G12S 
 .M84 
 
 182S 
 
 r LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 000Q0531133 
 
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J5LEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY, 
 
 J^OariBITE© HXSTOIUCAi£»i\ 
 FROM THE- 
 
 CBEATION TO THE END OP THE WORLB^ 
 ON A NEW PLAN^ 
 
 ADAPTED TO CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS AlJ© 
 PRIVATE FAMILIES. 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY FOUR PLATES. 
 
 BY JEDIDIAH MORSE, D. D. 
 
 Author of the American Universal Geograptiy, Gazetteer, fei^> 
 
 THE SIXTH EDITION, 
 
 Revised 0nd correcttfi,^^ 
 
 NEW-HAVEN: 
 rUBLISHED BY H. HOWE: 
 
 1825 
 

 
 JJ^sLriii •/ Lonntcricut ro twc ,' 
 Khi IT lti>.^JF^IDEKKD That on the thirternth day of S«;)teraber iri 
 the fiftieth year of the independence of the United States of Anaer- 
 iea, Jedidiah Morse of the said district, hath deposited in this office 
 the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words 
 fM lowing, to wit: 
 
 • Elements of Geography, exhibited historically, from the creation 
 to the end of the^ world : on a new plan, adapted to children in schools 
 and private families Illustrated by four plates. By Jedidiah Morse, 
 D. D., Author of the American UniverRal Geography, Gazetteer, &c. 
 
 Id conformity to the act of the Congress of the United Stateg, entitledr 
 " An act for the enconragement of learning by securing the copies of 
 map8, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copied 
 during the tiroes therein mentioned," 
 
 CHARLES A. INGERSOIyL. 
 CUrk oftht District of Connecticut , 
 A true copy of Record, examined and sealed by me, 
 
 CHARLES A. INGERSOLL, 
 Ctrrh of tht Dt^rict of Cormtcticnt ^ 
 
 3 ^- i 
 
 ^ Converge, ptiftter. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Thb present state of the world, aad the pras'- 
 pects opening before us, render a knowledge of 
 Geography a necessary part of a good education. 
 The fact, that school-books, for teaching this sci- 
 <3nce, have, within a few years, become nume- 
 rous, beyond all former example, shows that such 
 is the universal opinion. In this eventful period 
 of the world, when changes and improvements 
 ^f the most important kind, are every where 
 multiplying with a rapidity altogether astonish- 
 ing ; .when '^ many are running to and fro through 
 the earth, and knowledge is increasing ;'' when 
 missionaries of the cross are spreading the ever- 
 lasting gospel among all the nations of the earth,^ 
 no wonder that every one, who is awake to be* 
 hold these things, should be anxious to become 
 acquainted with every part of a world, in which 
 the Creator seems now to be displaying his per- 
 fections in the most conspicuous and glorioa* 
 manner. 
 
 The following opinions of the science of Gea- 
 graphy, as adapted to youthful minds, deserve 
 particular attention. "There is not a son or 
 daughter of Adam, but has some concern both in 
 Geography and Astronomy."* '• Among those 
 studies which are usually recommended to youn^ 
 people, there can be few that might be improved 
 to better uses, than Geography.''t '• Tbf(Jie 
 
 * ?)r. Waifs-. t l\m 
 
branches of science, which lead the mind to at- 
 tend to the appearances of nature, are suited to 
 raise exalted thoughts of the Great Creator.""^ 
 All eup school-hooks should be formed with par- 
 ticnlaf refepence to the moral improvement of the 
 rising generation ; in a manner best adapted to 
 make correct impressions on their minds, and ta 
 excite useful inquiries. None of the sciences can 
 be managed to effect these purposes so well, as 
 Geography, combined, as it naturally and neces- 
 sarily is, both with Astronomy and History. 
 These sciences, which are blended in this book, 
 at once entertain and enlarge the mind ; and yet 
 in their elements are so simple and eUsy to be 
 understood, that the study of them can hardly be 
 begun at too early a period. I have known chil- 
 dren who would point to continents, oceans, and 
 o^her places on the globe and maps, before they 
 could pronounce their names, and who, at the 
 lisping age, would promptly tell, when asked, 
 the name of the continent, the country or nation^ 
 the state, the county, and town where they were 
 born. Children are pleased while looking over 
 a map, or globe, and delighted when they tind a 
 place, of which they have read with interest in 
 the Bible, or some history, or newspaper. They 
 are naturally inquisitive, and by judicious ma- 
 nagement their curiosity is easily excited, and 
 they begin to ask questions ; and thus a way is 
 opened to pour into their minds useful know- 
 ledge, '^ to teach the young idea how to shoot,'' 
 and so to bend '^ the twig,'' as to give " the tree" 
 its proper inclination. 
 
 Geography appears to be the fii*st in the order of 
 the sciences^ and children, whose capacities are too 
 
 * F)r. Charles Backus.- 
 
generally underrated, are able, at a very early 
 age, to understand its elementary principles. 
 They are as capable of learning what is useful^ 
 as of those worse than unmeaning tales^ which 
 they are too often taught for their amusement. 
 They are better pleased with iruth^ than with 
 fiction. The latter is calculated only to create 
 and gratify a false taste, which gives the parent^ 
 afterwards, the unnecessary and difficult labor 
 of correcting. 
 
 The plan of this elementary work, it is be- 
 lieved, ha's never been before adopted. It has 
 appeared to its author, from the first thought of 
 it, and on the most mature deliberation, to be the 
 only natural plan for a first book on Geography. 
 It embraces a view of the world in its origin, pro- 
 gress, and end. Such a comprehensive view of a 
 whole subject, is gratifying to any mind — to the 
 minds of children especially. When they enter 
 on the study of Geography, they will very na- 
 turally inquire, When, and how, did this world, 
 of which we are about to acquire a knowledge, 
 come into being? Who made it? For what pur- 
 pose was it made ? When and where, were the 
 first parents of the human race created? What 
 great events have happened in this world, since 
 it was created? How long is it to last? What 
 will be its end? A thousand other pertinent 
 questions, will grow out of these general ones, 
 which parents and instructors will be pleased to 
 answer. 
 
 • The Author has divided his work^ into Ancient^ 
 Modern^ and Prospective Geography, as the natural 
 divisions; and has subdivided it, according to the 
 several subjects, into sections of convenient 
 length for lessons. To aid both the instructor 
 ^nd pnpil, he has subjoined to each ?e:rtioii4 a ee,t 
 A 5 
 
of question?, answers to vvhich will be iouiu-f iii 
 the section to which they are annexed. In thi«* 
 way, the judgment of the child will be called into 
 exercise in selecting the proper answer, as well 
 as the memory^ in retaining it. 
 
 As a great part of the facts arid information 
 contained in this work is derived from the Bible, 
 of all books the best and most to be relied on^ 
 and on the most important topics, the only au-" 
 thentic source, the author hopes the study of it 
 will, in an easy and pleasant manner, lead our 
 youth to the study of this sacred Book, the ten- 
 dency of which is to make them truly wise, and 
 happy for ever. 
 
 Ngw-HAVErv,- Sept. 1825. 
 
 NoiE. — The Author of these Elements, takes 
 leare to recommend, that there be provided by 
 the instructor, or the parents of the pupils, in 
 every school wiiere this book is used, a colored 
 map of the world, and a copy of the new uni- 
 versal Atlas, colored, just published by N. and 
 S. S. Jocelyn, New-Haven, constructed on an im- 
 proved plan. These will be useful, and even ne- 
 cessar}^, to the young pupils, for reference, and 
 will be sufficient, with the plates m this book, for 
 their purpose, till they shall arrive at an age to 
 use an atlas themselves. 
 
 Every pupil should be required to consult the 
 Dictionary, and thence to give the meaning of all 
 the words used in this book, which he does not un- 
 derstand. This will prove a proiitable exercise to 
 the child, and give him a more correct knowledge 
 ^f the science he is studying- 
 
ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHK 
 
 SECTION L 
 
 DEFINITION OF GEOGRAPHY-. 
 
 GEOGFiAPHY, in the larg-est sense of the word, is 
 a description of the earth, and of those heavenly 
 bodies, which were created, and are inseparably 
 connected, with it. We give this large, and, per- 
 haps, new meaning to the word, because the Cre- 
 ator, at the beginning, connected the heavens with 
 the earth. And what He has thus joined together 
 in their creation^ we would not put asunder in 
 the description. These bodies together form the 
 Solar System^ of which an account will be given in 
 its place. 
 
 Of the Creation of the Ea.rth and the Heavens^ 
 
 When a child enters on the study of geography, 
 vve have said in our preface, it will be natural for 
 him to inquire^ '• When, and how did this world, 
 of which we are about to acquire a knowledge, 
 come into being? Who made it? For what pur- 
 pose was it made ? When and where were the 
 iiist parents of the human race created? What 
 great events have happened in this world since 
 
O ANCIOT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 it was created ? How long is it to last? What 
 will be its end ?" Answers to these inquiries are 
 found only in the Bible. Here we learn, that 
 '^In the beginning,'' or 5825 years ago, "God 
 created the heavens and the earth." He 
 might but have spoken the word, and this 
 work of creation would have been instantly done ; 
 and have commanded, and all would have stood 
 fast ; but he chose to employ six days in com- 
 pleting it. 
 
 At first " the earth was without form and void, and 
 darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the 
 Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters ; 
 and God said. Let there be light, and there was 
 light ; and God saw the light that it was good ; and 
 God divided the light from the darkness, and God 
 called the light day ; and the darkness he called 
 nighu^'^ This was the work of the Jirst day. 
 
 On the second day, God said " Let there be sl fir- 
 mament in the midst of the waters, and let it di- 
 vide the waters from the waters. And God made 
 the firmament, and divided the waters which were 
 under the firmament, from the waters which were 
 above the firmament : and God called the firma- 
 ment Heaven." 
 
 The firmament, here called Heaven, is supposed 
 to be the air, or atmosphere, which surrounds 
 the earth; and the clouds, which contain the waters, 
 are supposed to be the waters above the firma- 
 ment. 
 
 On the third day " God said, let the waters im- 
 der the firmament," or those which make a part 
 of our globe, " be gatherd together into one place, 
 and let the dry land appear : and it was so. And 
 God called the dry land, Earth ; and the gather- 
 ing tosfether of the waters, he called Sem-"'* 
 
Ot" THtr CREATION', H- 
 
 What are here called Earth and Seas^ are now 
 jknown under the name of Continents and Oceans. 
 
 " And God said, let the earth bring forth grass, 
 the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding 
 fruit, after his kind^ whose seed is in itself, upon 
 the earth ; and it was so." 
 
 On ihe fourth day, " God said, let there be lights- 
 in the firmament of heaven, to divide the day from 
 the night ; and let them be for signs and for seasons, 
 and for days and for years." 
 
 Accordingly '• God made two great lights ; the 
 greater light," which is the Sun, ^^ to rule the day, 
 and the lesser light," or the Moon, " to rule the 
 night : he made the Stars also. And God set them 
 in the firmament of heaven to give light upon the 
 earth, and to rule over the day, and over the night, 
 and to divide the light from the darkness." 
 
 The Sacred historian describes the heavenly 
 bodies here, not as a modern Astronomer would 
 describe them, but as they appear to the unlearned^ 
 that he might be understood by the great body of 
 mankind, who are of this character. 
 
 All the heavenly bodies are round, a shape best 
 fitted for motion, and with other like bodies, innu- 
 merable, are placed by their Creator in open, infi- 
 nite space, without any solid foundations, and put 
 into various, continual, and most rapid motions ; 
 yet the most perfect order and harmony are pre- 
 served throughout the whole. 
 
 The various movements of the earth, in connex- 
 ion with the movements of the heavenly bodies^ 
 connected with it, give us the divisions of time 
 called day and night, summer and winter, spring 
 and autumn, seed-time and harvest ; — also ouv 
 vear^, months, and days. 
 
For these important purposes, the Creator, fa 
 his wisdom, has connected the heavenly bodies- 
 with the earth, and blended inseparably, the sci- 
 ence of Geography^ with that of Astronomp So far 
 as relates to the Solar system, both must necessa- 
 rily be studied together. 
 
 On the fifth day, God caused '^ the waters to 
 bring forth abundantly the moving creature that 
 hath lite,^ and fowl that may fly above the earth, 
 in the open firmament of heaven." " Great whales 
 also, and every living creature that moveth, which 
 the waters brought forth abundantly, after their 
 kind, and every winged fowl, after his kind, did 
 God create, and bless, " saying. Be fruitful, and 
 multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let 
 fowl multiply in the earth." 
 
 On the sixth day, " God said. Let the earth bring 
 forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and 
 creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his 
 kind : and it was so. 
 
 " And God made the beasi of the earth after his 
 kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing 
 that creepeth upon the earth after his kind : and 
 God saw that it -wa^ good. 
 
 " And God said. Let us make man in our image, 
 after our likeness ; and let them have dominion 
 aver the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the 
 air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, 
 and over e\evy creeping thing that creepeth upon 
 the earth. 
 
 ^' So God created man in his oxion image : in the 
 image of God created he him; male and female 
 created he them. 
 
 " And God blessed them, and God said unto them^ 
 Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, 
 end subdue it ; and have df^minion over the ftsh 
 
of thes£:a, and over the fowl of the air, and ovev 
 every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 
 
 " And God said, Behold, I have given you every 
 herb hearing seed, which is upon the face of all 
 the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit 
 of a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for 
 meat. 
 
 " And to every beast of the earth, and to every 
 fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth 
 upon tho earth, wherein there is life, / have given 
 every green herb for meat : and it was so." 
 
 When the work of Creation was thus finished, 
 " God saw every thing which he had made," and 
 pronounced it, " very good." 
 
 On the Seventh day, when God had " ended his 
 work which he had made, he rested from all his 
 work, and blessed the seventh day, and sanctified 
 it, because that in it he had rested from all his 
 work, which God created and made." 
 
 Thus God instituted the Sabbath^ and at the same 
 time gave an example of the manner of keeping 
 it. It has ever since remained, and been regard- 
 ed, as a divine Institution, of incalculable benefit to 
 mankind, by the Patriarchs, by the seed of Abra- 
 ham, the chosen people of God, and since the 
 coming and death oif Christ, by the whole Christian 
 world. 
 
 " These are the generations of the heavens and 
 of the earth, when they were created : in the day 
 that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens ; 
 and every plant of the field, before it was in the 
 earth, and every herb of the field before it grew : 
 for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon 
 the earth, and there was not a man to till the 
 ground. Rut there went up a mist from the earth 
 a'nd watered the whole face of the ground." 
 
 Some have supposed with plausibility, if not 
 proba'bility, that tRe e^frfh wafe watered w fhoiit 
 
12 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 clouds or I'ain, by a " mist from the grourid" lil'l 
 the flood; because no mention is made of any rain- 
 bow or cloud, until the time when the bow in the. 
 fcloud was designated as a token of the corenant, 
 which God made with man, and with every living 
 creature of all flesh, that the waters shall no more 
 become a flood to destroy all flesh." 
 
 Qiiestions on Section L 
 
 What is Geography in the largest sense of the 
 word? 
 
 What system do the heavens and the earth, to- 
 gether, form? 
 
 What inquiries would a child naturally makCj, 
 on entering upon the study of geography ? 
 
 Where are answers to such inquiries to be 
 found? 
 
 Who created the heavens and the earth ? 
 
 How long ago? 
 
 How many days was God employed in making 
 the world? 
 
 Had he power to do it by a word, in a mo- 
 ment? 
 
 In what state was the earth at first ? 
 
 What was done the first day ? 
 
 What the second ? 
 
 What is meant by the firmament^ called hea- 
 ven? 
 
 What by the waters above the firmament ? 
 
 What by the waters under the firmament ? 
 
 What was done by the Creator on the third 
 day? 
 
 What are the earth and seas here mentioned 
 tiow called ? 
 
 What was done on the fourth day? 
 
OF THE CREATION. lo 
 
 Does the sacred historian speak of the heavenly 
 ^bodies as an astronomer, or according to their ap- 
 pearances^ to the eye of the unlearned ? 
 
 What is the shape of the heavenly bodies ? 
 Why were they made of this shape ? 
 W^here are the heavenly bodies placed ? 
 Are they at rest, or in motion ? 
 Is there perfect order in their movements? 
 What divisions of time do these movements of 
 the heavenly bodies furnish to mankind ? 
 
 ilas the Creator connected Geography and As- 
 tronomy, and must both be studied together? 
 What was done by the Creator the fifth day ? 
 What, the sixth day ? 
 
 When God had finished his work and surveyeS 
 it, what did he say of it ? 
 
 What did God do on the seventh day ? 
 Was the sabbath now instituted ? 
 Has it ever since been regarded by some por- 
 tions of mankind? 
 
 What have been its effects? 
 How was the earth at first watered ? 
 Were there probably no clouds^* no rain, no 
 rain-bow, before the flood ? 
 Why is this probable ? 
 
 * JVb Clouds — This may appear contradictory to what is 
 said of the waters above ihejfirmament, being ** the clouds.^'* 
 Perhaps this difficulty will be suffictently explained by cod- 
 siderioa:, that the descriptions of Moses are according; to the 
 known state of things at the time he wrote, which vas loij* 
 after the flood* 
 
 B 
 
SECTION IL 
 
 THE SOLAR SYSTEM. 
 
 ^Fhis is the system which the Bible denomi- 
 nates, " the heavens and the earth,^' formed to be a 
 habitation for man. Having given an account of its 
 creation, a description of it naturally follows. Our 
 description will accord with the present know- 
 ledge and «tate of the system, without regard to 
 the changes which took place after the fall. 
 
 This system consists of the sun, the planets, 
 and their satellites, and the comets, all which re- 
 volve round the sun. By a universal law of the 
 Creator, discovered by Sir Isaac Newton, called 
 the law of Gravitation^ or Attraction^ these bodies, 
 in their various and rapid movements, have all 
 been kept in their proper places, and have per- 
 formed their respective revolutions, in the most 
 perfect order, ever since their creation. 
 
 This system is called, by modem astronomers, 
 to distinguish it from the Ptolemaic and other in- 
 cor:*ect systems, the Copemican system, in honor 
 of Nicolas Copernicus, a native of Prussia, who, 
 in the year 1530, restored the Pythagorean doc- 
 trine, and supported the rational and correct sys- 
 tem of astronomy, the truth of which has since 
 been confirmed by Sir Isaac Newton, and is now 
 uni ^ersally received. 
 
 There are eight planets belonging to this sys- 
 tem named in the table on next page ; beside four 
 others newly discovered, whose names will be 
 found on the plate 
 
THE S'OLAK SYSTEM. 
 
 .ner^Sli^ihSLt^^Mo^^ 
 
 4:Vetrly discovered Planets hel>reni Afars k Jupiter 
 a?/ nearly at ttie same distartce Iremi the Sun. 
 
 1 S Testa 
 
 2 ^ Jvno ^ 
 i p reres 
 
 -^ Thllos 
 
 \ 
 
THE SOLAB SVSTEM. 
 
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10 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY'. 
 
