a waste region, fituate to the north, but not to be confounded with Lapland, which is divided into 3 M 2

three

three parts, belonging to as many different kingdoms; viz. Denmark, Sweden, and Ruflia.

Finland lies between the gulph of Finland and the Bothnic; the principal town is Abo.

Ingria and Livonia till of late belonged to Sweden, but now they are feparated from it, and annexed to the empire of Ruffia.

The universities in Sweden are, at Upfal, Lunden in Scania, and Abo.

14. The Low COUNTRIES.

For their fplendour they may be confidered as the eye of Europe, and an abstract of the civilized world. Part of Germany bounds this country on the eaft, the German ocean on the north, France on the fouth and weft. It is divided into Spanish, now Auftrian, French, and Dutch Netherlands, and contains feventeen provinces, greatly enriched with various merchandize and the most extended commerce.

The names of the provinces are, Flanders, Artois, Haynault, Namur, Lux emburg, Limburg, Brabant, Mechlin, Antwerp, Holland, Zeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Zutphen, Overyffel, WeftFriesland, and Groningen,

All thefe provinces formerly belorged to the dukes of Burgundy, afterwards to the kings of Spain, as their heirs; but the natives finding themfelves injuriously treated, and grown weary of Spanish tyranny, took up arms against Philip II. This occafioned a long war, that did not ceafe for forty years. Part fubmitted to the Spaniard, part reco. vered their liberty. Thus the Low Countries were divided: ten provinces yielded to Spain; the other feven efta. blished themfelves, and conftantly and bravely afferted their freedom under the form of a republic. But fince that time the French have feized upon feveral cities and provinces that belonged to their Spanish neighbour; and then the provinces were divided into three parts, and the Netherlands are called Spanish, now Auftrian, French, and United or Dutch.

It would be endlefs to mention all the fine towns and ftrong fortreffes,

This very great part of Europe is ter minated to the eaft by Poland and Hungary; by France, Flanders, and Hol land to the weft; to the fouth, by Switzerland, and the Venetian territories; and to the north, by the Baltic and German oceans. It is ufually divided into Upper and Lower Germany; and, according to the prefent conftitution of the empire, into nine circles; namely, Auflrian, Bavarian, Franconian, Suabian, of the Upper Rhine, of the Lower Rhine, Weftphalian, of Upper Saxony, and Lower Saxony.

The Auftrian circle comprehends Aufria, Stiria, Carinthia, Carniola, and the county of Tyrol; the Bavarian, Bavaria, with the Upper Palatinate; the Franconian, Franconia; the Suabian, Suabia, with the Duchy of Wirtemberg; that of the Upper Rhine contain's Alface, Heffe, and Lorrain; that of the Lower Rhine, the archbishoprics of Mentz, Triers, Cologne, and the Lower Palatinate; the Weftphalian, Weftphalia, Liege, Cleves, the duchy of Ju liers, Eaft Friefland; the circle of Upper Saxony contains Lufatia, Mifnia, Thuringia, marquifate of Brandenburg, Pomerania; that of Lower Saxony, the duchy of Brunfwick and Lunenburg, Magdeburgh, Bremen, and Holftein.

Among the chief cities in Germany are the following. In the circle of Auftria, Vienna, the metropolis of Au ftria, in which is the emperor's palace. It is a magnificent and fplendid city;

and,

and, in thofe parts, the fafeft fortrefs against the incurfions of the Turks: it is fituate on the Danube, and is famous for the many times it has been befieged by the Turks. 2. Gratz, the capital of Stiria. 3. Infpruck, the capital of the county of Tyrol. 4. Trent, famous for the council held there in the fixteenth century.

In the Bavarian circle are the following cities, 1. Munich, the fairest of all the German cities, and the feat of the electors of Bavaria. 2. Ratisbon, commonly called Regensburg, remarkable on account of the Imperial diet held there, and remains of antiquity.

In the circle of Franconia are, 1. Wurtzburg, the capital of Franconia. 2. Nuremberg, a magnificent city, famed for its trade and opulence. 3. Franckfort upon the Maine, a free city of the empire, and famous for its fairs.

In the Suabian circle, 1. Augsburg, a fair and fplendid city, free of the empire, particularly noted for the confeffion of faith propofed there, and thence named the Auguflan confeffion. 2. Ulm. 3. Stutgard, the principal city of the duchy of Wirtemberg.

In the circle of the Upper Rhine is, Strafburg, in which city the tower of the cathedral deferves notice, as being one of the nobleft ftructures in all Germany.

In the circle of the Lower Rhine is, 1. Mentz, the feat of the archbishop and elector of Mentz. 2. Triers, the capital of the archbishopric of Triers. 3. Cologne, i. e. Colonia Agrippina, fo called from a colony conducted thither under the auspices of Agrippina, wife of Claudius. 4. Heidelberg, the feat of the electors palatine.

2.

In the circle of Weftphalia, 1. Munfter, the capital of Weftphaly, famous for the reign of the anabaptifts. Aken, or Aix-la-Chapelle, remarkable for the most celebrated fprings of hot water, and for the court and fepulchre of the emperor Charles the Great. In this place it was long the cullom to crown the emperors.

