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Periodical, or Trade-Winds, were never dreamt of by them. 12. The noble Property of the LoadStone, which fhews the North and South, was unknown to them; tho' they knew it's Virtue of attracting Iron. And Anaximander, who lived about 400 Years before Christ, was the first that attempted to give the Dimenfions of the Earth (a).

The Excellency of Geography.

THERE are three Things that recommed the Study of Geography. 1. It's Dignity; and in that it greatly adorns Man, the Inhabitant of the Earth endowed with Reason above all other Animals, to understand the Nature of Countries, and the Conftitution of the Earth. 2. It is as well a pleasant, as an innocent Recreation. 3. There is an absolute neceffity for the Knowledge of it; because neither Divines, Phyficians, Lawyers, Hiftorians, nor other Men of Letters, can well proceed in their Studies, without interruption, unless they have fome Knowledge of Geography; as it hath been observed by others, and illuftrated by feveral Examples.

HERE follow two Tables, whereof the first may ferve for the Contents of this Book; which

(a) The Moderns have detected many Errors of the Antients, and very much improved Geography, by opening a Paf fage to a New World, and by discovering that thofe Parts of the Old which were thought uninhabitable, to be inhabited; the Torrid Zone is known to be temperate, and, by refreshing Showers and conftant Breezes, and cold Nights; and the Globe itfelf has been compaffed by feveral, both English and Foreign Sailors. But there yet remains

much of the Globe undiscovered.

There is a vaft Southern Continent, as yet fcarce looked into. The northern parts of Ame rica, are yet undiscovered. Africa, tho' it hath been compaffed round and round from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, yet little more than it's Coalts are throughly known, except Egypt and Abaffia. It's inland parts have been either not fufficiently viewed or imperfectly defcribed.

contains

contains Univerfal Geography: the other fhews the Order that ought to be observed by thofe that treat of Special Geography.

WE divide Univerfal Geography into three Parts, viz.

I. THE ABSOLUTE PART, fubdivided into fix Sections, whereof

SECTION I. contains two Chapters of PRELIMINARIES.

Chap. I. The Introduction or Preface. Chap. II. Some Geometrical Propofitions of use in the Work.

SECT. II. In which the Nature of the Earth is explained, in five Chapters.

Chap. III. Of the Figure of the Earth.
Chap. IV. Of it's Measure and Magnitude.
Chap. V. Of it's Motion.

Chap. VI. Of it's Situtation in the Syftem of the
World.

Chap. VII. Of it's Substance and Matter.

SECT. III. In which the Conftitution of the Earth and it's Parts are explained, in four Chapters.

Chap. VIII. Of the Divifion of the Earth by
Water.

Chap. IX. Of Mountains in general.
Chap. X. Of the Differences of Mountains.
Chap, XI. Of Woods, Defarts, and Mines.

SECT.

SECT. IV. Of Hydrography, in which the Constitution of the Waters, and their Properties are explained, in fix Chapters.

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Chap. XII. Of the Divifion of the Waters by the Earth.

Chap. XIII. Of the Ocean and Sea.

Chap. XIV. Of the Motion of the Sea, viz. it's Flux and Reflux.

Chap. XV. Of Lakes, Meres, and Moraffes. Chap. XVI. Of Rivers.

Chap. XVII. Of Mineral Waters.

SECT. V.

Chap. XVIII. Of the extraordinary Changes of

the Sea into Land, and dry

Places into watery.

SECT. VI. of the Atmosphere.

Chap. XIX. Of the Atmosphere and Air.
Chap. XX. Of Winds in general.
Chap. XXI. Of the different forts of Winds.

II. THE RELATIVE PART explains the Celestial Properties, in nine Chapters.

Chap. XXII. Of the Celeftial Properties in ge

neral.

Chap. XXIII. Of the Latitude of the Place, or the Elevation of the Pole. Chap. XXIV. Of the Divifion of the Earth into

Zones.

Chap. XXV. Of the Length of Days, and the Divifion of the Earth into

Climates.

Chap.

Chap. XXVI. Of Light, Heat, and the Seasons
Of the Year.

Chap. XXVII. Of Shadows, and how the Inha-
bitants are divided according

to them.

Chap. XXVIII. Of comparing the Celestial Pha-
nomena, in different Places.

Of the Anteci, Periæci and
Antipodes.

Chap. XXIX. Of the Difference of Time in dif-
ferent Places.

Chap. XXX. Of the different Rifing of the Sun and Moon, and other Phæ

nomena.

III. THE COMPARATIVE PART confiders the Particulars arifing from comparing the Phænomena of one Place, with those of another.

Chap. XXXI. Of the Longitude of Places.
Chap. XXXII. Of the Situation of Places in re-
fpect of one another.
Chap. XXXIII. Of the Distances of Places.
Chap. XXXIV. Of the Vifible Horizon.
Chap. XXXV. Of Navigation, in general, and
Ship-Building.

Chap. XXXVI. Of Lading and Ballasting of
Ships.

Chap. XXXVII. The Nautical Directory, Part

1. Of Distances.

Chap. XXXVIII. Part 2. Of the Points of the
Compass.

Chap. XXXIX. Part 3. Of a Ship's Course.
Chap. XL.. Part 4. Of the Ship's Place in her
Voyage.

Special

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Special Geography exhibits three kinds of Particulars. Ten of them are Terrestrial.

1. The Limits and Bounds of the Country. 2. The Longitude and Situation of Places. 3. The Figure of the Country.

4. It's Magnitude.

5. It's Mountains; their Names, Situations, Altitudes, Properties, and Things contain

ed in them.

6. It's Mines.

7. It's Woods and Defarts.

8. It's Waters; as Seas, Rivers, Lakes, Marfhes, Springs; their Rife, their Origin, and Breadth; the Quantity, Quality, and Celerity of their Waters, with their Cataracts. 9. The Fertility, Barrenness, and Fruits, of the Country.

10. It's living Creatures.

The Celestial Properties are eight.

1. The Distance of the Place from the Equator and Pole.

2. The Obliquity of the Motion of the Stars above the Horizon.

3. The Length of the Days and Nights.

4. The Climate and Zone.

5. The Heat and Seafons: Wind, Rain, and other Meteors.

6. The Rifing and Continuance of the Stars above the Horizon.

7. The Stars that país thro' the Zenith of the Place.

8. The Celerity with which each Place revolves, according to the Copernican Syftem.

THE

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