 The bodies named in this table, together with 
 their satellites, the comets, and the newly discov- 
 ered planets, form a system of themselves, and 
 their motions are so far independent of other hea- 
 venly bodies, as that all our mathematical tables 
 are formed, and our calculations of eclipses made, 
 without reference to any influence which these 
 other heavenly bodies may have on our own sys- 
 tem. If, therefore, our system were struck out of 
 existence, as it is destined to be at some future 
 period, it would not probably affect the other ex- 
 isting systems, of which the fixed stars are sup- 
 posed to be centres, as our sun is of this ; and so 
 numerous are these other systems, that the de- 
 struction of ours would hardly be missed. 
 
 Mr. Addison was of this opinion. " Were the 
 sun," he says, " which enlightens this part of cre- 
 ation, with all the host of planetary worlds that 
 move round about him, utterly extinguished and 
 annihilated, they would not be misted more than 
 a grain of sand upon the shore. The space they 
 possess is so exceedingly little, in comparison of 
 the whole, that it would scarce make a blank in 
 the creation." 
 
 This view of the works of the Creator suggests 
 the thought, that this earth, with the other parts 
 of the soiar system, as its appendages, may have 
 been created specially to be the grand th» atre for 
 the display of the wonderful work of Redemption, 
 and of those divine perfections which this most 
 wonderful work has drawn forth to the view and 
 admiration of the intelligent universe. And when 
 this design shall have been accomplished, then the 
 earth and the heavens will be reduced to their 
 primitive nothing. If this thought is a correct 
 one, we shall, in view of it, be better able to " com- 
 prehend, with all saints, what is the breadth, axid 
 
THE SOLAR SYSTEM! . 17 
 
 length, and depth, and height, and to know the 
 love of Christ, which passeth knowledge."* — and 
 better to understand other lofty language used by 
 the inspired writers, when speaking of this work 
 of Redemption, considered the greatest of all the 
 works of God. 
 
 It will be seen by the table, that a year on the 
 planet Mercury is but 88 of our days ; while on 
 Herschel, a year is nearly 84 of our years. \ ere 
 an inhabitant of Herschel, one year old, to visit 
 our earth, he would, with us, be an old man of 84 
 years : — and if one should come from Mercury, 
 aged a hundred of their years, he would here be 
 a yoimg man, less than 25 years of age. 
 
 We shall now give a more particular account of 
 the several parts of the solar system. 
 
 The Sun, The sun is an immense lunr inous 
 globe, about 1 ,400,000 times larger than our earth, 
 It turns on its axis once every 25 days, 14 hovrs^ 
 and 6 minutes. Of the sort of matter of which the 
 sun is composed, we know nothing. It is the only, 
 and inexhaustible source of light and heat to the 
 whole system. By his genial beams, he pre motes 
 vegetation, cherishes animal life, attracts vapors 
 from the sea, and other bodies of water which from 
 into clouds, and descend in rain to water and re 
 fresh the earth. 
 
 The Planets, The names of the planets, in their 
 order as you proceed from the sun, are mentioned 
 in the table. Mercury and Venus move never, 
 the sun than the earth, and are therefore called 
 iTiierior planets. The other four, whose orbits are 
 without that of the earth, are called exterior plan 
 ets. 
 
 The path described by a planet moving ronnl 
 the s-jm, is called its orbit. 
 
 ♦Eph.iii. 18, la 
 B5 
 
Id A^XIENT GEOGKAPliV 
 
 The Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Her5chel,havc 
 each bodies, called satellites^ which regularly re- 
 Tolve round them — Of these the Earth has one^ 
 which is called the Moon ; Jupiter has /owr, beside 
 a double-belt ; Saturn seven^ together with a broad 
 circle^ called his ring ; Herschel has two. 
 
 Neither Herschel, nor any of the satellites of 
 the planets, except the Moon, can be seen with- 
 out the assistance of a telescope, although some 
 of them are supposed to be larger than this earth. 
 
 The satellites revolve round their primaries, 
 and attend them in their orbits round the sun, as 
 the moon does the earth. 
 
 Had we eyes of sufficient strength to survey at 
 one view, our whole system in all its parts, and 
 in full motion, how grand and interesting would 
 be the sight ! — What then must be the feelings of 
 the Creator, who comprehends with the greatest 
 minuteness, not our system only, but the whole 
 of his immense works, in all their diversified, vast, 
 and sublime movements ! The thought prompts 
 the exclamations of the Psalmist — ^^ How^ manifold 
 are thy works, oh God ! in wisdom hast thou made 
 them all ! The earth," the universe, ^^ is full of 
 thy glory !" 
 
 The planets may be distinguished from each 
 other by their different appearances. 
 
 Mercury emits a bright, white light. He keeps 
 so near the sun, and moves so swiftly, that he is 
 seldom seen, and that only for a short time a little 
 before sunrise, and after sunset. 
 
 Venus is the most beautiful star in the heavens; 
 and as she always appears, according to the part 
 .of her orbit she is in, either in the ea^^ before the 
 sun rises, or in the west after he sets, she is called^ 
 when in the east^ the Morning, and when in the 
 7i)€sL the Evening Sta,r>. 
 
THE SOEAR SYSTE.VI. I r^ 
 
 Mars is of a red, fiery color, giving" a much 
 duller light than Venus, though he sometimes ap- 
 pears equal to her in size. 
 
 Jupiter^ like Mercury, shines with a bright, 
 white light; Saturn^ whose motion is slow, and 
 hardly discernible, with a pale, faint light. 
 
 The planets and their satellites are opaque, or 
 dark bodies, like our earth, and shine only by re- 
 flecting the light of the sun. 
 
 In the Moon, when viewed through a telescope, 
 especially at her increase or decrease, mountains 
 and valleys are evidently perceived ; and in April, 
 1787, Dr. Herschel discovered something like vol- 
 canoes in three different parts of it. 
 
 From several appearances there is good reason 
 lo believe, that the moon is surrounded by an at 
 uaosphere, and is inhabited. 
 
 The moon, with respect to the sun, revolves 
 round the earth once in 29 days 12 hours and 44 
 minutes; thus marking out our months, and rises 
 at the equator about 50 minutes later each day 
 than the preceding. But at the polar circles, the 
 moon rises soon after sunset, from the first to the 
 third quarter; so that the inhabitants of these 
 frozen regions, during the sun s absence, (such is 
 the wisdom andgoodnessof the Creator,) are sup- 
 plied with almost constant moon-light, and at the 
 poles the winter moon shines without setting. 
 Thus the moon rules the night. 
 
 The point in which the moon is at her greatest 
 distance from the centre of the earth is called her 
 Apogee. The point of her l^ast possible distance 
 it? called her Perigee. 
 
 Eclipses. When the moon comes between the 
 earth and the sun, she appears to cover a part or 
 the whole of the sun's body, and the sun is then 
 ^aid to undergo an Eclipse ; although, properly 
 
^0 ANCIEKT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 speaking, his rays are only intercepted from that 
 part of the earth on which the moon's shadow falls. 
 
 When the earth comes between the sun and the 
 moon, the moon falls into the earth's shadow ; and 
 having no light of her own, she suffers a real 
 eclipse, from the interception of the sun's rays. 
 As the shadow of the earth on the moon is round, 
 it proves that the earth must be round. 
 
 An eclipse of the sun never happens but at the 
 change of the moon, and of the moon only at full 
 moon. 
 
 Eclipses are of great use in determining exactly 
 the times of past events. Hence Sir Isaac New 
 ton was led to compose his Chronology. 
 
 Eclipses of the moon are also useful in deter- 
 mining the longitude of places ; thus, if the eclipse 
 be known to begin or end at Boston exactly at mid- 
 night, and is seen at another place at ten o'clock 
 in the evening, the latter place is 30 degrees west 
 of Boston ; if at 2 o'clock in the morning, it is 30 
 degrees east of Boston. 
 
 The Comets, The comets^ vulgarly called bla- 
 zing stars^ are bodies which move round the sun 
 in long eliptical curves, suddenly appearing, and as 
 suddenly disappearing. They are distinguished 
 from the other stars by a long train or tail of light, 
 which in certain situations resembles a border of 
 hair, and is always opposite the sun.* The num- 
 ber of them belonging to the system is computed 
 at 450. They were formerly supposed to portend 
 some signal calamity, and people beheld them 
 with terror; but they are now viewed with as 
 little consternation as the planets. 
 
 "* See the figure of n Comet on the Plate of the Polar sjs*- " 
 
TilE SOLAR SVSTE^I. £1 
 
 The fixed stars. These make no part of the so- 
 lar system, but encompass it at an immense dis^ 
 tance. 
 
 When God created the heavens and the earth, it 
 is also added by the sacred historian, '^ He mada 
 the stars also." Of these about 3000 are visible 
 to the naked eye ; and enough more have been 
 discovered by the Telescope, to make it evident 
 that they are innumerable. How many there are 
 beyond those, out of our sight, in the immensity 
 of space, none but their Creator knows. 
 
 We may form some conception of the amazing ' 
 -distance of the fixed stars, from this consideration ; 
 that although the earth, in moving round the sun. 
 is 188,000,948 miles nearer the fixed stars in one 
 part of his orbit, than in the opposite, yet their 
 magnitude and brightness are not in the least alter- 
 ed, and the polar star, in every part of the earth's 
 orbit, appears to us in the same position ; hence 
 we conclude, that the whole extent of the earth's 
 orbit is but an imperceptible point, in comparison 
 of the distance of the fixed stars. These stars 
 always preserve the same distance in regard to 
 each other, and are hence called Fixed Stars. 
 They hare a twinkling appearance, which distin-^ 
 guishes them from the planets, which shine with 
 a steady light. 
 
 The fixed stars are supposed to be at least two 
 hundred'thousand times further from us, than we 
 are from the sun. At such a distance they could 
 not be visible to us by any reflected rays of the 
 sun, and of course they must shine by their oivii 
 brightness. 
 
 The fixed stars have been distributed by Astro- 
 nomers into certain parcels, called Constella- 
 tions ; to these the ancients gave various names ot 
 animals, &ic. the reasons of which are involved in 
 fable.. 
 
22 A2fCIEiTr GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 The ancients made 48 constellations, including 
 1022 stars: 12 constellations, in the Zodiac; 21 
 north of it; 15 south of it. Modern astronomera 
 have added to these, 14 constellations ia the 
 southern region, and one in the northern. 
 
 The names of the 12 constellations of the Zo- 
 diac, called also signs^ with their characters, are 
 as follows : 
 
 Latin Names, 
 
 I 
 
 Aries 
 
 2 
 
 Taurus 
 
 3 Gemini 
 
 4 
 
 Cancer 
 
 5 Leo 
 
 6 
 
 Virgo 
 
 7 
 
 Libra 
 
 3 
 
 Scorpio 
 
 9 
 
 Sagittarius 
 
 10 
 
 Capricornus 
 
 11 
 
 Aquarius 
 
 12 
 
 Pisces 
 
 English Names. Clraracters* 
 
 The Ram T 
 
 The Bull 8 
 
 The Twins H 
 
 The Crab gs 
 
 The Lion a 
 
 The Virgin rrjj 
 
 The Scales =£iz 
 
 The Scorpion rri 
 
 The Archer S 
 
 The Goat V5 
 
 The Water Bearer XI2J' 
 
 The Fishes X 
 
 It is now generally supposed that each of the 
 fixed stars is a sun or centre to a system of its own, 
 which was an opinion of some of the ancients. 
 And there may be some great centre, around 
 ivhich all these systems revolve, as so many pla- 
 nets. 
 
 To suppose all these stars to be suns, with pla- 
 nets revolving round them like those in our sys- 
 tem, and these again revolving round one common 
 centre, a system of systems, and all filled with in- 
 habitants, how does the mind expand with a 
 pleasing amazement at the grandeur of GOD^ 
 who created, who supports, governs, and minutely 
 and continually inspects, the immense whole! 
 Somp such view of the heavens as thi?^ led David 
 
THE SOLAR SVSTOl. 25 
 
 io exclaim, '^ When I consider thv heavens, the 
 
 WORK OF THY FINGERS, THE MOON AND THE STAES 
 WHICH THOU HAST ORDAINED; WHAT IS MAN, THAT 
 
 THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM !'' What a speck in th6 
 works of GOD, is this earth, " When I considered," 
 said Mr. Addison, after he had been viewing the 
 starry heavens, '' that infinite host of stars, or 
 to speak more philosophically, of suns^ which 
 shone upon me, with those innumerable sets of 
 planets, or worlds, which were moving round their 
 respective suns; when I still enlarged the idea, 
 Bnd supposed another heaven of suns and worlds 
 arising still above this which we behold, and these 
 still enlightened by a superior firmament of lumi- 
 naries, which are planted at so great a distance, 
 that they appear to the inhabitants of the for- 
 mer as the stars do to us ; while I pursued this 
 thought, I could not but reflect on that little insig- 
 nificant figure, which I myself bore amidst the im- 
 mensity of God's works ; I could not but look 
 upon myself as a being that was not worth the 
 smallest regard of One who had so great a work 
 under his care and superintendency. 1 was afraid 
 of being overlooked in the immensity of nature, 
 and lost amongst that infinite variety of creatures, 
 which in all probability swarm through all these 
 immeasurable regions of matter." 
 
 Questions on Section IL 
 
 We call the sun, and planets, the Solar System^ 
 What does the Bible denominate them ? 
 
 Of what bodies does this system consist ? 
 
 What law binds these bodies together and regu- 
 lates all their motions ? 
 
 Who discovered this great and universal law ? 
 
 What do modem astronomers call this sys- 
 tem ? 
 
 ^Vhy is it 60 called ? 
 
^4 AJfeiENT GKOGRAPm. 
 
 Is the Copernican now universally received a^ 
 the true system ? 
 
 Name the Planets as given in the table — their 
 diameters — times of revolution on their axes — - 
 hourly motion in their orbits — mean distances from 
 the sun — periodical revolutions. 
 
 Which is the largest of the planet*? ? 
 
 Which the smallest ? 
 
 Which nearest the sun ? 
 
 Which the farthest off ? 
 
 On which is their year the longest ? 
 
 On which the shortest ? 
 
 Is the solar system so independent of the other 
 innumerable systems, as that if it were struck out 
 ef existence, it would hardly be missed ? 
 
 How old would an inhabitant of Herschel, one 
 year old at home, be on our earth ? 
 
 How old should we reckon an inhabitant of Mer^ 
 €ury, 100 of his years, old, were he to visit our 
 earth, and his age reckoned according to the length 
 of ouF year ? 
 
 [Questions of the same tenor may be asked in 
 regard to all the other planets.] 
 
 For what special purpose, probably, did God 
 crco\e this earth and the other parts of the solar 
 ?^ystem ? ^ 
 
 If this be so, will it not help to explain the lofty 
 language of scripture, used in describing the werk 
 of Redemption. 
 
 How far is the sun from the earth ? 
 
 Of what materials is he composed ? 
 
 What are the effects of his genial beams? 
 
 How often does he turn on his axis ? 
 
 Which are the interior^ and which the exterior 
 Planets? 
 
 Why are they so called ? 
 
 "What is the orbit of a planet 
 
'I-HE SOLAR SYSTEM. ^5 
 
 Which of the planets have satellites ? 
 
 How many has each of these ? 
 
 What have Jupiter and Saturn beside tbf ir sat- 
 ellites? 
 
 Can Herschel and the satellites of the planets 
 be seen with the naked eye ? 
 
 How are they seen ? 
 
 Do the planets all move round the sun, attend- 
 ed by their satellites, all the while revolving 
 round them ? 
 
 How long it each of the planets in accomplish- 
 ing its revolution round the sun ? [see the table.] 
 
 Could we see at one view the whole system in 
 all its parts in actual motion, would it not fill us 
 with astonishment and delight? 
 
 Must the Creator feel vastly more, who actually 
 comprehends in one view, not one system only, 
 but the whole universe all in motion ? 
 
 How are the planets distinguished from each 
 other ? 
 
 State their different appearances. 
 
 Which of the planets is the morning and even- 
 ing star? 
 
 By what light do the planets shine ? 
 
 W^hat is said of appearances in the moon ? 
 
 Is it supposed to be inhabited ? 
 
 How often does it revolve round the earth? 
 
 What division of time does this revolution mark 
 ^ut? 
 
 How much later does the moon rise at the 
 equator each succeeding day ? 
 
 What time does the moon rise at the polar cir- 
 cles? 
 
 W^hat is the case at the poles ? 
 
 By this provision of the Creator, which of his 
 perfections are distinguishingly manifested ? 
 
26 ANCIETN GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Give an account of an eclipse of the sun and 
 of the moon. 
 
 As the shadow of the earth on the moon, in an 
 eclipse, is round^ what does this prove ? 
 
 In what way do eclipses determine the longi- 
 tnde of different places ? 
 
 Describe a comet and its course? [See the 
 plate.] 
 
 How many are there belonging to our system ? 
 
 How were they formerly viewed ? 
 
 How now ? 
 
 Do the flxed stars make a part of the solar sys- 
 tem? 
 
 How many have been discovered by the naked 
 eye? 
 
 How many in all ? 
 
 Can their distance be calculated? 
 
 What fact shows their distance to be immense ? 
 
 Does their distance prove that they must, like 
 our sun, have light in themselves ? 
 
 In what manner did the ancients divide the 
 tlxed stars ? 
 
 Repeat the Latin and English names of the 
 twelve constellations in the Zodiac. 
 
 Is it generally supposed that all the heavenly 
 bodies which we see, are inhabited by intelligent 
 beings ? 
 
 Does the view here given of the heavens inspire 
 exalted ideas of the grandeur of God ? 
 
 What did David say when he had some such 
 view of the heavens ? 
 
 What did Addison say in like circumstances ? 
 
 Note. — This, and any other sections, which 
 may be too long for a single lesson, may easily be 
 divided with a pencil mark, by the teacher, to 
 suit his or her convenience. 
 
SECTIOiN III. 
 
 OF THE EARTH. 
 
 The Earth being more strictly the subject of 
 geography, and an account of its creation having 
 been given, we now proceed to give a more par- 
 ticular description of it. 
 
 Its Figure. The ancients in general conceived 
 of the earth as a vast plain, extending an immense' 
 way downward, fixed and established on founda- 
 tions; and that the sun and the other heavenly 
 bodies actually move round it, as they appeared 
 to do. Our Indians, and other unlearned and un- 
 civilized nations are still of this opinion. An In- 
 dian being asked. What does the earth stand upon ? 
 answered, Upon an Elephant. On what^ said the 
 inquirer, stands the Elephant ? On the back of a 
 great Tnrtle^ replied the Indian. On what does 
 the Turtle stand ? Ah^ that^ said the Indian, / can'^ts 
 tell. It is now known that the earth is round from 
 its shadow on the moon when eclipsed, but par- 
 ticularly from the fact, that multitudes have sail- 
 ed round it. 
 
 Its motions. The earth has two motions ; one 
 round the sun, in the space of a year, called its 
 annual motion, which occasions the diversity of 
 seasons; the other round its axis, from west to 
 east, called its diurnal motion, in the space of 
 twenty-four hours, which produces day and night. 
 In its annual circuit, the earth moves at the rate 
 of 68,217 miles in an hour. In its diurnal rota- 
 tion, the inhabitants on the equator are carried 
 U>40 miles an hour. Notwithstanding this swift 
 
2U ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 and double motion, we appear to be at rest, and 
 imag^ine that the sun and stars, which are fixed, 
 move round us, and we speak as if this were the 
 case, when we say, the sun and stars rise and set. 
 " The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and 
 hasteth to his place where he arose." Solomon, 
 
 Its magnitude. The diameter of the earth, as 
 is stated in the table, is 7,928 miles ; and its cir- 
 cumference, 24,906. Its whole surface contains 
 about 199,000,000 square mi >es. 
 