In Upper Saxony, 1. Drefden, the feat of the electors of Saxony. 2. Leip

fic, refpe&table on account of the man. ners of the people, the beauty of the buildings, and the fairs held there, which, next to thofe of Franckfort upon the Maine, are the most famous in all Germany. 3. Berlin, a moft agreeable city, the residence of the kings of Pruffia.

In Lower Saxony, 1. Brunswick. 2. Lunenburg, famous for falt fprings. 3. Bremen, a noble place of trade. 4. Lubec, once a place of great ftrength, and the chief of the Hanfe towns. 5. Hamburg, the principal city in Hol. fein, and most celebrated trading town upon the river Elbe.

The chief rivers in Germany are, the Danube, Rhine, Ems, Maine, Wefer, Elbe, Oder, Weixel or Viftula, Mofelle, &c. The Danube or Ifter is the most renowned, as it paffes through many regions, and, after it has received about fixty other ftreams, difcharges itfelf from fix mouths into the Euxine fea.

§ 16. BOHEMIA and HUNGARY.

Among other regions out of Germany in fubjection to emperors of the house of Auftria, are the two kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary.

Bohemia is encompaffed with woods and mountains as with a wall, and takes its name from the Boij, a Gallic nation it comprehends Moravia and Silefia, and boasts the moft famous city of Prague. The chief town in Silefia is Breflau; and in Moravia, Olmutz.

Hungary or Pannonia is divided into upper and lower; the one on this fide, the other crofs the Danube. Prefburg is the capital of the firft; and Buda, or, as the Germans call it, Ofen, of the other. Bofnia and Sclavonia used to be confidered as belonging to Hungary; and Croatia and Dalmatia are parts of Sclavonia.

§ 17. SWITZERLAND. It is fituate between Germany, France, and Italy; and is furrounded by the Alps as with a girdle. It was once under fubjection to the houfe of Auftria, but growing weary of that yoke, the Switzers fhook it off; and the chief provinces forming a league, afferted their freedom vigoroufly against their old mafters, and other neighbouring powers, till at length Switzerland was, by the treaty of Weftphalia, declared a free republic.

The whole body is at this time to be confidered under three denominations. 1. The republic of Switzerland. 2. Its fubjects. 3. Its allies.

The republic of Switzerland, commonly called Eydgenoffenfchaft, is divided into thirteen free communities, which are called Cantons. The chief cities are, Bern, the moft powerful; Zuric; and Bafil, the most famous univerfity in Switzerland.

The fubjects of Switzerland are variously divided, and too numerous to be inferted here *.

The allies are, the Rhæti or Grifons, the Vallefii or the people of the country of Valais in the Alps, and the republic of Geneva, whofe capital, Geneva, is famous for the doctrine of Calvin, which owed its birth and support to that city.

$ 18. POLAND, by the Natives called Polka, from the word Pole, which fignifies a Plain.

It is bounded on the eaft by Mofcovy, on the weft by Silefia, on the fouth by Hungary and Wallachia, and on the north by Pruffia, Livonia, and Courland. It is at this day divided into the kingdom of Poland, and the duchy of Lithuania.

Poland, properly fo called, is again divided into greater and leffer, and Red Ruffia.

The most remarkable cities in the greater Poland are, Pofnania or Pofen; and Gnefna, the moft ancient of all the cities in Poland, and the first place where its princes refided.

*See Hubner's Geography.

The chief city of leffer Poland is Cracow, a large city, and the metropolis of the whole kingdom. 2. Lub. fin, where are held the greateft fairs in all Poland. 3. Warfaw, where the kings now refide.

The chief cities in Red Ruffia are, 1. Leopolis or Lemberg. 2. Caminieck, a city built on a steep rock, and therefore fuppofed to be impregnable.

The large city of Vilna is the metropolis of Lithuania, a country not much cultivated.

Pruffia and Courland have been added to the crown of Poland. Pruffia is divided into two parts; one belonging to Poland, the other to Brandenburg. Dantzig, a colony of Danes, is the principal city in Polish Pruffia. Pruffia of Brandenburg is the granary of the whole country, lately honoured with the title of a kingdom, the capital of which is Konigsberg.

$.19. Moscovy.

White Ruffia, or Mofcovy, comprehends a vast tract of land in Europe and Afia; and is, for the greatest part, both uninhabited and impaffable, from its woods and marshes. The frozen fea bounds it on the north; to the east it extends through the greater Tartary, almost as far as the confines of China; the Baltic fea clofes it to the weft; as does the Euxine to the fouth; which fhews what a vaft fpace of the globe this country contains.

It takes its name from the river Mofqua, which discharges itself into the Occa and Volga. This wide empire is divided into east and weft, Tartary and Mofcovy.

Mofcow is the metropolis of the whole empire, a city of incredible extent, but not beautiful, the houses for the most part being built of wood. The next to this is the new city of Petersburg, lately built near the Baltic fea by Peter the Great, who made it the place of refidence for the Imperial family, and adorned it with a port fit to receive a very large fleet; a famous university; and very coftly edifices; fo that it may defervedly be accounted one of the most fplendid cities in Europe.