ASIA.

LETTER XXVIII.

ASIA, which I am going to describe to you,

is fuperior to Europe and Africa in the extent of its territories, ftretching into all climates, from the frozen wilds of Siberia, where the hardy inhabitants, clothed in furs, are drawn in fledges over the fnow, to the fultry regions of India and Siam, where, feated upon lofty. elephants, the people fhelter themselves from the fcorching fun, by the fpreading umbrella.

This immenfe tract of land is bounded by the Frozen Ocean on the north; on the west, by the Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Europe, and part of Africa; on the eaft, it is bounded by the Pacific Ocean; and on the south, by the Indian Sea; comprehending, befides islands, 1. the empire of China; 2. the feveral nations of Tartary; 3. Perfia; 4. India, Indoftan, or the empire of the Great Mogul; 5. Turkey in Afia, which comprehends Judea or Paleftine, and Georgia; and, 6. Arabia.

The following little fcheme will convey to you a clearer idea of the continent of Afia, as divided into diftinct empires or kingdoms.

This, though the fecond, is in many refpects the principal quarter of the globe; for in Afia, the all-wife Creator planted the Garden of Eden, in which he formed the first man and first woman, from whom the race of mankind was to fpring. Afia became again the nursery of the world after the deluge, whence the defcendants of Noah dispersed their various colonies into all the other parts of the globe. It was here the great and merciful work of our Redemption was accomplished by our bleffed Saviour; and it was from hence that the light of his glorious Gospel was carried, with amazing rapidity, into all the known nations, by his difciples and followers. This was, in fhort, the theatré of almost every action recorded in the Holy Scriptures.

This vaft tract of land was, in the earliest ages, governed by the Affyrians, Medes, Perfians, and Greeks. Upon the extinction of these empires, the Romans carried their arms. even beyond the Ganges, till at length the Mahometans, or, as they are ufually called, the Saracens, fpread their devaftations widely over this continent, deftroying all its ancient fplendour, and rendering the most populous and fertile spots of Afia, wild and uncultivated deferts.

Various are the religions profeffed in Afia. Chriftianity, though planted here with wonderful rapidity by the apostles and primitive fathers, has fuffered an almoft total eclipfe by Mahometanifm, which overspread Turkey, Arabia, Perfia, part of Tartary, and part of India. The other parts of Tartary, India, China, Japan, and the Afiatic islands, are in, volved in the grofleft idolatry, under different forms; the moft confiderable of which are, the worshippers of Brahma and Fo; befides. thele, there are the fagacious followers of Confucius, and fome of a more ancient fect, who derive their principles from Zoroafter, acknowledging one fupreme deity, whom they worship under the symbol of fire, which they efteem, the brightest and pureft emblem of the all-perfect God.

The principal languages spoken in Afia, are the modern Greek, the Turkish, the Ruffian, the Tartarian, the Perfian, the Arabic, the Malayan, the Chinese, and the Japanese. The European languages are alfo fpoken upon the coafts of India and China."

The trade of these parts, in Tartary, is in fables, martins, furs, iron, &c. In other parts, filks, carpets, tapeftry, mohair, mufk, cinna mon, aloes, rhubarb, caffia, myrrh, camphire, coffee, incenfe, manna, fpices, nutmegs, tea,

drugs, gold duft, quickfilver, diamonds, and fine china, lacquered, and japanned ware.

Befides the animals which we have in Europe, there are lions, leopards, tigers, camels, elephants, rhinocerofes, orang-outangs, and chimpanzee, which two laft are animals almoft as big as a man, and fomewhat resemble the human shape.

The oceans and feas adjoining Afia are, the Northern, Indian, and the Pacific oceans;; the feas of Korea, Tonquin, and Siam, the, bay of Bengal, the Arabian and Red Seas, the Perfian gulf, the Levant, and the Archipelago. The Cafpian fea is only an immense lake, having no connection with any other portion of water.

The islands of Afia are, the Mariana, or Ladrone Islands, Formofa, and the Philip pines, in the eastern ocean. The Moluccas, and the spice islands, Celebes, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, Ceylon, the Maldives, &c. in the Indian ocean. Cyprus, Rhodes, Lefbos, or. Mytilene, Chios, or Scio, Samos, Cos, and a few others of lefs note, on the coafts of Afia, and in the Mediterranean.

Moft of the islands lying near, or under the line, afford great quantities of fugar and fpice, which are traded with to all parts of the world.