 Its component parts. The globe which we in- 
 habit is composed, according to Moses, of '^ earth," 
 and " seas," or of land and water,, and is therefore 
 called the terraqueous globe. About three fourths 
 of its surface is covered with water, the rest by 
 land. The respective productions of the land and 
 water are given us by Moses in his account of the 
 creation already recited.* These productions are 
 mostly of a green color, which is the softest and 
 most grateful to the eye. 
 
 Its natural divisions, A late learned and cele- 
 brated geographer,! considers the surface of the 
 globe as " one vast ocean," containing an immense 
 number of islands of various sizes. The two 
 largest of these islands are called Continents,, the 
 Eastern and Western, The Ea-tern continent, 
 w^hich was first peopled, is often called the Old 
 World,, and the Western the New World,, because 
 unknown by civilized nations, till discovered by 
 Columbus in 1492. The Eastern Continent is 
 divided into Asia, Europe, and Africa ; the West- 
 ern into N. and S. America. New-Holland is 
 often considered as a continent by geographers. 
 If it be not so styled, it is the largest island on 
 our globe. 
 
 * See the account of the work of the third ^fidi fifth d ifs 
 + MaltG Hrun. 
 
THE EARTH. 29 
 
 ^- There is, properly speaking, only one sea, on 
 our globe, one continuous fluid spread round the 
 land, extending probably from one pole to the 
 other, covering nearly three fourths of the surface 
 of the earth." All the detached portions of 
 water, called seas, lakes, gulfs, &c. are not, (some 
 few excepted,) entirely separated from this 
 ^^ universal sea^ which we call the OceanP'^^ 
 
 This general view of the natural divisions of 
 the earth, is new, and appears to be unobjection- 
 able and important, and is, therefore adopted in 
 this book. I give below the author's ^' classifica- 
 tion," of his new divisions, which is simple and 
 intelligible, and can be easily verified to the un- 
 derstanding of the pupils, by means of an artifi- 
 cial globe.t 
 
 * Malte Biun. 
 
 t It would be well to have every school furnished with a 
 globe. A cheap kind, of the size of an ostrich's egg, would 
 he useful, if the expense of a larger one would be too greats 
 
3& 
 
 ANCIEKT GEOGRA!»m% 
 
 Great Auslro- 
 Oriental ba- 
 sin or sea.oc- 
 
 cupying the 
 
 greatest part J 2 Oriental 
 of theaquHtic . or Pacijic 
 hemisphere Ocean. 
 of the globe. 
 
 The ffest' 
 em boiin, 
 forming a sort 
 of channel be- 
 tween the two 
 great cojiti- i' 
 nenfs* ^ 
 
 CLASSIFICATION OF SEAS. 
 
 I Amtral fits frontier may be fixed by a line, dpavni 
 Oetan, or j from Cape Horn to the Cape of Good 
 icy sea of -{ Hope,from thence to Van Diemen sLand, 
 the South. A and returning by the South of New Zea- 
 V. land to Cape Horn, 
 
 a The Orcat Archipelago, or the part 
 comprised bet>veen New Zealand on the 
 south the islands of Marquesas on the east, 
 the island of Formosa on the north* and 
 the straits of Malacca on the west 
 
 b. Northern Oriental Ocean between 
 Asia and North 4n™®''ica The inland 
 seas of Japan and Kamschatka. and the 
 sea of Behring, form a part of it. 
 
 c . Southern Oriental Oeean, from the isl- 
 ands of the Great Archipelago to South 
 America. 
 
 r With its dififerent gulfs. The limiU? 
 3. Indian J above mentioned mark out what remains 
 Ocean. } for this section. The gulfs of Arabia 
 
 l_ Persia, and Bengal form a part of it 
 
 ra. Northtrn Ocean, Its southern limit Is 
 formed by the department of France, call- 
 ed the Pas de Calais, by Great Britain, 
 the isles of Faroe, and Iceland. 
 
 The northern inland seas of Europe, and 
 the northern icy sea, are branches of it* 
 
 6. The Atlantic Ocean ; from the prece^ 
 ding frontier to the tv/o points where the 
 coasts of Brazil and Ouinea approach 
 nearest to each other. 
 
 i. Western 
 Ocean. 
 
 fl. The MediterraiHaan and \ts 
 i gulfs. 
 Branches. J 2. The Gulf of Mexico, fee 
 I 3. Baffin's Bay and Hudson's 
 j Bay or the seas of the Ss- 
 t. quimaux. 
 
 c. The Ethiopic Ocean, between Brazil 
 and Africa, as far as the line from G^pB 
 . Horn to theCapeJpf G<v>d Hope- 
 
THE EARTH. 61 
 
 By the computation of M. Brun, the proportiea 
 »f land north of the Equator, to that on the south, 
 is as 419 to 129 : i. e. there is more than three 
 times as much land on the north, as there is on the 
 south of the Equator. For these and other divisions 
 land of and water, consult the map of the world^ 
 fronting the title, Plate No. I. 
 
 Mountains, These form the most considerable 
 eminences on the surface of the earth. They are 
 of various sizes, materials, and heights. The 
 Himalaya Mountains, between Thibet, Cashmire, 
 and Nepaul, are the highest yet known. The 
 highest peak in this chain is Dhawalagcri, ia 
 Nepaul, 27,677 feet above the level of the Sea. 
 The next highest are the Andes in S. America^ 
 in which Chimborazo, 100 miles S. W. of Q.uit09 
 rises 21,440 feet above the level of the sea. 
 
 Volcanoes, Many of the mountains, which are 
 spread over the earth, are volcanic, or burning 
 mountains, which contain in their bowels sulphur, 
 bitumen, and other combustible matter, the effect 
 of which, when kindled into a flame, is more violent 
 than that of gunpowder, or any thing yet known in 
 nature. As the explosive force of gunpowder arises 
 from the conversion of water into air, that which 
 takes place in volcanoes is undoubtedly from the' 
 same cause. Volcanoes may be compared to huge 
 cannon. From their mouths, some of which are a 
 mile and a half wide, are vomited forth dreadful 
 volumes of smoke and flame — torrents of bitumen, 
 sulphur, and melted metals — clouds of cinders and 
 stones — and sometimes rocks of enormous bulk are 
 thrown at a great distance. In the great eruptioa 
 of Mount Vesuvius, in 1779, a stream of /ai^a,* of 
 an immense magnitude, is said to have been throwa 
 
 *A stream qfLava is the mtflted inattiftr which fSsues (com 
 volQaBoe.s 
 
to the height of at least 10,000 feet above the top 
 of the mountain. The quantity of lava thrown out 
 sometimes, is so great as to enter cities, forests, and 
 the ocean in large rivers. Fields have been cover- 
 ed with it, 100 and even 200 feet in thickness. 
 The force of the explosion has been so great as to 
 shake the earth, agitate the sea, and even moun- 
 tains, and to overthrow the most solid edifices. The 
 ignorant natives of Iceland near Mount Hecla, ima- 
 gine, that the roarings of the volcanoes of this 
 mountains are the cries of the damned ; and its 
 eruptions the effects of the rage and despair of 
 these uahappy wretches. 
 
 There are four noted volcanoes, viz. Cotopaxi, 
 near Quito, in South America ; Mount Hecla, in 
 Iceland ; Mount Etna, in Sicily ; Mount Vesuvius, 
 in Naples. The first of these is 18,898 feet above 
 the level of the sea ; and its eruptions are frequent. 
 There are many others of less note in Asia, Afri- 
 ca and America. 
 
 Earthquakes. There are two kinds of Earth- 
 quakes ; one is caused by the action of subterrane- 
 ous fires and the explosion of volcanoes, which 
 ape felt only at small distances, and at the time 
 when volcanoes act, or just before they open. 
 The other is supposed to be produced by immense 
 quantities of inflammable air, pent up and com- 
 pressed in the caverns and crevices of the earth, 
 which being greatly rarified by internal fires, and 
 finding no outlet, force a passage through all oh- 
 stFuctions, 
 
 Earthquakes are usually preceded by a general 
 ftillness in the air; the sea swells and makes a 
 ,<?reat noise ; the fountains are troubled and send 
 fortji muddy water ; the birds seem frightened, as : 
 if sensible of the approaching calamity. 
 
 Th'^ shock comes on with a rumbling noise, like 
 *'*»'»*^«rrnTrla6fes foiling on fro^^en ground,^ or thun 
 
THE EARTH. 33 
 
 der; the ground heaves and rolls or rocks from 
 
 side to side, in many instances. The shocks are 
 often repeated, and succeed each other at short in- 
 tervals, for a considerable length of time. Awful 
 chasms are sometimes made during the shocks, 
 from which issues water, and in some instances 
 flames. Whole cities have been swallowed up in 
 these chasms, and thousands of people in them. 
 Sometimes persons have been swallowed up in one 
 chasm and throw^n out alive through another. 
 Sometimes the chasms have suddenly closed on 
 persons partly sunk, and squeezed them to death, 
 with their heads above ground. 
 
 History affords innumerable instances of the dread- 
 ful and various effects of earthquakes. In the reign 
 of Tiberius, 100 towns in Lybia near Egypt were 
 overthrown by a great earthquake. In Calabria, 
 in the kingdom of Naples, the town of Euphemia 
 was totally sunk in 1638, and the place where it 
 stood is a dismal, putrid, stinking lake. In 1755 
 an earthquake laid in ruins a great part of the city 
 of Lisbon. The earthquake which was felt in Can- 
 ada, m 1663, overwhelmed a chain of mountains of 
 free stone more than 300 miles in length, and the 
 whole of that immense tract was changed into a 
 plain. 
 
 Questions for Section III, 
 
 How did the ancients conceive of the earth ? 
 
 Did they suppose that the sun ar other hea- 
 venly bodies actually move round the earth, as 
 they appear to do ? 
 
 Do our Indians still believe this? 
 
 What reply did an Indian once make to one 
 who asked him what the earth s ood upon ? 
 
 On what did he say the elephant stood ? 
 
34 ANXIEN*T GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 On what the great turtle ? 
 
 Of what shape is the earth ? 
 
 How does this appear? 
 
 How many motions has the earth ? 
 
 What are they ? 
 
 What does the annual motion occasion ? 
 
 What the diurnal motion? 
 
 In its motion round its axis, which way doe^ 
 the earth turn ? 
 
 How many miles every hour does the earth 
 move in its annual circuit ? 
 
 How many in its diurnal motion ? 
 
 Notwithstanding this double motion, how do we 
 appear to remain ? 
 
 How do we speak of the sun and stars ? 
 
 How did Solomon speak of the sun ? 
 
 What is the diameter of the earth ? 
 
 What its circumference ? 
 
 What the contents of its whole surface ? 
 
 Of what is the earth composed ? 
 
 Why is the earth called the terraqueous globe ? 
 
 What portion of the earth is covered by water? 
 
 What portion by land ? 
 
 What account has Moses given us of the re- 
 spective productions of the earth and the waters? 
 
 What is the prevailing color of the growth of 
 the land ? 
 
 What is the peculiar advantage of this color ? 
 
 How does Make Brun^ a celebrated geographer, 
 consider the surface of the globe ? 
 
 What are the two largest of these islands 
 called ? 
 
 What is the Eastern Continent denominated ? 
 
 What the Western ? 
 
 Why ? 
 
 Who, discovered the western continent ? 
 
 WJiea? 
 
THE EARTH. ^5 
 
 What are the great divisions of the Eastern Con- 
 tinent ? 
 
 What of the Western ? 
 
 Point to these divisions on the map of the 
 world ? 
 
 What is New-Holland called? 
 
 If it be not a continent, what is it ? 
 
 Is there, strictly speaking, but one sea on our 
 globe ? 
 
 Describe it. 
 
 What portion of the earth's surface does this 
 sea cover ? 
 
 What do we call this universal sea ? 
 
 Are all the smaller portions of water connected 
 with this great ocean ? 
 
 Is this division of the earth adopted in this booa. 
 as the natural and proper one ? 
 
 W^ho first noticed and stated these natural di- 
 visions of the earth's surface ? 
 
 In his classification of the seas, what does he 
 call the division marked A ? 
 
 What are its sub-divisions marked 1, 2, 3? 
 
 Give the limits of the Austral ocean. 
 
 Point to it on the map of the world. 
 
 Name the three divisions, a, b, c, of the Orient" 
 ul^ or Pacijic ocean, and give the limits of each. 
 
 Give the limi s of the Indian ocean. 
 
 What gulfs form a part of it? 
 
 W'hat is the grand division marked B. called, 
 and how is it defined ? 
 
 What other name is given to it ? (See figure 4."^; 
 
 What are the sub-divisions of this Western 
 Ocean ? 
 
 Give the limits of the Northern Ocean. 
 
 Name its branches. 
 
 Give the limits of the Atlantic Ocean. 
 
 Name its three branches ? 
 
3S ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 What are the limits of the Ethiopic Ocean / 
 
 Point to all these divisions on the map. 
 
 On which side of the equator, north or south, is 
 there the most land ? 
 
 What is the proportion of land on each side of 
 the equator ? 
 
 What is the name of the highest chain of moun- 
 tains in the known world ? 
 
 What is the name of the highest peak in this 
 chain ? 
 
 Which is the next highest chain ? 
 
 Give the name of the loftiest peak in this 
 chain ? 
 
 How far is this peak from Quito ? 
 
 In what direction ? 
 
THJi EitRTH CONTINUED. 
 
 Natural History, 
 
 The earth, says Dr. Goldsmith, is placed at a 
 happy middle distance from the centre of the 
 system, and is privileged beyond all the other 
 planets that depend on the sun for their support. 
 The interior planets. Mercury and Venus " are 
 situate too near the violence of its power" the- 
 exterior planets, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Her- 
 schel, feel less of his kindly influence ; while 
 " the earth seems, in a peculiar manner, to share 
 the bounty of the Creator: it is not, therefore, 
 without reason that mankind consider themselves, 
 as the peculiar objects of his providence and re- 
 gard." 
 
 In the last section was given elementary ideas 
 of what is called Physical or Natural Geography ; 
 by which we understand a knowledge of, this ' 
 earth, simply considered — of its figure, size, mo- 
 tions, component parts, natural divisions, and of 
 the common, and the remarkable appearances of 
 nature pertaining to ijt, The bodies on the sur- 
 face of this earth, arid in the seas, or *' the vari- 
 ous productions of nature, — their properties, man- 
 ners and relations which they bear to us arid to 
 
 * 0,oUsmilh 
 P 
 
?\j^ AMiE,XT GEO.GHAl'Hi'. 
 
 ^acb other,'^ which is called " Natural Hi^iovyJ-' 
 with other things pertaining to the earth, a« it 
 came from the hands of the Creator, are now to 
 be considered. 
 
 Animate bodies include ail such as have the 
 properties of sensation and voluniary motioiu v^hich 
 are divided into a great many classes, l.jMan. 
 Quadrupeds OY four footed beasts^ wliales^ and some 
 other sea aniuials, Vv ho suckle their young ones, 
 are called viviparous animals. 2. Those animals 
 that lay eggs, and hatch their young ones, are call- 
 ed oviparous ; such are birds, serpents, alligators, 
 lizards, tortoises, &c. 3. Frogs are placed by na- 
 turalists among mixed animals, as partaking of 
 beast and fish. 4. Insects and wonas are distiu- 
 guished by the name of animals with colourless 
 blood. 
 
 That science which teaches the structure of 
 animal bodies by dissection, is called Anatomv. 
 A description of quadrupeds, Zoology, — of birds, 
 Ornithology, — of lishes, Ichthyology, — of insects, 
 Entomology, — of vvorms, Helminthology, — of an- 
 imal bodies in their several parts. Physiology. 
 
 Inanimate bodies are either organic^ as are all 
 vegetables ; or inorganic^ as are all other inani- 
 mate bodies. 
 
 Vegetables have many properties common with 
 animals : They are all propagated by seeds, which 
 very much resemble the eggs of oviparous animals ; 
 and they are of ditferent sexes, male and female ; 
 but they are distinguished from animals^ by the 
 want of voluntary motion. 
 
 All trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses, ferns, 
 flags, and saa weed^, &9. &c. are vegetables. 
 
THE EARTH. 3'9 
 
 From Animals are obtained, beside their fleBh 
 and skins, milk^ cream^ butter^ cheese^ J^gg^'i honey ^ 
 wax^ tallow^ silk^ wool^ hair^ horn^ &c. 
 
 From Whales^ spermaceti^ of which candles are 
 made, whalebone^ and oil or blubber^ used by tan- 
 ners. The ocean, seas, lakes, and rivers, yield a 
 great variety of fish, oysters, clams, lobsters, &c. 
 which afford a delicious food, a rich article of 
 commerce, and constitute the chief subsistence of 
 multitudes of poor people. 
 
 From Vegetables are obtained, from ihe'ir juices 
 naturally, or by distillation, gwns^ resins^ (by some 
 very improperly called lomm) balsams^ turpentine^ 
 tar^ sugar. From their seeds — meal^fiour^ oils^ &<c. 
 
 They furnish materials for dying all the various 
 colors. 
 
 Cider is produced from apples ; perry from 
 pears ; 'wine from grapes and currants ; vinegar 
 from wine, cider, beer, and all fermented liquors ; 
 brandy from wine and peaches ; gin ov geneva from 
 rye ; whiskey from various kinds of grain ; 'i-um 
 and sugar from molasses ; molasses from the juice 
 of the cane ; beer from barley made into malt, alse 
 from hops, spruce, and other vegetables ; snuff 
 from tobacco, &,c. maple sugar and molasses from 
 the sap of the maple-tree. 
 
 Waters, Water is a compound of vital and in- 
 flammable air, in the proportion of 85 parts of the 
 former, to 15 of the latter. Others say, water is a 
 compound of fire and ice. Not only dew, rain, or 
 5now, and meteors, but all animals and vegetables, 
 says Sir Isaac Newton, grow from water, and after 
 putrefaction, return in part to water again. " Out 
 of ihe waters God created the m^^ving- creature 
 
4.0 ANCIENT GE6GRAPKY. 
 
 that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the 
 earth, in the open firmament of heaven."* 
 
 Rain water, is, perhaps, the most pure, being in 
 fact water distilled by nature. The water in welds 
 is impregnated with various matters, according to 
 the different earths or minerals, through which it 
 passes in its way to the springs which feed the 
 well. 
 
 Springs are of various kinds. Some are very 
 hot, others extremely cold. They are all more or 
 less impregnated with salt, sulphur, metals, earths, 
 and airs of different kinds, which render them me- 
 dicinal, in many diseases. Sea or salt water is 
 heavier than fresh, in proportion to its saltness. 
 
 Salt. Salt is extracted from salt water, obtain- 
 ed either from the sea, or the salt springs in the 
 interior country, of which there are many, in dif- 
 ferent parts of the world. 
 
