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19. At what Height, or in what Region of the Air, the Winds blow.

20. To what Distance one and the fame Wind may reach

CHA P. XXI.

Of particular Winds, and Storms or Tempefts.

1. Some Winds are conftant, others not.

Page 491

2. Some Winds are general, others particular. 3. The Caufe of the general Winds.

4. Some Winds periodical and stated; others uncertain and contingent.

5. The periodical Winds enumerated.

6. The Caufe of the Etefian Winds.

7. Why the Etefian are not found in many Places. 8. Some Winds peculiar, others common.

9. Certain winds periodical at certain Hours. 10. Northern Winds most frequent in Places near the

North Pole.

11. Four Species of Winds.

12. Certain impetuous and fudden Winds.

13. Their Kinds exemplified.

14. Tornados, or Travados.

15. Cataracts, or Exhydrias.

16. Ecnephias, or leffer Exhydrias.

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17. Typhon, or Oranchan.

18. Whether certain Winds burst out of the Earth, or rife from the Water.

19. Whether a certain Wind may rife from the Flood of the Sea and Rivers.

20. the Caufes of the Brothers at Sea; or Caftor, Pollux, and Helena in Tempefts.

21. Why Calms are fo frequent in Part of the Ethiopic Ocean, under the Equator; especially on the Guinea Coaft.

22. Storms and Tempests anniversary in certain Places,

THE

THE

ABSOLUTE PART

OF

Univerfal Geography.

SECT. I.
PRELIMINARI E S..

CHAP. I.

Of the DEFINITION, DIVISION, METHOD, &c. of GEOGRAPHY.

I

T hath been an antient Custom for thofe that fully treat of any Art, or Science, to premife fomewhat of it's Origin, Nature, Conftitution, &c. And this Procedure is not improper, provided it be clear of all fophiftical Equivocation; becaufe from fuch Preliminaries the Reader may con ceive an Idea of the Work, or at leaft the Subftance thereof, and fo proceed more advisedly therein. We fhall therefore here offer a few Particulars as to the Nature, Ufe, and Defign of Geography. VOL. I.

B

The

The Definition of Geography.

GEOGRAPHY is that part of mixed Mathematics, which explains the State of the Earth, and of it's Parts, depending on Quantity, viz. it's Figure, Place, Magnitude, and Motion, with the Celestial Appearances, &c.

BY fome it is taken in too limited a Sense, for a bare Description of the feveral Countries; and by others too extenfively, who along with fuch a Defcription would have their Political Constitution. But the Authors who proceed thus are excufable, because they do it only to excite and delight the Reader, who might otherwise be the lefs attentive to a bare Enumeration and Description of the Countries, without fome Knowledge of the Manners, and Customs of the Inhabitants.

The Divifion of Geography.

WE divide Geography into General and Special, or Univerfal and Particular. Golnitzius fays, Geography is to be explained externally and internally; but thefe Terms are improper, and ill chofen, Univerfal and Particular being much more pertinent. We call that Univerfal Geography which confiders the whole Earth in general, and explains it's Properties without regard to particular Countries: But Special or Particular Geography defcribes the Conftitution and Situation of each fingle Country by itself which is twofold, viz. Chorographical, which describes Countries of a confiderable Extent; or Topographical, which gives a View of fome place or fmall Tract of the Earth.

IN this Book, we fhall exhibit Univerfal Geogra phy, which may be divided into three Parts, Abfolute, Relative, and Comparative. In the Abfolute

Part

Part we shall handle what respects the Body of the Earth itself, it's Parts and peculiar Properties; as it's Figure, Magnitude, and Motion; it's Lands, Seas, and Rivers, &c. In the Relative Part we shall account for the Appearances and Accidents that happen to it from Celestial Caufes: and, laftly, the Comparative Part fhall contain an Explication of thofe Properties, which arife from comparing ditferent Parts of the Earth together (a).

The Subject of Geography.

THE Object, or Subject, of Geography is the Earth; especially it's Superficies and exterior Parts.

The Properties of Geography.

THE Things which feem to be moft worthy of Obfervation in every Country are of three kinds, viz. Celestial, Terrestrial, and Human. The Celestial Properties are fuch as affect us by reafon of the apparent Motion of the Sun, and Stars. Thefe are eight in Number: 1. The Elevation of the Pole, or the Diftance of a Place from the Equator. 2. The Obliquity of the Diurnal Motion of the Stars above the Horizon of that Place. 3. The Time of the longest and shortest

(a) The Honour of reducing Geography to Art and System was referved to Ptolemy; who by adding Mathematical Advantages to the Historical Method, in which it had been treated of before, has described the World in a much more Intelligible Manner: he has delineated it under more certain Rules, and by fixing the Bounds of Places, from Longitude and Latitude, hath both difcovered others

Mistakes, and hath left us a Method of difcovering his own.

There is one thing yet very lame in our Gegraphy, the fix ing the true Longitude of Places; and tho' feveral new Ways have been lately tried, to redrefs this Inconvenience, both from exact Pendulums, and from Obfervations upon the Immerfions and Emerfions of Jupiter's Satellites, yet they have not al together proved effectual. B2

Day.

Day. 4. The Climate and Zone. 5. Heat, Cold, and the Seafons of the Year with Rain, Snow, Wind, and other Meteors: and tho' these may feem Terrestrial Properties, yet because they chiefly depend upon the Motion of the Sun, and the four Seafons of the Year, we have reckoned them among the Celestial Matters. 6. The Rifing, Appearance, and Continuance, of the Stars above the Horizon. 7. The Stars that pass thro' the Zenith of a Place. 8. The Celerity of the Motion with which, according to the Copernican Hypothefis, every Place conftantly revolves. And according to Aftrologers a ninth Property may be added; for they affign fome Country or other to every one of the twelve Signs of the Zodiac, and the Planets which are Lords of these Signs; but fuch imaginary Qualities feem fuperftitious and vain to me; nor do I perceive any reasonable Foundation for them (a). Thus far the Celestial Properties.

WE call thofe Terreftrial Properties that are obferved in the Face of every Country; which are ten in Number. 1. The Limits and Bounds of each Country. 2. It's Figure. 3. It's Magnitude. 4. It's Mountains. 5. It's Waters, viz. Springs, Rivers, and Bays. 6. It's Woods and Defarts. 7. The Fruitfulness and Barrenness of the Country, with it's various kinds of Fruits. 8. The Minerals and Foffils. 9. The living Creatures there. 10. The Longitude of the Place: which might be comprehended under the first of these Properties.

(a) Tho' this Art be of great Antiquity, it is rejected and exploded by most knowing People of this Age; and only Impoftors, or fome weak Pretenders to Learning, now pra&ife it, in thefe Parts of the World. It is however, even

to this Day, venerated in most Eastern Countries, especially among the Indians; where nothing is done of any Confequence, before the Aftrologer determines a fortunate Hour to undertake it. See Robault's Phyfics Part 2. chap. 27.

THE

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