 Salt is also found in large masses in pits below 
 ground, called rock salt. There is a curious pit of 
 this kind in Poland. Salt springs, wherever found, 
 it is supposed, pass through, and are impregnated 
 by beds of salt. The island of Ormus^ at the bot- 
 tom of the gulf of that name in Asia, is nothing but 
 white hard salt, of which the inhabitants make the 
 walls of their houses. There is not one spring of 
 fresh water on the island, though it once (1622) 
 contained 40,000 inhabitants. 
 
 Tides. The Tides are produced partly by the 
 attraction of the sun, but chiefly by that of the 
 moon. The Jlux and reflux^ or flowing and ebbing 
 of the tide, take place twice every 24 hours and 
 50 minutes, which is a complete lunar day^ or the 
 
 * See Ihe work of the fifth day, p. 10. . 
 
IfU: I.ARTiT. 41 
 
 lime ojF the moon's apparent revolution round the 
 earth from the meridian to the meridian again. 
 
 When the tides are higher than ordinary, they 
 are called spring tides ; when lower than ordinary. 
 neap tides. Both kinds happen twice in every 
 month : The former at new and full moon, the 
 latter when the moon is in quadrature, or its first 
 and last quarter. 
 
 The tide rises different heights in different 
 places. At the mouth of the river Indus, in Asia, 
 it rises 30 feet. In the Bay of Fundy, in New- 
 Brunswick, it rises from 50 to 60 feet, and flows so 
 rapidly, as to overtake and overwhelm animals 
 that are fleeing from it. 
 
 Having given some account of what is in and 
 npon the earth, I will now describe what is above it ; 
 viz. the Air, Heat and Cold, Light, Winds, and 
 Clouds. With a short account of these, the subject 
 of Physical or Natural Geography will be con- 
 cluded. 
 
 Air, Air is that invisible fluid with which this 
 Globe is surrounded, on which depends the life of 
 man and all other animals, the conveyance of all 
 sounds, and the growth of all vegetables. 
 
 The science which treats of Am is called Pneu- 
 matics. 
 
 The whole body of air is called the Atmosfhere. 
 Us height has been generally supposed to be about 
 45 miles ; but it is now found that it cannot be ex 
 actly ascertained. 
 
 Beyond the Atmosphere, and extending through 
 the immensity of space, is, in the opinion of Mr. 
 Locke and Sir Isaac Newton, a rare fluid, or 
 species of matter, infinitely more pure and jsubtle 
 tlmn tjie air we breathe, called Ether. 
 
 B 2 
 
4.^ AN^CIENT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 The weight of the Atmosphere upon every 
 square inch of the earth's surface, is found, by ex^ 
 periments made by the Air pump ^"^ to be 15 pounds. 
 It is computed that a middle sized man, whose body 
 contains about 15 square feet of surface, is press- 
 ed by 32,400 pounds of air, all around. But be- 
 cause this enormous weight is equal on all sides, 
 it is not in the least degree felt by us. 
 
 The air is commonly said to be heavy when it 
 is thick and foggy ; but it is then thinner and lighter 
 than usual. 
 
 The air is expanded by heat, and condensed 
 or compressed by cold. 
 
 Air is the proper vehicle of sound^ and necessa- 
 ry to give us the sense of hearing. Where no air 
 is, there can be no sound. Without air we should 
 have no music, no smell, no light, nor should we 
 be able to converse with each other. All soimd^^ 
 whether loud or soft, move about 13 miles a 
 minute. 
 
 The strength of sound is greatest in cold and 
 dense air, and least in that w^hich is warm and rari- 
 fied. Sounds have been heard, in cold countries, 
 nearly 200 miles ; in warm, above 100 miles. 
 
 Two inseparable qualities of the air, are Heat 
 and Cold. 
 
 Heat, Heat is the sensation caused by the ap- 
 proach or touch of fire. By it most bodies are 
 expanded and enlarged in their dimensions ; fluid 
 substances are carried off in vapor ; solid bodies 
 become luminous, and are likewise dissipated ; or, 
 
 * The Jlir pump is a maclime iuveuted by Gueric, a Prus^ 
 sian, al)out the year Ifci?^, «iid improved by Boyle and I 
 others in England, and lately the Rev, Dr. Prince, of Sale m 
 in M-assacfeusetts, 
 
THE EARTH- 4.3 
 
 if incapable of evaporation, become fluid, and at 
 last are vitrified, or converted into glass. 
 
 Animal and vegetable life are thought to depend 
 on heat ; and by it the most important operations 
 in nature are performed. 
 
 Wildfire^ a composition invented by one Calll- 
 nicus, which burns with the greatest violence un- 
 der water, is supposed to consist of sulphur, pitch, 
 gum, bitumen, &c. With this fire the Greeks, in 
 the year of our Lord 660, are said to have burnt 
 the whole Saracen fleet, in which were 30,000 
 men. 
 
 Cold. The cause of Cold is as uncertain as the 
 nature of fire. Some maintain that it is only the 
 absence of heat ; others that it is a real substance. 
 Cold, when increased to a certain degree, pro- 
 duces in fluids, congelation ov freezing. Different 
 degrees of cold are requisite for the freezing of 
 different fluids. Water, (next to oils, fat, &c.) 
 congeals with the least degree of cold ; then vine- 
 gar, wine, brandy, spirits of wine, and last of all, 
 mercury, or quicksilver. 
 
 The instrument made use of in measuring the 
 different degrees of heat and cold in the atmos- 
 phere, is called a Thermometer. 
 
 The action of freezing is always instantaneous. 
 Ice is lighter than the same bulk of water, and 
 this is the reason of its floating on the surface. 
 Boiled water is more easily frozen than that which 
 has not been boiled ; and that which is a little 
 agitated, than that which is entirely at rest. 
 
 In 1740, a palace was built of ice at Petersburg, 
 in Russia, 52 feet long, and 20 feet high. Even 
 cannon were made of it, from one of which, a 
 ball was discharged through an oak plank, two 
 
44 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 inches thick, at the distance of 60 paces ; and iliv. 
 cannon did not burst with the explosion. 
 
 Lights as defined by Sir Isaac Newton, rather 
 obscurely, is that quality or action of the transparent 
 inedium by which we see. The truth is, the nature 
 of light is very little known. We can only k\iow 
 its properties and effects. 
 
 The rays of light fly with amazing swiftness, at 
 the rate, it is computed of 11,875,000 miles in a 
 minute, or more than a million times swifter 
 than a cannon ball, which is computed to move 
 8 miles in a minute. Light is found to proceed 
 from both animal and vegetable substances in a 
 putrid state. 
 
 That appearance called Ignis fatuus^ Will with 
 a JVisp^ or Jack o'^lanihorn^ seen commonly in damp 
 places, in burying grounds, and near dunghills, 
 and which has so often frightened people, is of the 
 same nature as the light produced from putrid sub- 
 stances. Newton calls it a vapor, shining with- 
 out heat. 
 
 The rays of light proceeding from the sun. 
 are of seven difl'erent colors ; rec?, orange^ yellow^ 
 green^ blue^ indigo^ violet. These are called 
 primary colors^ and form the rainbow; and by a 
 proper mixture of these, all other colors are 
 produced. 
 
 The Korthern Light^ called the Aurora Borealis. 
 a phenomenon unknown to the ancients, is sup- 
 posed to proceed from electrical matter in the at- 
 mosphere. This remarkable phenomenon or ap- 
 pearance, was first observed in London, in 1560. 
 Since the year 1716, it has been more frequent. 
 It gave great alarm to the people in New-England 
 about 80 years ago, when it was first discovered. 
 They believjed £fe?it^he worH was about to be set 
 
THE fiARTH. 45 
 
 on fire, aud the day of judgment to commence. 
 It is now viewed with unconcern. 
 
 Winds, Wind is air in motion, and is occasioned 
 chiefly by the variations of heat and cold, by which 
 the air is either rarified or made thinner, or con- 
 densed^ or made thicker. If the air by any means 
 is more rarified, or rendered lighter in one placQ 
 than another, the denser or weightier air will rush 
 in from all parts, to restore the equilibrium. If 
 these currents are furious and violent, they are 
 called hurricanes^ gales of wind^ and storms ; if 
 strong and uniform, winds ; if gentle, breezes^ or 
 soft gales. 
 
 The winds, in a space of about 30 degrees north 
 of the equator, in the open sea, and less on land, 
 blow constantly from the north-east ; and in a space 
 of the same extent south of the equator, from the 
 southeast.' These are called the Trade Winds. 
 
 In the Indian ocean, the trade winds blow one 
 half the year from the south-east or north-east^ and 
 the other half from the opposite quarters. These 
 are called Monsoons. 
 
 On the ocean the winds are more regular than 
 on land, because the temperature of the sea is 
 more equal than that of the land. The winds 
 are more violent in mountainous places, than on 
 plains. 
 
 When from sudden rarefication, or any other 
 causes, contrary curreiits of air meet in the same 
 spot, a Whirlwind is the consequence. A Wa- 
 ter Spout is no other than a whirlwind at sea. 
 
 Manifold are the good effects of wind. It pu- 
 rifies the air, moderates the heat, conveys the 
 clouds from one place to another, dries wet lands 
 and damp houses, chases away the fogs, promotes 
 vegetation by the motion it gives to trees and 
 
4,6 ANCIENT OEdGRAPHY. 
 
 plants, and aids navigation and commerce, by 
 which the inhabitants in different and distant 
 parts of the world have intercourse with each 
 other. 
 
 The velocity of the wind, at a height from the 
 earth, free from obstruction, has been calculated 
 as follows ; a strong wind 61 miles an hour, a brisk 
 gale 21 miles, a gentle breeze about 9 miles. 
 
 Clouds. From the watery vapors raised by the 
 heat of the sun, from the sea and other waters, and 
 from the moist surface of the earth, are formed, 
 the Clouds, which being condensed by cold, de- 
 scend in rains, fogs, and dews. 
 
 The Rainbow, with its beautiful colors, is 
 produced by the rays of the sun, shining upon the 
 falling drops of rain. 
 
 When the watery particles are frozen in the 
 atmosphere, they descend in Snow, Hail, and 
 Hoar Frost. 
 
 In Peru, Egypt, and the island of Madeira, it 
 seldom or never rains ; and in some places under 
 the equator, it is said to rain for one half the year, 
 and to be fair the other. 
 
 Clouds highly charged with electricity or 
 lightning, in southern climates, sometimes produce 
 the most fatal effects. A cloud of this kind, in 
 the island of Java, in the East Indies, August 11, 
 1772, descended on a mountain in the night time, 
 and destroyed every thing near the top of it; 
 about 2,140 people, and a vast number of cattle 
 were killed by it. Another cloud of the same 
 kind, at Malta, an island in the Mediterranean sea, 
 Oct. 29, 1757, destroyed many houses and ships, 
 and about 200 people. 
 
 The height of clouds is not very great. The 
 ■f<^ji? of ve.ry high mountairts are usualljf ajjove^ 
 
ilieui; as Etna, the Alps, the Audes iu South 
 America, and many others. Hence, from the 
 tops of these mountains a person may, in perfect 
 security, hear the thunder roll, and see the streaks 
 and flashes of lightning darting over the clouds far 
 below him, which affords one of the most sublime 
 and awful scenes in nature. 
 
 Lightning and thunder, which fill us often* 
 times with so much terror, have their use ; 
 and so have the snow and frosts. The lightning 
 promotes a circulation of the air, and cools the 
 sultry heat of summer. Snois) prevents the frost 
 from penetrating too deep into the earth ; it fa- 
 cilitates travelling, by making a soft and smooth 
 bed over rough ways ; makes a good manure 
 for the ground ; and by its whiteness diminishes 
 the darkness of long winter nights. Frost kills the 
 seeds of disease which float in the air, or lie upon 
 the ground ; it braces and strengthens the animal 
 frame ; mellows and fertilizes the ground ; de- 
 stroys hurtful insects and worms ; it also facilitates 
 travelling over rivers, ponds, and lakes, and low 
 swampy grounds, which without it would be 
 impassable. 
 
 Thus, '-Fire and hail, snow and vapor, fulfil 
 the word of the Lord." 
 
 Q^uestions on Sectian IF, 
 
 Is the earth, according to Dr. Goldsmith, •• pi:i'^ 
 vileged beyond all the other planets, by its hap- 
 py middle distance from the centre of the sy» 
 tern?" 
 
 What is said of the interior and exterior plat. / 
 ia this respect ? 
 
4§ ANClEJST GEidGilAPHy, 
 
 What, of the earth ? 
 
 Is it with reason, that mankind consider them- 
 shelves as peculiarly favored in regard to the 
 situation of the dwelling-place which the Creator 
 has allotted to them ? 
 
 What science was considered in the last sec- 
 tion? 
 
 What are we to understand by Physical Geogra* 
 phy? 
 
 What science is the subject of this section? 
 
 Give Goldsmith's definition of Natural History ! 
 
 Define animate bodies ! 
 
 Into how many classes are they divided ? 
 
 Who are included in the^rs^ class? 
 
 What are they called ? 
 
 Why are they so called ? 
 
 Name the second class, and why so named? 
 
 The third— the fourth. 
 
 Define the science of Anatomy ? 
 
 What is Zoology ? 
 
 What is Ornithology? 
 
 What is Icthyology ? 
 
 What is Entomology ? 
 
 What is Helminthology ? 
 
 What is Physiology ? 
 
 How are inanimate bodies divided ? 
 
 What properties have vegetables in common 
 with animals ? 
 
 By what properties are they distinguished? 
 
 What productions of the earth are called vesie- 
 tables ? ^ 
 
 What are obtained from animals, besides their 
 flesh and skins ? 
 
 What from whales ? 
 
 What do the ocean, seas, lakes, end rivers pro- 
 duce for the use of man ? 
 
THE EAR 11 f. 49 
 
 What are produced naturally, or by distillation,. 
 from vegetables ? 
 
 What else do they furnish ? 
 
 From what is Cider made? Perry? Wine? 
 Vinegar ? Brandy ? Gin^ or Geneva ? Whiskey ? 
 Rum and Sugar? Molasses? Beer? Snuff? 
 Maple Sugar? 
 
 What is Water ? 
 
 What does Sir Isaac Newton say of this ele- 
 ment ? 
 
 W^hat does Moses say on this subject ? ^ 
 
 What is said of rain-water ? 
 
 What of well-water ? 
 
 What of Springs ? 
 
 Which is heaviest, salt or fresh water? 
 
 How is salt produced ? 
 
 Where is the rock-salt found ? 
 
 What is said of the island of Ormus ? 
 
 How many inhabitants lived on this island in 
 1662? 
 
 How are the Tides produced ? 
 
 How often do they ebb andjlow ? 
 
 Define spring and neap tides? 
 
 How often, and in what state of the moon do 
 these happen? 
 
 How high do the tides rise in the river Indus ? 
 
 How high in the bay of Fundy, and what eifects 
 sometimes follow ? 
 
 What are next described, as above the earth ? 
 
 What is Air ? 
 
 W^hat is the science called which treats of air? 
 
 What is the whole body of air called ? 
 
 What is the supposed height of the atmos- 
 phere ? 
 
 t 
 
What, in the opinion of Mr. Locke and Sir 
 I. Newton, is beyond the atmosphere, in infinite 
 space ? 
 
 What is this fluid called ? 
 
 What is the weight of a square inch of the at* 
 mosphere ? 
 
 By what instrument is this ascertained ? 
 
 How many pounds of the atmosphere press 
 upon a middle sized man ? 
 
 Why is he not crushed by this enormous 
 weight ? 
 
 In thick foggy weather is the air lighter or 
 heavier than usual ? 
 
 What are the effects of heat and cold on the 
 air? 
 
 Is air necessary to sound and hearing? 
 
 What would be the consequences, if the air 
 should be removed ? 
 
 How many miles in a minute do sounds move ? 
 
 Is the strength of sound greatest in cold or hot 
 weather ? 
 
 How far have sounds been heard in cold wea 
 ther? 
 
 How far in warm? 
 
 What are the qualities of the air? 
 
 Describe heat^ its effects, and uses! 
 
 Of what is wildfire supposed to consist ? 
 
 Who invented it ? 
 
 Where does it bura with the greatest vio^ 
 lence ? 
 
 What did the Greeks once effect by its use ? 
 
 When did this event happea ? 
 
 What is said of the cause of cold ? 
 
 What are its effects on fluids ? 
 
 What fluids are congealed with the least de- 
 gree ef cold? 
 
What next? 
 
 What last of all? 
 
 What is a ihermometer^ aod its use ? 
 
 Is the action of freezing instantaneous ? 
 
 Which is heaviest, ice or water ? 
 
 Which freezes soonest boiled or unboiled wa- 
 ter? — Water that is agitated^ or that which is at 
 rest ? 
 
 Was a palace of ice once erected ? 
 
 Where? 
 
 When? 
 
 Of what length and hreadth ? 
 
 What is said of a cannon made of ice, and of its 
 effects ? 
 
 AVhat is Light ? 
 
 Do we know any thing more about it than its 
 properties and effects ? 
 
 How many miles in a minute do the ravs of 
 light fly? 
 
 How much ewifter is this than the motion of a 
 cannon ball ? 
 
 From what substances is light produced ? 
 
 State what is said of the Jack oUatitern 1 
 
 Name the seven primary colors which form the 
 rainbow ! 
 
 Are all other colors formed from various mix- 
 tures of these ? 
 
 Whence proceeds the Korthern Lights or Aurora 
 Borealis ? 
 
 When wag it first observed in London ? 
 
 How long ago in New-England? 
 
 What was then thought of it ? 
 
 How is it now viewed? 
 
 What is z<^^Vlrf, iind ktw is it produced ? 
 
52 ANCIEKT GEOGRAPH) . 
 
 When the currents of the wind are furious and 
 violent^ what are they called ? If strong and uni" 
 form ? If gentU ? If soft ? 
 
 Describe the Trade-rvinds ! — -The Monsoons! 
 
 Are the winds most regular, on the ocean, or 
 on the land? 
 
 Why? 
 
 In which are winds most violent, in mountain- 
 ous or plain countries ? 
 
 How are whirlwinds produced ? 
 
 What is a water-spout F 
 
 What are the good effects of wind ? 
 
 How swift do the various kinds of wind move ? 
 
 How are the clouds formed? 
 
 What do they produce when condensed by cold ? 
 
 How is the rainbow formed ? 
 
 When watery particles are frozen in the atmos- 
 phere, what follows ? 
 
 In what places is there no rain ? 
 
 State the effects produced by lightning, and 
 name the places where, and the time when these 
 effects happened ! 
 
 What is the height of the clouds ? 
 
 Are the tops of high mountains above them ? 
 
 Describe the situation and prospects of a person 
 standing above the clouds, and looking down on 
 them, during a thunder-storm ! 
 
 State the benefits of lightning and thunder — of 
 snow Bnd frost. 
 
 What does the Psalmist say of '^ Fire and hall 
 snow and vapor ?"' 
 
54 ANCIENT QEQQRAPHV. 
 
 tude ; all south, in south latitude. From top 19 
 bottom, or north to south, meridians, or lines of 
 longitude are drawn. Longitude in the United 
 States begins at the meridian which passes through 
 the city of Washington, our capital.* All places 
 west of this line are in west longitude ; all east of 
 it in east longitude. The degrees of latitude are 
 marked on the sides of the map ; of longitude on the 
 equator, and top and bottom of the map. A degree 
 (^) is 60 geographical, of 69^ English miles. 
 
 The natural divisions of the earth have already 
 been given, page 28 to 31, which should here be 
 re-examined. The pupil may derive from an 
 inspection of the map, a better and more correct 
 idea of a continent^ island^ peninsula^ isthmus^ pro^ 
 Tnontory^ or eape ; of an inland sea^ bay. lake^ har- 
 hor^ 4^c. ; of the two tropics^ polar circles^ and oth- 
 er circles on the globe, than can be given by any 
 description in words. It will be a useful exercise 
 also to require the pupil to define in his own lan- 
 guage, a continent, island, circle on the globe, &c, 
 after looking at each on the map. 
 
 [Note. — la Geography Made Easy^ or the abridgement 
 of the American Universal Geography, the next book to be 
 put into the hands of the pupil after this, in order to ob- • 
 tain a systematic and thorough knowledge of Geography, , 
 will be found a more full and complete account of the ' 
 topics concisely treated in this and the two preceding sec- 
 tions, and to that work Preceptors are referred.] 
 
 This section containing what we have now 
 to say of " the heavens and the earth," as the 
 dwelling- place of man, will be concluded with 
 
 * Most of our maps have London, or Greenwich, in Eng-; 
 land, as there first meridian, as well as WashingtoiK Onw 
 at top, the other at bottom. 
 
THE EARTH, db 
 
 The divisiom of time. Time commenced at the 
 creation of the world, and will end at its destruc- 
 tion. Then '^time will be no more." 
 
 The ancients, for certain purposes, divided the 
 whole period of the world's existence, into " seven 
 agesi'' 
 
 1 . The first age of the world began at the cre- 
 ation, and ended at the flood, 1656 years. 
 
 2. The second was reckoned from the flood, 
 to the call of Abram and his settlement at Haran, 
 426 years. 
 
 3. The thirds from the call of Abram to the 
 release of the children of Israel from the bondage 
 of Egypt, 430 years. 
 
 4. The ybiirt^, from the time the children of 
 Israel left Egypt, to the building of the temple, 
 479 years. 
 
 5. The fifth^ from the building of the temple, 
 to the fall and degradation of the proud Nebuch- 
 adnezzar f" 443 years. 
 
 6. The sixth^ from the fall and destruction of 
 Nebuchadnezzar, to the birth of Jesus Christ, 
 566 years. 
 
 7. The seventh age of the world embraces the 
 whole period, from the birth of Christ to the 
 end of the world ; a period, it is supposed, of 
 3000 years ; making in the whole 7000 years, 
 which the world is to continue in existence. 
 
 There are other divisions of time marked out 
 by the motions of the heavenly bodies, int6 
 days, months, and years ; also into day and night, 
 summer and winter, spring and autumn, seed- 
 time axid harvest. 
 
 * Daniel iv. 29, 34. 
 
<,y(9 AJS'ClErvT (irEOGil.AFHV. 
 
 Questions on Se-tion \ . 
 
 What is a map ? 
 
 How is the land distinguished from the water? 
 
 How are rivers described ? 
 
 How mountains^ forests^ roads ^ swamps and rae- 
 rasses^ sandbanks^ and shallozn's^ chief cities^ towns^ 
 forts, light-houses^ course of winds ? 
 
 What point of the compass is the top of the 
 map, and by what is this point denoted ? 
 
 What point the bottom ? 
 
 What the right, and what the left hand ? 
 
 What are the lines called which are drawn 
 from top to bottom of the map ? 
 
 What those from side to side ? 
 
 Point on the map, of the world No. I. to the north 
 and south poles^ to the Zenith and Xadir. the Equa*- 
 lor^ and describe them. 
 
 W^hence is latitude reckoned } 
 
 What are meridians^ and how are they drawn 
 ©n maps? 
 
 Through what city does our first meridiao 
 pass ? 
 
 Is longitude reckoned east and west from thi^ 
 line ? 
 
 What is the length of a degree in geographical 
 •and in English miles ? 
 
 Look at plates No. IV. and I., and point to a 
 
 . continent, island, peninsula, isthmus, promontory 
 
 or cape, to an inland sea, bay, lake, harbor ; to 
 
 the tropics of Capricorn and Cancer, and the polar 
 
 circles ? 
 
 When did time begin, and when will it end ? 
 
 Into how many ages did the ancientB divide- fie 
 Xvhole period of time ? 
 
THE EARTH. i7 
 
 When did the first age begin and end ? 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the second age begin and end ? 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the third age begin and end ? 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the fourth age begin and end ? 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the fifth age begin and end ? 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the sixth year begin and end 2 
 How many years did it embrace ? 
 When did the seventh age begin and end ? 
 How many years is it to embrace ? 
 How long is it supposed the earth and heavens 
 will exist from their creation ? 
 What other divisions of time are there ? 
 How are these marked out ? 
 
SECTION VL 
 
 THE CREATION, CHARACTER, AND INHERITANCE OF MAN, 
 MESOPOTAMIA, AND THE RIVERS AND IIJi^CES WITHIN 
 AND ROUND ABOUT IT, WHICH ARE MENTIONED BY 
 
 MOSES. 
 
 The manner in which Moses has described the 
 creation of " the heavens and the earth," ob- 
 viously shows, that they were intended to be 
 the magnificent dwelling-place of some exalted 
 race of beings, favorites of their Creator. This 
 magnificent dwelling-place, in its several parts, 
 has been described, and we return again to give a 
 more particular account of the origin and charac- 
 ter of that race of beings, who were to inhabit it, 
 and of the region w^here they first dwelt. 
 
 In the account already given of the w^ork of 
 the sixth day,* we are informed of the creation of 
 man, and the formal consignment to him of the 
 inferior creatures, and of the whole furniture of 
 the earlh, as his inheritance, to be used and gov- 
 erned by him as its lord, according to his pleasure. 
 Further particulars relating to the creation of 
 man, the place on the earth where he was formed 
 and destined to live, are given by Moses, which 
 here claim attention. The additional facts con- 
 cerning the creation of man related by Moses are 
 these — ''And the Lord God formed man of the 
 du^t," or mould, "of the ground and breathed 
 
T.J IE EARTH. 59 
 
 into him the breath of life, and man became a liv- 
 ing soul." "And the Lord God said, It is not 
 good that man should be alone, I will make an 
 help meet for hini." ''And the Lord God caused 
 a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept ; and 
 he took one of the ribs and closed up the liesh in- 
 stead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God 
 had taken from man, he made." or builded '• a 
 woman, and brought her unto the man. And Ad- 
 am said, This is now bone of mj bones, and tlesh 
 of mj flesh, she shall be called Woman, because 
 she was taken out of Man ; and they shall be one 
 ilesh.'^ 
 
 We have a further account of the exalted rank 
 held by man, among the creatures of God, and of 
 the formal consignment to him of the earth and 
 heavefts which he had created, and all their fur- 
 niture, as his inheritance, in the 8th Psalm, 
 •'Thou, oh Lord, hast made man a little lower 
 than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory 
 and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion 
 over the works of thine hand ; thou hast put all 
 things under his feet." 
 
 It will he proper here to introduce some ac- 
 count of the traditions of several of our Indian 
 nations, respecting the creation of man. Though 
 their ideas on this subject are wild and fan- 
 ciful, yet their accounts have a striking similar- 
 ity to that given by Moses, of which they must 
 have retained some traditionary knowledge. 
 
 The following was communicated to Major 
 Marston, by Masco, a chief of the Sauks, a tribe of 
 Indians on the Mississippi river ; and by Major 
 Marston to the author. 
 
 '' The Great Spirit, in the first place created from 
 the dirt of the earth, two men ; bat finding that 
 
60 ANCIEKJ GEDGl^AfHX, 
 
 these alone would not answer his purpose, he took 
 from each man a rib, and made two women ; and 
 from these four sprang all red men. 
 
 '' The white men were made of the fine dust of 
 the earth, as they know more than Indians." 
 
 Another account given by a chief of the Iro- 
 quois, is summarily the following : 
 
 '' After the Great Spirit had formed the world, 
 he made the birds and beasts. He then made 
 man; but having formed him white, and ver}'' 
 imperfect and ill-tempered, he placed him on one 
 side of the earth where he now inhabits. As the 
 Great Spirit was not pleased with his work, he 
 took of black clay and made the Negro. This 
 was much better than the white man, but was 
 still imperfect. He then procured a piece of red 
 clay, from which he formed the Red Man perfect- 
 ly to his mind. He placed him on a great island, 
 separate from the white and black men, and gave 
 him rules for his conduct, promising' him happi- 
 ness in proportion as he should obey them." 
 
 For the progenitors of the human race, named 
 Adam and Eve, " the Lord God planted a garden 
 eastward in Eden," and as its name imports, " it i 
 was the centre of every terrestrial pleasure. I 
 The munificence of the Creator stored it with 
 every plant, and tree, and flower, that was plea- 
 sant to the e3^e, grateful to the smell, and adapted 
 to the sustenance of sinless man, A river went 
 out of Eden to water it, whose ample and re- 
 freshing streams, so necessary to the very exist 
 ence of an oriental garden, visiting every part of 
 the sacred enclosure, diffused a perpetual verdure, 
 and imparted to every plant a beauty, vigor, and 
 
TOE CREATION OF ftUN. 61 
 
 iertility, perhaps unknown to any other district of 
 that delightful region." * 
 
 After all the investigations of learned visiters 
 of this interesting region, and of commentators on 
 their works, we have no certainty as to the pre- 
 cise situation of this Garden of Eden. After as 
 full an examination of the subject as very ample 
 means have furnished, I have located this garden 
 as may be seen on the map. The land or country 
 called Eden, in which the garden of this name was 
 placed, lay, according to Moses, on the banks of a 
 large river, which on leaving the southern limit of 
 that country, divided into four heads, or four rivers, 
 here uniting their waters, which had the names of 
 Pison^ Gihon^ Hiddekel^ and Euphrates. Different 
 authors lay down these rivers on their maps va- 
 riously. There is no certainty that any of them 
 are correct. The little map in this book is com- 
 piled from the latest and best authorities, and 
 gives sufficient information for our purpose. 
 
 We have placed the Garden^ as will be seen in 
 the map, " on an eastern branch of the Euphrates^ 
 as laid down in Shuckford's map, which after it 
 leaves the Garden receives from the north the 
 Hiddekel or Tigris. " That is it," saith Moses, 
 ^' which goeth towards the east of Assyria," or, as 
 it should properly be rendered, before^ or over 
 against Assyria, as this river washed its western 
 border."t From this junction of these two rivers, 
 there issued towards the east, the Gihon^ '^ which 
 compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia," or Cush, 
 as it is rendered in the margin of our Bibles. 
 From the same s"»urce, toward the south-west, 
 
 * Paxton, Vol. p. 7 and 8. 
 t Paxton. 
 
 F 
 
t?!'2 A^'ClENT GEOGlRAFaV. 
 
 issued the Pison^ "which compiisseth the vvh^^le 
 hind of Havilah." The Euphrates and Hiddekeh 
 or Tigris, are as described on the map, 
 
 MESOPOTAMIA. 
 
 Though some have located the Garden of Eden 
 and the places which Moses has connected with it, 
 in Syria, and others in India, far toward China, I 
 think there is little doubt that it was in Mesopo- 
 tamia, (which signifies between two rivers^) and 
 near the spot where it is placed on the map. Ad- 
 mitting this to be fact, Mesopotamia^ though little 
 known in Geography, is in truth, the most inter- 
 esting part of our globe. 
 
 Boundaries. Mesopotamia on the north, in its 
 largest extent, embraces the southern part of what 
 is now called Armenia. On the east it was bound- 
 ed by the river Pliddekel or Tigris, which sepa- 
 rated it from Assyria, whose capital was Nineveh. 
 On the south was the land of Cush, Chaldea, or 
 Eastern Ethiopia, several names given to the 
 same tract of country, which separated it from 
 the Persian Gulf. According to late information 
 from Mr. Wolf the Missionary, its southern bound- 
 ary extends to the Persian Gulf. Its western 
 boundary was the Euphrates, which divided it 
 from that celebrated portion of the globe, which 
 God gave to Abraham and his seed after him, call- 
 ed the Holy Land, the Land of Promise, and the 
 Land of Israel. Mesopotamia lies between 30^ and 
 38° N. lat. and between 40° and 50° E. Ion. 
 
 General Observations, — On various accounts 
 this neglected country claims the particular at- 
 tention of geographers. Here man was created 
 and lived in the garden God prepared for 
 bioi, duriiag the short period of his innojcenciy; 
 
MESOPOTAMIA.. fe>.' 
 
 lif re lie teiuiied and fell, and was driven iVom 
 the garden, and the earth was cursed for hib 
 sake. Here the first children of the human race 
 were born, Cain and Abel ; and the first murder 
 was committed, a crime which there is reason to 
 believe was predominant among the antediluvians. 
 Here the ark was built by Noah, cf gopher or 
 cypress wood, and on or near its northern border, 
 it rested on Mount Ararat, which is '' alwa^ s 
 whitened with snow."* 
 
 Here Babel was built about 100 years after the 
 flood,! and the language of its builders confounded. 
 '* Till this time, nearly 2000 years after the cre- 
 ation, there was but one language spoken by man- 
 kind." This country was the centre from whence 
 " the Lord scattered mankind abroad upon the 
 face of all the earth," forming the seeds of the 
 different nations. 
 
 * M. Brmi. — "-It is probable that Uie ark rested on the 
 Mouiitains of Ararat in Armenia, one of the suaimils of the 
 Gordian range, which rising to a stupendous height above 
 the rest of the chnin, overlooks the rich and extensive plains 
 of Babylonia " — Paxion, 
 
 t About 100 years after the flood, Eber had a son born, 
 whom he named *' Peleg^ because in his time Ike earth was 
 dividedj^^ i. e. the lan2;uHge of mankind was confounded, nnd 
 they in tribe:*, composed of those who spake the same hm- 
 gu;\ge, be^an to be dispersed in the earth. '] he number 
 oi languages which arose from the confusion at Babel, from 
 ihe words of Moses, (Deut. xxxii. 8.) has been supposed 
 to be 70. '' When the Most High divided to the nations 
 their inherifance, ichen he separated ihe sons of Adam^ he set 
 ih- bounds of the people according to the nuniber cf the chil- 
 dren of Israel,'^ i, e. '* he divided them into 70 natiofjs, 
 whrch was the number of the children of Israel when thoy 
 went into Egvpt." The Greek and Latin fathers make 
 Ihcm r^.SMford, Vol. I. p. 07, 
 
In this country the first towns and cities wea:fe 
 built, and the first kingdoms were esiablished. 
 Bordering on this country to the west, in the east- 
 ern part of the thirsty, barren deserts of Arabia 
 Petrae, lay the land of JYod^ the place of Cain's 
 exile, and the scene of his wanderings after the 
 murder of Abel, a region admirably adapted to 
 the purpose of his punishment.* In this country, 
 called in the Hebrew, Aram Naharaim, was " Ur 
 of the Chaldees," where Abraham, " the renown- 
 ed founder of the Hebrew nation,! was born, and 
 whence by divine direction he migrated with 
 Lot his nephew, to the destined future inherit- 
 ance of himself and his posterity. Here dwelt 
 Chedarlaomer, king of Elam, and the other kings 
 who fought with the king of Sodom and the other 
 kings of the plain, and took Lot, who was rescued 
 by Abraham.| Here Jacob lived with Laban, and 
 here were born the twelve patriarchs, sons of 
 Jacob, who gave thpir names to the twelve 
 tribes of Israel; also, Sarah, Rebekah, Leah, and 
 Rachel, the wives of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 
 It was here, in aftertimes that Alexander the 
 Great, gave the fatal blow to the powerful mon- 
 archy of Persia; and here in still later periods, 
 Trajan, Julian, and Heraclius, at the head of the 
 Roman legions, encountered in a number of bloody 
 battles, the invincible squadrons of Parthia. 
 
 Questions on Section VL 
 
 What were the heavens and the earth intended 
 by their Maker to be ? 
 
 Did God give the dominion of the world, after 
 he had finished it, to man as its lord and pro- 
 prietor ? 
 
 * ^rotiuJ', Paxtom t paxtmi, i Gen* xiv. 
 
Ti!E CREATION OF iilAN. ^p 
 
 Of what was man made ? 
 
 Of what was woman made, and in what mai^- 
 ner ? 
 
 What did Adam say when Eve was brought t.0 
 him? 
 
 Do the manner in which man was created, 
 and the splendid dwelling-place which his Maker 
 prepared for him, show his exalted rank among his 
 creatures? 
 
 What does the Psalmist say on this subject ? 
 
 State what our Indians think of the origin of our 
 race— first what Masco the Sauk Chief, has said, 
 then the account given by the Iroquois Chief 
 
 What did God do further for the particular acr 
 commodation of Adam and Eve ? 
 
 Describe this garden. 
 
 Point to it on the map, and to the four river's 
 mentioned in the Bible, as connected with this 
 garden. 
 
 What is the name of the country which c/on- 
 tained this garden and these rivers ? 
 
 Describe the boundaries of Mesopotamia ? 
 
 What country lies north of it ? 
 
 What east ? 
 
 What river separates it from Assyria ? 
 
 Point to the capital of Assyria, and state wkat is 
 >aaid of it by the prophet Jonah. 
 
 Give the southern boundary of Mesopotamia:, 
 and point to the places named on the map. 
 
 V'hat river forms its western boundary ? 
 
 From what country does this river separate 
 Mesopotamia ? 
 
 On what accounts does this country claim our 
 particular attention ? 
 
 [Here it will be easy for the teacher to supply 
 the question^, which shall draw from the pupil all 
 V 5 
 
6,6 ANCIRKT GEGGRAPHy. 
 
 the facts contained under the head of '' Genera! 
 Observations," as, 
 
 Where was man created ? 
 
 Where did he live while he remained inno- 
 cent? 
 
 Where did Noah build the ark ? 
 
 On what mountain did the ark rest after the 
 iGlood ? 
 
 In what range of mountains is Ararat supposed 
 to be situated ? 
 
 Point to it on the map. 
 
 What is said to lie perpetually on its top ? 
 
 What plains does this mountain overlook ? 
 
 Where was the land of Nod to which Cain was 
 banished after he slew his brother Abel ? 
 
 Point to it on the map and describe the country. 
 
 How long after the flood was Babel built, and the 
 language of its builderg confounded ? 
 
 How many languages arose out of this confusion ? 
 
 And so of the re?t> 
 
SECTION Vlf. 
 
 MESOPOTAMIA, CONTIIffUED. 
 
 The Geological Features and Character ef this 
 Country. 
 
 These are very peculiar and striking;. What 
 they were before the fall of man, or before the 
 flood, Moses, our only authority, has given us no 
 particular information. As it was the' spot on the 
 globe selected by God himself to be the dwelling- 
 place of man, whom he had made in his own 
 image, we may presume that it originally com- 
 bined every thing, as to its local and relative situ- 
 ation, climate, soil, productions, kc. which could 
 render it an abode of perfect enjoyment. The 
 curse and the flood have obviously produced sad 
 and awful changes in the character of this inter- 
 esting region, though we cannot particularly de- 
 scribe them, because we cannot compare its pre- 
 sent with its original state. It is very remarka- 
 ble for situation, in the very centre bf the habit- 
 able earth, and by its navigable rivers and vicini- 
 ty to internal seas and the Great Indian Ocean, it 
 has easy access to all parts of the world. It bor-, 
 ders on the favored country which God selettied 
 aEd gave to his chosen people. The late geo- 
 grapher,* before quoted, has given the following 
 
 * Mttlte Bmn. 
 
6S AiSr'ClKNT 6E©tRAFHY. 
 
 striking account of Mesopotamia, including Arme- 
 nia on the north, and Irac Arabia on the south 
 west. '^ There are few countries on the globe, 
 where, in so small a space, so many striking con- 
 trasts are found united. Within an extent often de- 
 grees of latitude, we have at Bagdad a heat equal 
 to that of Senegambia (in Africa,) and on the 
 summit of Ararat, eternal snows. The forests of 
 firs and oaks in Mesopotamia, join those of palms 
 and orange-trees. The roarings of the lions of 
 Arabia echo to the bowlings of the bears of 
 Mount Taurus. We might indeed say that Africa 
 and Siberia had here given each other a meeting. 
 This near approach of climates so opposite, prin- 
 cipally arises from the great differences which 
 are found in elevation. Armenia, which is a very 
 elevated plain, is encompassed on all sides by 
 lefty mountains." 
 
 A large portion of the southern part of this 
 eeuntry is now a desert, a continuation of that of 
 Arabia, on whose burning sands grow, " in de- 
 tached spots, at great distances, saline plants.-' 
 Immense tracts are covered with wormwood. 
 The scanty supply of water found here is gene- 
 rally bitter or brackish. The lakes are stagnant^ 
 saltish, and putrid, whence arise those exhalations 
 which, when put in motion, create that fatal wind 
 c^alled the Samoom or SamieL When this dread- 
 ful wind rises, the sun seems covered with blood, 
 from the dust which is raised to an immense 
 feeight. Animals, to escape its fatal effects, in- 
 stinctively lay themselves flat on the ground : it 
 ^uflbcates any living being exposed to its rn- 
 jRueBee.* 
 
 * M. Brun. 
 
THE CREAXIQN OF RfAN. 4 3 
 
 In the northern parts of Mesopotamia, afeout 
 Diarbekir, are mountains of moderate height, in- 
 terspersed with pleasant and rich valleys, tyeJl 
 watered, yielding grapes, olives, melons, and 
 other fruits ; tobacco, silk, wool, &lc. ; mines of 
 gold and silver, and particularly of copper, are 
 found in this region. The forests of gopher or 
 cypress wood and other trees, which supplied 
 Noah with timber for the ark, and afterwards Al- 
 exander and Trajan for the building of their fleets, 
 are yet to be seen, diminished in number and size, 
 on the banks of the Tigris. The ancient city of 
 Diarbekir, has 40,000 inhabitants living in 8,000 
 houses, built of lava. The city of Merdin, most 
 extraordinary for its situation, lately visited by Mr. 
 Wolf the missionarj^, has 3,000 houses, and about 
 15,000 inhabitants. It overlooks the extensive 
 plains of lower Mesopotamia. ^'It is ascended 
 by a stair-case cut in the rock more than a mile 
 high, at the top of which is the gate." It \< 
 without walls, depending, as well it may, on i(< 
 situation for its defence. " The Turks hyper- 
 boiically say, its inhabitants never see a bird fly- 
 ing over their town."* 
 
 The small fertile country of Mosul, south of 
 Merdin, lies on both sides of the Tigris, embracing 
 the ancient Nineveh, no trace of which is now in 
 existence. The village of Nunia now occupies 
 its place on the east bank of the Tigris. The 
 city of Mosul contains 60 or 70,000 inhabitants, 
 8,000 of whom are Christians. South of this, at 
 no great distance, is the site of the garden of 
 Eden 
 
,79 .ANCIENT GLOGRAl-l^Y. 
 
 The western part of Mesupolainia, lies uii ihe 
 cast bank of the Euphrates, and at present bears 
 the name of Orfa. whose capita] of this name has 
 30 or 40,000 inhabitants. North-east of Orfa, at 
 a short distance, '^ there is an immense number 
 of artificial caves in reguh^r arrangement, pre- 
 senting the remains of a subterranean city.* Ila- 
 ran, known in the time of Abraham, w^as in this 
 country. 
 
 Proceeding farther south, you enter the fa- 
 mous country of Babylonia, the southern district 
 of Mesopotamia, the theatre of ancient wonders. 
 Here were the plains of Shinar, on which the 
 tower of Babel was built, which was afterwards 
 converted into the temple of Belus, the most 
 magnificent in the world. Here Babylon w^as sit- 
 uated, the largest city ever built. It had 100 
 gates of brass. Its wails were 60 miles in cir- 
 cumference, 87 feet thick, and 35 feet high. Al- 
 exander the Great, conqueror of the world, died 
 here. For the wickedness of its inhabitants it was 
 long ago destroyed. 
 
 At Bagdat, the second Babylon, situate where 
 Ihe Tigris and Euphrates approach within six 
 hours w^alk of each other, the Desert passes into 
 •an immense meadow, whose soil is alluvia], form- 
 ing the garden of Asia. Springs of naptha and 
 bitumen in great number, are found here ; the 
 latter of w^hich furnished cement or mortar for 
 the builders of Babel and of Babylon. The black 
 bitumen serves instead of oil. It flows into the 
 Tigris in great quantities, and the boatmen some- 
 times set it on fire, which exhibits the appearance. 
 
 * M. Brua. 
 
MESOPOTAMIA. *71 
 
 oi a l)uruiug river. Bagdat has 80,000 inhabitants, 
 50,000 of whom are Arabs. Helleh, a flourishing 
 manufacturing town, situated in a forest of palms, 
 is supposed to have been built of bricks taken 
 from the ruins of Babjdon. The celebrated tower 
 of Nimrod or Babel, on the plains of Shinar, is 
 now an immense square mass of ruinous walls, si>L 
 miles from Helleh. 
 
 Such was the country first inhabited by man, 
 his birth-place, whence successively all nations 
 emigrated, and to a description of which, for ob- 
 vious reasons, we have devoted a larger numbei^ 
 of our pages, than to any other equal portion of 
 our globe. It is worthy to be noticed here, thilt 
 this most remarkable country lies along side that 
 which is next in point of interest, called the Land 
 of Israel^ which at some future, and not distant 
 period, is to be re-occupied by that remarkable 
 people, who for nearly 1800 years have been 
 scattered among all the large nations o'n the 
 earth. 
 
 Questions on Section VIL 
 
 Of Vvhat does this section Ireat? 
 
 What is said of the geographical features and 
 character of Mesopotamia ? 
 
 What were they before the fall of man? 
 
 Why may we presume that it contained every 
 thing necessary to make it an abode of periect 
 enjoyment for man ? 
 
 Can we determine what changes were pro- 
 duced by the curse and flood ? 
 
 Were they very sad and awful ? 
 
*yjl ANCIENT GEOGSAPHy. 
 
 What fs there remarkable in the situation of 
 this country ? 
 
 Repeat the description given of it given by a 
 late geographer. 
 
 Is any part of it Desert ? 
 
 Which part? 
 
 Of what desert i^ this the continuation? 
 
 What grows upon it ? 
 
 What is said of its scanty supply of water ? 
 
 What of the exhalations which rise from the 
 putrid lakes ? 
 
 What wind do these exhalations create when 
 put in motion? 
 
 How does the sun appear on the rising of the 
 wind? 
 
 What is the cause of this awful appearance ? 
 
 What are the effects of this wind on men and 
 animals exposed to it ? 
 
 What do they do to avoid these fatal effects ? 
 
 Give the description of the northern parts of 
 Mesopotamia, its mountains, valleys, fruits, mines, 
 and forests. 
 
 What did Noah, Alexander, and Trajan build 
 with the timber of these forests ? 
 
 How many houses and inhabitants inDiarbekir? 
 
 Of what are the houses built ? 
 
 What is said of the city of Merdin ? 
 
 How many houses and inhabitants has it: ? 
 
 What plains does it overlook ? 
 
 Kow do they get into the city ? 
 
 How high is it ? 
 
 Having no walls, on what does the city depend 
 for its defence ? 
 
 Repeat the saying of the Turks. 
 
 Derscribe the situation of Mogul: 
 
.MESOPOTAMIA. < O- 
 
 What ancient city does it embrace ? 
 
 Are there any traces of Nineveh now to be 
 found ? 
 
 JVame the city erected on its ruins. 
 
 How many inhabitants in Mosul city ? 
 
 How many of these are Christians ? 
 
 What noted place is south of Mosul ? 
 
 On what river does the western part of ]y[e^o- 
 potamia lie ? 
 
 What name does it bear ? 
 
 W^hat number of inhabitants in Orfa ? 
 
 What great curiosity is found north-east of this 
 city ? 
 
 Describe these caves. 
 
 What place known in the time of Abraham ft 
 here ? 
 
 What country lies south of Orfa ? , . 
 
 Mention what there is remarkable that flisytia- 
 guishes Babylonia, 
 
 What is said of Babylon, its size, its gates, the 
 extent of its walls, their thickness and height ? 
 
 What distinguished conqueror died here ? 
 
 Where is this great and proud city now ? 
 
 Where is Bagdat situated? 
 
 Into what does the desert here pass ? 
 
 What is said of this immense meadow, its soil 
 and beauty ? 
 
 What springs are found here ? ( 
 
 To what uses were the naptha and bitumen for- 
 merly applied? 
 
 Into what river do they flow, and what effect is 
 produced when set on fire ? 
 
 How many inhabitants in Bagdat ? 
 
 I^ow manv Turks ? 
 
 G 
 
Of what materials is the present town of Hel- 
 reh built ? 
 
 Where is it situated? 
 
 What rivers are to be seen within six miles 
 of it ? 
 
 What remarkable country lies alongside of 
 Mesopotamia ? 
 
 Is it expected that the scattered tribes of Israel 
 will ere long be here collected ? 
 
 Ht)w long since their dispersion ? 
 
SECTiON VII I, 
 
 THE FLOQD. 
 
 No event ever took place since the worlB 
 began, so remarkable in the history of geography 
 as THE FLOOD. This catastrophe, universal in its 
 effects, destroyed the first world made for man in 
 innocence, and was the beginning of that second 
 'World which has ever since remained, without ma- 
 terial alteration, a fit dwelling-place for man, as a 
 sinner, in a state of discipline. Till the flood, the 
 earth remained essentially the same as it came 
 originally from the hands of its Maker. Hence 
 the great length of human life, and the immense 
 population of the earth previous to this event. 
 Immediately after the flood, the age of man was 
 shortened one half, and subsequently, in David's 
 time, to 70 years. A change from 969 years, to 
 70 in the age of man, must have had an adequate 
 cause. Dr. Burnet and others, suppose it to have 
 been occasioned chiefly by " a change in the 
 temperament of the world ; that the equality of 
 the seasons, and evenness of weather, in the first 
 earth," conduced to the bealth and long life 
 xjf the antediluvians ; and " that in the vast con- 
 trariety of the seasons and weather" in the se- 
 cond earth, we may find the grand operative cause 
 of the comparative shortness of human life in (he 
 new world, ever since its commencement,* 
 
 ' 9?% ]3iTrmp4-. 
 
7p ANCiivNT GEOGilAi-Ht;, 
 
 The oinse was denounced on the earth by i??^ 
 Creator, immediately after the fall of man, It?^ 
 fulj execution seems to have been delayed till 
 ihi floo^. Till this event, according to th<'. 
 hesi and most philosophical notions we can form 
 of the state of the old world, its inhabitants en- 
 jpyed a constant serenity and equality of the 
 heavens, on an earth so situated in regard to the 
 ^.un, as to have a perpetual equinox, and a uni- 
 form temperature of the seasons,* well adapted 
 t9 promote their health and prolong* their lives. 
 
 The population of the first world, considering" 
 the long live« of its inhabitants, and its adapted- 
 ness, as to its soil and climate, to support vastly 
 more people than could live in the new world, in 
 which it has existed from its beginning has been 
 generally believed to have been far greater than 
 at any period since. Several authors, who have 
 made their calculations, have estimated the in- 
 habitants of the fir&t earth, extravagantly indeed, 
 ^t two millions of millions of souls ;t more than two 
 thousand times as many as have existed at any 
 period on the new earth ! ! 
 
 The flood was doubtless a miraculous event; 
 it is vain therefore to attempt to account for it on 
 any known and settled philosophical principles. 
 Those who have made the attempt have all dif- 
 fered in their theories. The simple account of it 
 which Moses has given, is easily understood, and 
 the only one to be relied on. 
 
 The inhabitants of the earth during the j)eriod 
 of 1656 years, favored as they were with every 
 r.oneeivable inducement to love and obey their 
 
 * Shuckford's Connexion, Vol. I. p. oL 
 t StTud<ford., Vol I. p, 50, 
 
THE UJjUD. 'i t 
 
 Maker, yet, under all their advantages, g'rew so 
 grossly and universally wicked, that Pie deter- 
 mined to destroy the whole race, one family ex- 
 cepted, by a universal and tremendous flood. 
 Among the many millions who then lived, Noah 
 only, a just and upright man, found favor with 
 God, To him He revealed his intention thus to 
 destroy the whole race of men then on the earthy 
 with the exception mentioned. This most alarm- 
 ing communication, made to Noah 120 years beforr; 
 the flood came, in order to give him time to warn 
 his fellow-beings of their danger, and to prepare 
 the ark, which he was directed to build for i\Lii 
 preservation of himself, his family, and the v<i- 
 rious inferior creatures necessary to begin a new 
 world. Noah, accordingly, under the divine di- 
 rection, constructed an ark '^ about 600 feet long. ' 
 100 feet wide, 60 feet deep, and three stories 
 high," into which he gathered such a number ot 
 (he inferior creatures in their several kinds, as 
 'God appointed him, with the necesj^ary provisions 
 for them and his family. All things being thus 
 prepared, Noah, in the six hundredth year of his 
 life, about the beginning of our Nov. A. M. \(jbijf 
 entered into the ark with his wife, his three sons, 
 and their wives, eight persons in all- '^ The sanw 
 day were all the fountains of the great deep 
 broken up, and the windows of heaven werf* 
 opened. And the rain was upon the earth -^JT) 
 days and 40 nights. And the waters prevailed 
 exceedingly ; and all the high hills that were 
 under the whole heaven, and the mountains al^o 
 were covered. And every living substance that 
 was on the face of the whole earth w as destroyed \ 
 
 ^ Shuckford, Vol. I. p. 41. 
 G 2 
 
78 AI^'crENT GEaORAPilV. 
 
 Noah only remained alive, and they that were 
 with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed 
 upon the earth 150 days.''* This is all the his^ 
 fory which Mos'es has given us of the antediluvian 
 world. 
 
 Questioiis on Section VIII. 
 
 What event is the most remarkable in the biBv 
 tdry of geography ? 
 
 What world did the flood destroy ? 
 
 What world succeeded the first? 
 
 For whom was the first world made ? 
 
 For whom the second? 
 
 Did the inhabitants of the first world live 
 long'er than those of the second? 
 
 What was the cause of this? 
 
 How much did the age of man decrease imme-» 
 diately after the flood ? 
 
 How much more from thence to the time of 
 David ? 
 
 What cause does Dr. Burnet rissign for this 
 shontening of human life ? 
 
 Was the curse denounced by God, after the. 
 fall* immediately executed ? 
 
 By what event was it fully executed ? 
 
 Till this event, what did the inhabitants of 
 the earth enjoy ? 
 
 Was the population of the first world much 
 greater than that of the second ? 
 
 What causes are assigned for this difference ? 
 
 What was the supposed number of inhabitants 
 of the first wdrld ? 
 
 * Gen. vii.. 
 
^J'HE FLOdD. Vj^ 
 
 Is this probably an extravagant calculation ? 
 
 What proportion does this bear to the pre>c 
 ent population of the earth ? 
 
 Was the flood a miraculous event? 
 
 Can it be accounted for on any known phi- 
 losophical principles? 
 
 What has happened to all those who have at- 
 tempted thus to account for it ? 
 
 Is the simple account of the flood which Mose;^ 
 has given us, the most to be relied on ? 
 
 Were the antediluvians peculiarly favored of 
 God? 
 
 Yet what was their character ? 
 
 In consequence of their gross wickedness, what 
 did God determine to do with them ? 
 
 To whom did God communicate this deter- 
 mination ? 
 
 Was Noah alone among the millions then on 
 the earth, found just and uppight ? 
 
 Hovv long before the flood came, was warniiig 
 given by God to Noah ? 
 
 For what purposes did He give so long warning ? 
 
 How long was the ark? — How wide? — How 
 deep ? — -How many stories high ? 
 
 When it was finished, what did Noah gather 
 into it ? 
 
 When all was ready, who did Noah take into 
 the ark with him, and how many in all ? 
 
 How old was Noah when he entered into the 
 ark? 
 
 What year of the world did this take place ? 
 
 In what month ? 
 
 What took place in the earth the same day 
 that Noah entered the ark? 
 
 How long did it rain on the earth ? 
 
 Were the hisrh hills and mountains all ro/ered ? 
 
80 ANCIENT GEOGRAPHV. 
 
 Did all living beings perish except those in 
 the ark? 
 
 How long did the waters prevail on the 
 earth ? 
 
 Is this all the history which Moses has given 
 lis of the antediluvian world ? 
 
SKCTION IX. 
 
 THE FLOOD ITS EFFECTS LAND OF SHINAR BABLh 
 
 CONFOUNDIXG OF LANGUAGE DISPERSION OF 
 
 MANKIND^ — THEIR EARLY SETTLEMENTS. 
 / 
 
 The ark, containing the only remaining means 
 of re-peopling the new world, alter being tossed 
 by conflicting currents for 150 days, rested on 
 Mount Ararat, supposed to be one of the highest 
 peaks of the Gordiaean mountains on the southern 
 borders of Armenia. How long the inhabitants of 
 the ark remained on these mountains before they 
 descended to the rich and beautiful plains on 
 which they originally dwelt, which for a long 
 time, probably, remained unfit for cultivation, we 
 are not informed.* About 100 years after the 
 flood, however, we find the offspring of Noah's 
 family, a great multitude, engaged in building 
 the famous tower of Babel. And here I leave 
 them to give a short account of the eff*ects of the 
 flood on the earth. 
 
 A description of the earth as it came from 
 the hands of its Creator, and as it remained till the 
 flood, has been given. What has been its state 
 
 ^ Noah entered the arkin the six hundredth year of his ao;e, 
 second aionth, and seventeenth day of the month ; and in 
 the six hundred and first year of his age, and the first month, 
 and first dviy of the month, *' the waters were dried from 
 ofl' the earth." So that Noah remained in the ark abo;it 
 285dfjvs.. 
 
82 ANCIENT GEOGRAPJiy. 
 
 and condition since, can be more precisely deter- 
 mined. All we know of the former, is from the 
 very brief history left us by Moses. Of the lat- 
 ter, we are eye-witnesses, and can search and 
 judge for ourselves. Men of science have ex- 
 amined the surface, and the bowels of the earth 
 to a very considerable extent ; their united con- 
 clusion, expressed by one of the latest of the^e 
 writers, is this. '^ The structure of the globe, 
 of which we have been endeavouring to trace 
 the grand features, presents, in all its parts, the 
 appearance of a vast ruin."* The facts on which 
 this result is founded are, '^the confusion and 
 overthrow of the earth's strata^ the irregular 
 succession of those which seem to remain in 
 their original situations, the wonderful variety 
 which the direction of the veins and the forms 
 of the caverns display, the immense heaps of 
 C43nfused and broken substances," and of sea 
 shells in the interior of countries, and on the 
 tops of the highest mountains, " the transporta- 
 tion of enormous blocks to a great distance from 
 the mountains of which they appear to have 
 formed a part, every thing, in short"* on the face, 
 and in the bowels of the earth, bears witness to 
 the truth of the Mosaic account of the flood, 
 and of its universal and awful effects upon the 
 earth. It has made it in truth a new world. 
 This new world ever since, has remained with- 
 out any great and remarkable change, and will 
 probably so remain, with increased improve- 
 ment in its cultivation, till its final destruction. 
 
 The land of Shinar is that beautiful valley, , 
 through which the rapid Tigris rushes fram the • 
 
 M. Bnin- 
 
THE FLOOD. tio 
 
 mountains of Armenia to' the sea/'* It included 
 the same district of country which has since been 
 called Babylonia. In the northern part of this 
 valley, at the foot of Mount Ararat, Noah and 
 his sons probably formed their first settlement 
 after the flood, and here the venerable patriarch 
 is supposed to have spent the remainder of his 
 days, and to have restored and established the 
 worship of Jehovah, and for 350 years, till his 
 death, to have fulfilled the duties of his patriarch- 
 al office over the virtuous part of his descend- 
 ants. We have no account that he had any con- 
 cern in building the city and tower of Babel. 
 The unbeliving part only,Jof Noah's family, werv^ 
 engaged in this presumptuous and daring under- 
 taking, and the confounding of their language 
 was the consequence. While the language of 
 Noah and those settled with him, which is sup- 
 posed to have been the Hebrew^ remained un- 
 changed. 
 
 Of this miraculous event some account has al- 
 ready been given.! We here give that furnish- 
 ed by Moses. " These were the sons of Noah after 
 their families, after their tongues, in their lands, 
 after their nations ; and by these were the na- 
 tions divided in the earth after the flood." 
 The people of Shinar, upon the confounding of 
 iheir language, found it necessary to separate, 
 and for this purpose they divided themselves into 
 little bands or tribes under their leading men, 
 each band having its own language, and its chief. 
 Their dispersion was doubtless a progressive work, 
 a^ the inhabitants of the earth, at this early period 
 after the flood, could not have been very numerous. 
 
 ^ P^ton. ^ p. ^3. Note, which ?c^> 
 
S4 ANCIENT tiEOGRABHV, 
 
 Writers en this subject have fixed on the sev- 
 eral countries, which were settled by the three 
 &ons of JN'oah, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. Japhet* 
 though usually last mentioned, was the eldest of 
 his brothers, and is supposed not to have been 
 present at the confusion of Babel, and to have 
 lived and died where his father dwelt during 
 his life, after the flood. His descendants, Gomer, 
 Tubal, Togarmah, Magog, and Mesech, each 
 the head of a subsequent nation, settled in and 
 near the northern parts of Syria, about Aleppo, 
 which anciently was called Magog. These were 
 '• the kings of the north," mentioned in scrip- 
 ture, who were to " afflict the Israelites." Other 
 chiefs descended from Japhet, as Askanez^ who 
 settled in Armenia, near Ararat ; Tarshish in Ci~ 
 licia ; Kiitim in Macedonia ; Maclac in Media : 
 Tiras in Thrace ; Riphath near Paphlagonia ; Do- 
 damon^ uncertain. 
 
 The sons of Shem were Elavi^ the father of the 
 Persians, Aslmr^ of the Assyrians, v/ho built the 
 cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen ; 
 Arphaxed who dwelt at Ur of the Chaldees, nenr to 
 Shinar and Assyria, whose descendants peopled In- 
 dia and Ophir, whence Solomon obtai'^ ed gold; Lud 
 the father of the Lydians in the Lesser Asia, and 
 Aram^ from whom descended the Syrians. 
 
 The sons of Ham were four; Cush^ who set- 
 tled on the river Gihon at the head of the Per- 
 sian Gulf; Misraim^ king of Egypt, from whom 
 descended the Egyptians, Lybians, and Philistines. 
 Phut^ who is supposed to have settled in the land 
 of Havilah, and to have been the father of the 
 Arabians ; and Canaan^ father of the Canaanites. 
 This the substance of what is offered bv the b.est 
 
THE KLOOD. Ij^ 
 
 iKi-iters concerning the first settlements made by 
 the descendants of Noah after the flood. 
 
 Abram, at the age of 75 years, by divine di- 
 rection left Haran, " the country of his kindred 
 and of his father's house," and removed to Canaan, 
 having this remarkable promise made to him b}' 
 the Lord himself, ^^ I will make of thee a great 
 nation, and I will bless thee and make thy name 
 great, and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will 
 bless them that bless thee, and curse him that 
 curseth thee, and in thee shall all the families of 
 the earth be blessed.'"^ 
 
 From the call of Abram to the opening of the 
 Christian era, 4000 years after the creation, the 
 history of the world is principally comprised in 
 the history of the Hebrew nation, and is contained 
 m the Old Testament scriptures. Much of the 
 history of the other nations of the earth, co-exist- 
 ing with the Hebrew, is blended with their his- 
 topy.t 
 
 I close the first Grand Division of this little 
 work, Ancient Geography^ with a brief account of 
 the four Ancient Empires^ which successively exist- 
 ed from the flood to the beginning of the Chris- 
 tian era, each embracing, during their existence, 
 the greater part of the inhabited world. 
 
 1. The Babylonian^ or Assyrian Empire^ in Asia. 
 Nimrod was the founder of this empire, 101 years 
 after the flood. He governed it 148 years, dur- 
 ing his life, and was succeeded by Belus, a man of 
 «tudy and science, the inventor of the Chaldean 
 Astronomy, who reigned 60 years, and died, A. M. 
 1965, In the mean time the Assyrian Empire 
 had commenced under Ashur, a descendant of 
 
 ^Oen. xii. •• Plinv, 
 
 H 
 
Shenu and was continued under his successor 
 Ninus, who, by conquest, added the Babylonian 
 to his own empire. This empire continued 1300 
 yecirs, till the death of Sardanapalus, and was then 
 terminated by Cyrus, who established 
 
 2. The Empire of the Medes and Persians^ 438 
 years before the birth of Christ. This empire, at 
 the end of 108 years from its beginning, was 
 overturned by Alexander the Great, king of Ma- 
 cedonia, who founded 
 
 3. The Empire of the Greeks and Macedonians^ 
 B. C* 330. After the death of Alexander, the 
 countries which he conquered were shared 
 among his generals. Their respective kingdoms^ 
 at their deaths, successively fell under 
 
 4. The Roman Empire^ which at this time com- 
 prehended almost the whole of the then ki own 
 world, and at the opening of the Christian era^ 
 was in the meridian of its strength and glory 
 
 Qucsiions on Settiou IX, 
 
 How long was the ark on the water before it 
 rested on Mount Ararat ? 
 
 Of what chain of mountains is Ararat the high- 
 est peak ? 
 
 How many days did Noah continue in the ark ? 
 
 How long after the flood did Noah's offspring 
 begin to build the tower of Babel ? 
 
 * B. C. Before Christ. 
 
 t Those who "wish to enter more deeply into the hist<yry 
 of this period of the world, may consult Shuckford*9 and 
 Prideaux's Connexions, Paxton's Illtrstrations, and Rollin's 
 Ancient History. 
 
THE F'LOOD^ 87 
 
 Have meu of science examined the surface and 
 bowels of the earth since the flood ? 
 
 What is their conclusion ? 
 
 What are the facts on which this reisult is 
 founded ? 
 
 Do these facts bear witness to the truth of thf^ 
 Mosaic account of the flood ? 
 
 What has the flood made of the earth ? 
 
 Has this New World remained without any re- 
 markable change since the flood ? 
 
 Will it probably so remain till it shall be de^ 
 stroyed ? 
 
 Describe the land of Shinar. 
 
 Is Babylonia included in this country? 
 
 In what part of this valley did Noah and his 
 sons probably settle ? 
 
 How long did Noah live after the flood, and 
 %vhere did he live ? 
 
 What office did he sustain ? 
 Had he any concern in the building of Babel? 
 
 What part of Noah's family engaged in this \m^ 
 dertaking ? 
 
 What was the consequence to them ? 
 
 Was this a miraculous event ? 
 
 What language did Noah speak ? 
 
 What account of it has Moses given ? 
 
 What did these builders do after this confound- 
 ing of their language ? 
 
 Was their dispersion a progressive work ? 
 
 Is it known in what countries the three sons of 
 Noah settled ? 
 
 Name these sons. 
 
 Which was the eldest ? 
 
 The next ? 
 
 The youngest? 
 
 Was Japhet present at fhe confitsion of Babel? 
 
<*8 ANTCIEKT GEOArRi^FlBV, 
 
 Where did he live and die ? 
 
 Name his descendants. 
 
 Were these so many kings ? 
 
 Where did they settle ? 
 
 What was Aleppo anciently called ? 
 
 How do the scriptures speak of these kings ? 
 
 What were they to do ? 
 
 Plad Japhet other cliildren ? 
 
 Name them and where they settled. 
 
 Name the sons of Shem, and the parts of the 
 w^orld peopled by them. 
 
 Who was the father of the Persians ? 
 
 Of the Assyrians ? 
 
 Where did Arphaxed dwell ? 
 
 What parts of the world were peopled by Bi$ 
 descendants ? 
 
 Who was the father of the Lj'diajis? 
 
 Who of the Syrians ? 
 
 How many sons had Ham ? 
 
 Name them and the places where tkey settled, 
 and point to the places on the map. 
 
 How old was Abram when he was called, and 
 left Haran ? 
 
 To what place did he remove by divine direc- 
 tion ? 
 
 What remarkable promise did God make him? 
 
 In the history of what people, is that of the 
 world principally comprised, from the call of 
 Abram till the coming of Christ ? 
 
 W^here is this history to be fomid? 
 
 Is much of the history of other nations than of 
 the Hebrews, found in these scriptures ? 
 
 How many empires were there in the world^ 
 from the flood to the coming of Cbri'pt ? 
 
 IVcime them. 
 
THE FXOOD. 8"9 
 
 Who was the founder of the Babylonian Empire, 
 and^when and where was it established ? 
 
 What other empire was shortly after founded by 
 Ashur ? 
 
 Under what conqueror were these two empires 
 united ? 
 
 How long did this combined empire last ? 
 
 Who overthrew it ? 
 
 What empire did Cyrus establish, and how lon^ 
 Jbefore the birth of Christ ? 
 
 What was the period of this empire ? 
 
 Who overturned it ? 
 
 What empire did Alexander establish for him- 
 self, and when ? 
 
 What happened to this empire after the death 
 of Alexander ? 
 
 When his generals who became kings died, wha.t 
 became of their respective kingdoms ? 
 
 What did the Roman Empire at this time com- 
 prehend ? 
 
 What was the state of this empire at the open- 
 ing of the Christian era ? 
 
 1.1 e 
 
MODERN GEOGRAPHY, 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The fall of iJie Roman Empire — The dispersiori^ 
 
 state, and prospects of the Jews. — The character^ 
 
 -- mtroduction, and effects of Christianity. — The 
 
 rise, character^ and fnal overthrow of Popery 
 
 and Mahometa?iisni. 
 
 When Jesus Christ came updn earth, the Ro- 
 man Empire, as was observed in the last section, 
 was at the height of its power, extent, and 
 vscientific improvements. The world was at peace. 
 The temple of Janus was shut.* In this im- 
 portant particular there was a remarkable pre- 
 paration for the establishment and spread of the 
 new religion, which was now to be introduced. 
 Soon, however, the extent and power of this vast 
 empire began to diminish, and was finally ever- 
 
 * Janus was the first Ifing of Italy. After his death he 
 was ranked amoDg the gods, because he had exerted his 
 power and influence in civilizing his rude subjects. The 
 temple built to his honor after his death, was always open 
 in time of war; in peace it was shut. Durfng a period of 
 TOO years, it was shut b\it fhtee tinresi 
 
IHE iKVVS. !U 
 
 turned by the Saracens,*^ the disciples of Mahom- 
 et, from the east, and afterwards by the Turks, and 
 by the Goths, Vandals, and other barbarous im- 
 tions from the north. These events happened in 
 the fourth and fifth centuries. The descendants 
 of these conquerors have ever since possessed the 
 different kingdoms into which the Roman Empire 
 was divided. The nations now became so numer- 
 ous and powerful, that no universal empire has 
 ^ver since existed. There never were but the 
 four we have mentioned. There will be no other 
 till the Prince of Peace shall establish his empire 
 over all nations, '' from the rising to the settin,g 
 ^n," an event confidently expected by all trui* 
 Christians. 
 
 When Christ the Messiah came, the Jews, with 
 few exceptions, rejected him ; the sceptre depart- 
 ed from Judah ; their city and temple were aw- 
 iklly destroyed, and from this time they have been 
 Scattered, despised, persecuted, and enslaved, 
 among most* of the principal nations of the world, 
 remaining to this day a distinct and peculiar peo- 
 ple, cherishing a well grounded hope of being one 
 day gathered again to the land of their fathers;, 
 and raised to the distinguished rank they formerh^ 
 sustained among the nations of the world. 
 
 When our Savior first published his relrgim, 
 the whole world was overspread with error and 
 corruption in the Jewish nation, who had long 
 been the depositary of the true religicMi, and with 
 gross idolatry and superstition, among all the other 
 nations on the earth. The light of truth was scarcely 
 any where visible. Thick darkness had overspread 
 
 * Saracens was a ge&eral name given to all the tribes 
 who inhabited ihe co^mtry betwe'en ]Vtfec?ca and (^ Ku* 
 phrate?. 
 
92 MODERN GE06RAPHV. 
 
 all the people. The gospel, is the light of the 
 world. It was preached " to every creature,^' in 
 obedience to the command of God within the first 
 century after its publication. In this way the 
 light from heaven was made every where to shine 
 with healing in its beams ; elevating mankind 
 from their deep degradation and misery, cheering 
 'them with the hope of happiness in this life, and 
 of everlasting rest in heaven, and plainly pointing 
 out to them the path to the possession of these 
 invaluable blessings. It formed a new world^ so 
 great were the changes it effected. 
 
 This happy state of the world was not of long 
 duration. Soon errors and corruptions were in- 
 troduced into the Christian religion, which of 
 course, gradually diminished its good influence on 
 mankind. These errors and corruptions, under 
 the general name of Antichrists^ (meaning an en- 
 emy of Christ,) at length became identified with 
 the Church of Rome. The head of this Church 
 is the Pope. His power or reign, predicted by 
 the prophet Daniel to last 1260 years, is sup- 
 posed to have commenced about the year 606, 
 when Pope Boniface III. by flattering Phocas the . 
 Emperor of Constantinople, one of the worst of 
 tyrants, procured for himself the title of Uni- 
 versc\l Bishop. From this time Popery has shed 
 a most baleful, persecuting, and cruel influence 
 over the Christian world. It received a pow- 
 erful check by the Reformation^ in the 15th cen- 
 tury, and has since been continually lessening, and 
 at the end of 1260 years from its rise, is expected 
 entirely to cease, and to give place to His domin- 
 ion, '' whose right it is to reign^ 
 
 Mahometanism^ another great error of extensive 
 inflfnence, co-oprrative with Popery for the snb- 
 
mah OMKi Au\ is >r; 9:\ 
 
 v^rsiQQ of the pure religion of the gospel, was 
 framed and propagated by Mahomet, who was 
 born in Arabia and flourished from the year 600 
 to 622 after Christ. 
 
 The book which contains their religion is call- 
 ed the Alcoran,^ and is the same to a Mahometan, as 
 the Bible is to a Christian. 
 
 They believe th-at Jesus Christ was the true 
 Messiah, but that Mahomet was a greater prophet 
 than him, and improved his religion. They divide 
 fheir religion into two general branches : 
 
 1. Faith^ which summarily is, that there is but 
 one God^ and Mahomet is his prophet. Under this 
 general head they comprise the six following par- 
 ticulars — Belief in God — in his Angels — in hi^ scrip- 
 tures — in Ins prophets — in tJie resurrection and judg- 
 ment^ and in God^s absolute decrees. 
 
 2. Practice.^ in regard to what they reckon four 
 points — Prayer.^ with washings — alms—fastings — 
 and pilgrimage to Mecca. 
 
 The Mahometans, as well as Christians, are di- 
 vided into a great variety of sects, under different 
 names. 
 
 Mahomet propagated his religion, not by force 
 of evidence only, but chiefly by force of anns^ and 
 various subtle artifices, very different from the 
 manner in which Christ propagated his reHgion. 
 By these means it spread with astonishing rapidity 
 over Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Persia, and Ma- 
 homet became the most powerful monarch of his 
 lime. His successors spread his religion and con- 
 quests over the greatest part of Asia, Africa, and 
 Europe ; and they still give law to a considerable 
 part of mankind ; but their power, like that of 
 tfte Popej is destined at s,e'me future period \p 
 
'M MODERN GEO'CiRAl^HV. 
 
 come to an encL It seems alread}^ tottering to 
 fcill., to ri^e no more. 
 
 Q^uesiioiis an Settwn L 
 
 When Christ came upon earth, what was the 
 state of the Roman Empire — of the world — of the 
 temple of Janus? 
 
 Who was Janus ? 
 
 What was his character ? 
 
 What was the custom concerning his temple ? 
 
 How often was it shut in 700 years ? 
 
 Was the world at the coming of Christ prepared 
 to propagate his religion ? 
 
 Why ? 
 
 What happened to the Roman Empire soon 
 after the coming of Christ ? 
 
 Who assailed it from the east ? 
 
 Who from the north ? 
 
 Who were the Saracens? 
 
 In what centuries did these changes in the Ro- 
 man Empire take place ? 
 
 Who possessed the different kingdoms into 
 which the Roman Empire was divided ? 
 
 Has there been any Universal Empire in the 
 world since that of the Romans ? 
 
 Assign the reason given. 
 
 What Universal Empire is expected to exist 
 hereafter? 
 
 How did the Jews treat their Messiah ? 
 
 What were the consequences of this rejection 
 to the Jewish nation ? 
 
 What is their hope as to their future state ? 
 
 What was the state of the world when Christ 
 first published his religion ? 
 
 What is said of the gospel ? 
 
MAHOMETAMSM. i*5 
 
 How extensively was it preached in the first 
 century ? 
 
 What were its eftects on mankind in respect io 
 this and a iuture world ? 
 
 What did these great changes produce ? 
 
 Was this happy state of the world of long du- 
 ration ? 
 
 What were introduced which diminished the 
 good influence of religion on mankind ? 
 
 What were these errors and corruptions called ? 
 
 What is Antichrist? 
 
 With what church is he identified ? 
 
 Who is the head of this church ? 
 
 How long is his reign to last ? 
 
 Where do we learn this ? 
 
 AVhen did his reign begin? 
 
 What important events took place at this time ? 
 ^^ What has been the character and influence of 
 Popery ? 
 
 What great event happened in the century 
 which checked this influence ? 
 
 Has it since been continually lessening? 
 
 When is it entirely to cease ? 
 
 Whose dominion will then take place of that of 
 the Pope ? 
 
 What other erroneous religion originated with 
 that of Popery, and has conspired with it for the 
 subversion of the gospel ? 
 
 Who was the framer of this religion ? 
 
 Where was he born, and when did he flourish ? 
 
 What is their bible called ? 
 
 What do they believe concerning Christ ? 
 
 What concerning Mahomet ? 
 
 Into how many branches do they divide their 
 religion ? 
 
 What is the 6rst ? 
 
HjS MODERN CEOaSAPJlV. 
 
 Under this division what do they comprise '{ 
 
 The second ? 
 
 How many and what are their points of prac* 
 t Tc^ ? 
 
 Are there many sects among Mahometans ? 
 
 How did Mahomet propagate his religion ? 
 
 How extensively did he propagate it? 
 
 What is said of his power ? 
 
 What did his successors do ? 
 
 What is said of the present state an-d pro^p^cts 
 of the Mabo ntef an power ? 
 
SECTION 0; 
 
 IHE WORLD IN GENERAI;. 
 
 Of Man,- — The varieties in the human race. — Umh* 
 habited parts of the world. — Its population^ and 
 that of its principal divisions, — Proportion of 
 deaths according to age, — Average length of 
 human life, — Number of births and deaths an- 
 nually in Russia, — Proportion of births and. 
 deaths in a generation. — Amount of births and 
 deaths on the whole globe in a, year, day, hour^ 
 minute, — Increase of mankind,^ if there were no 
 wars nor pestilences, and of their s^ipport by 
 existing and future improvements. — The propo)'- 
 tions of the sexes that are born. 
 
 The magnitude, Gomponent parts, and grand di- 
 visions of the earth, have already been given in 
 the third section under the head of Ancient Geo- 
 graphy, n^hich should be reviewed by ihe pupil 
 before entering on this.* 
 
 Of Man. — The world was made for man. The 
 whole human race are descendants from Adam 
 •' and Eve." God hath made of one blood, all na- 
 tions of men, for to dwell on the face of all tire 
 
 ^•' A considerable part of the information contained iu 
 this and some following sections has been derived from the 
 late geography of M. Brun, who is probably the best au- 
 thority estant on some of the subjects which vuW here be 
 brought up to view. 
 
 I 
 
earth.*'* The celebrated Blumenbach reduces aif 
 mankind io five principal varieties, 
 
 1. The first variety occupies Western Asia, 
 Eastern and Northern Africa, Hindostan, and 
 Europe. This variety is distinguished among" 
 other marks, by the color of the skin, more or 
 less white or brown. 
 
 2. The second variety is the Tartar^ or East- 
 rrn Race^ of yellow color^ with other distinctions. 
 All the Asiatics east of the Ganges, (except the 
 Malays,) the Laplanders in Europe, and the Es- 
 quimaux Indians in America, constitute this 
 variety. 
 
 3. The American is the iJdrd variety, of copper 
 color, comprehending all the aborigines of the 
 western continent and islands, except the Es- 
 quimaux. 
 
 4. The inhabitants of the ''Oceanic countries," 
 or the Malay race^ of a tawny color, are the fourih 
 variety, comprehending the islanders of the Pacific 
 Ocean, New-Holland, and of the Indian Ocean, in- 
 cluding Madagascar. 
 
 5. The fifth is the Negro variety^ color black, 
 inhabiting southern and western Africa, Van 
 Dieman's Land, New Caledonia, and New Guinea. 
 
 Such are the principal varieties of the human 
 species, spread over the habitable parts of the 
 globe. 
 
 So far as discoveries have yet been m^'le, the 
 only portions of the earth destitute of human 
 inhabitants are, the islands of Spitzbergcn, and 
 Nova Zembla in the north ; the Sandwich Land, 
 and island, the most southerly land discovered in 
 
roPULAXIUX OF l^HE WORLD., 9» 
 
 the Southern Ocean, and the islands of Falkland 
 and Kerg-neien in that neighbourhood. 
 
 Population of the world, — It has been common 
 to estimate fhe inhabitants of the earth at a 
 thousand inillions^ of whom Asia contained one 
 half. This estimate is supposed to be much too 
 high. M. Brun gives the following as the result 
 of his own investigations on the subject, and is 
 probably as near the truth as any estimate which 
 has yet been made. In great part, however, it. 
 must of necessity be conjectural. 
 
 Asia - - - - 310 millions, 
 
 Europe - - - - 170 do. 
 
 Africa - - - - 70 do. 
 
 America - - - - 50 do. 
 
 Inlands of the Oceans - 20 do. 
 
 Total 650 millions. 
 
 Proportion of deaths according fo age, — The 
 common limit of human life is 70 years. Few 
 live beyond 90. ^ Of all infants born, one out of 
 four dies the tirst year. Two-fifths only attain 
 their sixth year. And before the 22d year, one 
 half of the generation is consigned to the grave. 
 The average length of the human life is about 33 
 years. Three generations pass off the stage of 
 life every hundred years. In the Russian empire, 
 the number of hirths annually, is a million ; that 
 of deaths, from 5 to 600,000. 
 
 Proportion of births and deaths in a generation. — • 
 Supposing the whole number of the human race 
 to be 700,000,000, and that the ratio of deaths to 
 the living population to be as 1 to 33, and that of 
 the births to the living, as 1 to 29^, we shall have 
 lor the whole globe, 
 
10.0 M.UDERN GEOdRAPHV. 
 
 Births, Deaths, 
 
 111 one year, 23,728,813 21,212,121 
 
 day, 65,010 58,120 
 
 -hour, 2,708 2,421 
 
 minute, 45 40 
 
 The result is, that if there were no wars nor 
 pestilences, there would be an annual increase of 
 more than 2,500,000 individuals, which in a 100 
 years, (were this annual increase no greater, and it 
 would doubtless be greater,) would increase the 
 inhabitants on the globe from 700 to 1,000,000,000, 
 and in an increased ratio for every century to 
 come. Yv^ith the improvements already made, 
 and which probably will be made in future cen- 
 turies, the earth maybe made to maintain as great 
 a population as this would produce. 
 
 Proportio7i of the two sexes. In Europe the 
 proportion of boys born, is to that of girls, as 21 
 to 20. On the other hand, in consequence of the 
 greater exposure of the males beyond that of the 
 females, the number of deaths of the former to 
 that of the latter, is as 27 to 26 ; still there is a 
 small surplus in favor of the males. In other parts 
 of the world, owing to various causes, the propor- 
 tion of the sexes is different. 
 
 Questions on Section II. 
 
 For whom was the world made ? 
 
 Are all mankind made of one blood ? 
 
 Repeat what the apostle testifies on thi^ sub- 
 ject. 
 
 Into how many varieties is the human race 
 divided? 
 
 What parts of the world do the first variety or- 
 rnpy ? 
 
THE WORLD IN GENERAt. 
 
 vol 
 
 What is the color of their skins ? 
 
 What race constitute the second variety ? 
 
 Where do they live ? 
 
 What is their coior? 
 
 Which is the third variety ? 
 
 What is their color? 
 
 W^ho are comprehended in this variety ? 
 
 Who are included in the fourth variety ? 
 
 Wliat is their color ? 
 
 What part of the world do they occupy ? 
 
 What is the fifth variety called? 
 
 Wliat is their color? 
 
 Where is their place of abode ? 
 
 W^hat parts of the earth remain w^ithout hunran 
 inhabitants ? 
 
 What has been the common estimate of ih(t 
 number of inhabitants on the gflobe ? 
 
 What is M. Brun's estimate. 
 
 How many in Asia ? — in Europe ? — in Africii? - 
 in America? — in the Isleinds of the Oceans? 
 
 What is the common limit of human life ? 
 
 How many live beyond 90? 
 
 How many of the infants that are born, die in 
 their first year? 
 
 What proportion attain their 6th year ? 
 
 What part of a g"cneration die under the age 
 of 22 years ? 
 
 What is the average length of human life ? 
 
 How many generations die every 100 years ? 
 
 W^hat is the annual number o^ births in Rus- 
 sia ?_of deaths ? 
 
 WHiat is tlie ratio of deaths to the whole popu- 
 lation of the world ? 
 
 What that of the births to the living? 
 
 On this calculation, what is the number of bir.ths 
 :n a year? — a day ? — -,)n hour -—a minute? 
 
102 ]\tODERN GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 What number of deaths in a year ? — a day ? — ^an 
 hour ? — a minute ? 
 
 If there were no wars nor pestilences, wha,t 
 would be the annual increase of inhabitants in the 
 world ? 
 
 At this rate what v/ould be the number of in- 
 habitants at the end of a century from this time ? 
 
 By improvements already made, and which 
 probably will be made in future, will the earth 
 probably be prepared to support as g^reat a popu- 
 fation Tcs this would produce ? 
 
SECHHON Ik 
 
 POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Languages, — Forms of Government. — Religion, 
 
 This branch of Geography " considers the earth 
 according to its political divisions, and in its rela- 
 tions to the different societies which are estab- 
 lished upon it." 
 
 Languages of mankind. We have already ob- 
 served that till the building of Babel, 100 years 
 after the flood, " the whole earth was of one lan- 
 guage, and of one speech ;" * and that about 70 
 new languages were miraculously formed when 
 the Lord confounded the language of the builders 
 of Babel and scattered over the face of all the 
 earth."* The nimiber of radically different or 
 primitive languages now spoken by the inhabitants 
 of the earth, and the nations who speak them, have 
 not been ascertained ; much less can we enume- 
 rate* and define the endless \ ariety of dialects. 
 which from various causes have grown out ol 
 these primitive languages. The subject is one of 
 extreme complexity and difficulty, and the ad- 
 vances toward a simple, clear, and distinct classi- 
 fication of the different languages and dialects 
 
 *Gen. xivl,7, R-, an'd 9. 
 
spoken by the different nations of the earth, fitit;^' 
 hitherto been slow and small.* 
 
 By means of the increasing commercial anil 
 missionary intercourse among the nations, a more 
 correct knowledge of their different languages 
 will be acquired, and perhaps in the happy period 
 of the world which is to come, there may be an 
 amalgamation of all languages; there shall be again^ 
 as in the years before the flood, '* but one lan- 
 guage and one speech in the whole earth." 
 
 Forms of Government. For their common 
 security and welfare, the inhabitants of the 
 earth have formed themselves into communi- 
 tfes, and instituted governments^ varying in their 
 forms. The government of no two nations, 
 perhaps, fs exactly similar. There are but three 
 kind^ of simple forms of government, Monarchy, 
 Aristocracy, and Democracy.! All other govern- 
 ments must, of course, be a mixture of these. 
 
 The earliest form of government was a species 
 of Monarchy^ called Patriarchal government, in 
 which the chief magistrate, so far as related to 
 government, sustained the authority of a father 
 over his people. This form of government is 
 said to have existeti in China for a long sueceB?^ion 
 of ye>nrs. 
 
 * Noah Webster, LL. D. of thfs citr, Hms spent more than 
 20 years of the vigor of his liie. in iiivestiijatin^ this subjort. 
 The result? of his laborious rese irches, it ia understood, are 
 shortly goin? to the prees in a h^r»c work, a prospectus of 
 which is shortly to be published ; and from the long estab- 
 liihed literary character of the author, it is expected thiit 
 (nuuph new light will be thrown on this complicated subject. 
 *rne work is looked for by the public with strong desire. 
 
 t President Adams eti the American Coostitutrons. 
 
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. 105 
 
 'When the sovereign power is exercised by one 
 man, that government is called a Monarchy. The 
 chief magistrate in a monarchial government is 
 styled variously, — King.^ as in Spain, &c.; Monarchy 
 as in Prussia; Sovereign^ as sometimes in Eng- 
 land ; Emperor^ as in Germany, Austria, China, and 
 Russia. Monarchies are of different kinds, — des- 
 potic, absolute or arbitrary, limited or mixed, ac- 
 cording to the degree of power vested in the sove- 
 reign. The Turkish government is an example 
 of the former ; that of Great Britain of the latter. 
 
 An Aristocracy is a government of nobles. Of 
 this kind was the government of Venice, till the 
 revolution it experienced in 1797. 
 
 Governments formed by a free people, or by 
 their proper representatives, and administered by 
 officers of their own choice, and where the execu- 
 tive power is not vested in an individual, are call- 
 ed Republics. Of this kind is our own government, 
 and it is perhaps the best in the world. Repub- 
 lics are of three kinds ; 
 
 1. Democratic Republics^ where elections are 
 free and frequent, and the people enjoy the great- 
 est share of freedom. Of this kind is that of sev- 
 eral of the Swiss Cantons, and of the United States 
 of America. 
 
 2. Aristocratic Republics^ in which the people 
 enjoy less liberty ; such were a number of the 
 Swiss Cantons, Lucca, Genoa, Venice, &c. 
 
 3. Monarchic Republics^ of which kind may he 
 reckoned England and Poland, as the government 
 of the latter existed in 1786. 
 
 The fundamental laws of a state or country, 
 which secure the rights of its inhabitants, and reg- 
 ulate the conduct of its rulers, are called its Con- 
 ^^rrf'TJTfON 
 
lU.i> F-OLITICAL GKOlrRAP-fTV. 
 
 Jleligivru By religion is here meant a system 
 of divine faith and worship^ as differing from 
 other systems ; that is, if I embrace one system of 
 divine faith and worship,- and my neighbor a differ- 
 ent one, we are of different religions. We use the 
 word in this sense when we ask another, What is 
 Iiis religion ?* 
 
 Mankind, in respect to religion, as now defined, 
 may be divided into 1. Christians^ 2. Jews^ 3. Ma- 
 hometans^ 4. Deists^ 5. Pagans^ or Heathens^ and 6, 
 Indians. 
 
 Christians. All who profess to be the disciples 
 and followers of Jesus Christ, are called after 
 him, Christians. The greater part of the inhab- 
 itants of Etrrope, and of the American United 
 States, together with those in the Spanish and 
 Portuguese parts of South America, the West In- 
 dia Islands, and some few parts of Asia and Africa, 
 •are of this denomiiiation. 
 
 Christians are divided into 1. Roman Catholivs^ 
 who have a Pope at their head, and are thence 
 Called Papists. These are a numerous sect of 
 Christians, inhabiting the southern and interior 
 parts of Europe. The Spanish, French, and Por- 
 tuguese'settlements, in different parts of the world, 
 are mostly of this denomination. 
 
 2. Protestants^] a name given in 1 529 to all who 
 renounced the Roman Catholic Religion, and em- 
 braced the principles of the Reformation. 
 
 * By the word rdigien, we often, perhaps more g^eneral- 
 ly, mean virtue^ pi«(3/> godliness, founded on reverence of 
 God, aed expectation of fwture rewards and punishments. 
 
 t In \5i29, the Diet of the German empire issued a decree 
 ao;firin9t the priaciplee of the Reformation, which had, since 
 Luther broached them in 1617, been spreading; in Germany. 
 A*guinst this decree, severcil of the electors, joined by a 
 
religion: 107 
 
 Protestants are divided into Lutherans and Cal- 
 mnisis^ as they embrace the doctrines peculiarr to 
 Luther or Calvin, two of the first mid most con* 
 spictjous Reformers. 
 
 Lutherans and Calvinists are subdividexl into 
 Episcopalians^ Presbyterians^ Congregatioitalists^ 
 Independents^ Baptists^ and Methodists ; and these 
 are again divided iiflo Moravians, or United 
 Brethren, Arminians, Crlvinists, Unitarians, Uni- 
 versalists, Mennonists, i' linkers, 4'C. 
 
 Under the head of Protestants may be ranked 
 also the Friends, commonly called Quakers^ a re- 
 spectable, peaceful, and industrious body of peo- 
 ple, dwelling principally in England and the 
 United States of America. 
 
 The Greek Churdh is tolerated in Turkey, coun- 
 tenanced in Hungary, Sclavonia, and Daimatia, 
 and established by law in Russia. Among its 
 branches are the Nestorians in Turkey, Tartary, 
 Mongolia, and China, and the Monophysites^ com- 
 prising the Copts in Egypt, and the Armenians 
 and Jacobites in Abyssinia. The Greek Church re- 
 sembles in many particulars, the Roman Catholic. 
 Its professors, Jike the Catholics, keep Lent ami 
 many other days of fasting ; they have numerous 
 ceremonies in their worship — have holy waier^ kc. 
 The great sanctijication of the waters is perform- 
 ed at Petersburgh, twice in the year, in com- 
 memoration of the baptism of our Savior, in the 
 most splendid and magnilicent manner. They 
 differ from the Catholics in that they have never 
 acknowledged the Pope. 
 
 number of the citios, read publicly their pRaTEST. Sincf5 
 this time, all who have embraced the reformed religioa bt'.ve 
 ^^^^'^u called pRoxESTANTe. 
 
log MODERN GEOGUAPHV. 
 
 The Jews, The Jews are the seed of AbrahaiiiS^ 
 or the descendants of the chosen people of God, who 
 ib .rmerly inhabited Judea, but are now dispersed, 
 and have become a proverb^ in fulfilment of scrip- 
 ture prophecies, in almost every nation under 
 heaven. They adhere to the Old Testament 
 scriptures, but reject the New. 
 
 Mahometans. The Mahometans derive their 
 name and doctrine from Mahomet. (See page 
 93.) 
 
 Deists, Those who assert the sufficiency, uni- 
 versality, and absolute perfection of natural reli- 
 gio7i^ with a view to discredit and discard all ex- 
 traordinary revelation^ as useless and needless, are 
 called Deists. 
 
 Deists are no where to be found, but in Chris- 
 tian countries ; the reason is, that without the light 
 of revelation, which gives consistency and beauty 
 to natural religion^ its sufficiency and absolute 
 perfection has never yet been admitted by sensi- 
 ble men in any age. Deists have been compared 
 to the wiseacre^ who thought the sun useless, 
 because he shined only when we had the light of 
 the day. 
 
 Lord Herbert in the 17th century, was the first 
 who reduced Deism to a system. Deists are not 
 agreed among themselves. Some acknowledge a 
 future state ; others deny it. Others again, who 
 form the most numerous class, think it a very 
 doubtful question, Whether the soul exists after 
 death. 
 
 Of the Pagans or Heathens. Those people who 
 represent the Deity under various forms or im- 
 ages, or who pay divine worship to the sun, fire, 
 beast, or any of the creatures of God, are railed 
 Pagans or Hf^tjiens 
 
llELIGION. 1(49 
 
 The Pagans are more numerous than all other 
 sects collected. They inhabit all other parts of* 
 the globe, which are not inhabited by Christians^ 
 Jews, Deists, and Mahometans. 
 
 They are divided into innumerable sects, mo^t 
 of which have different idols or objects to whicji 
 they pay divine worship. The worship of ll?.e 
 Grand Lama^ is the most extensive and splendid 
 mode of Paganism. 
 
 This species of Paganism is professed by a 
 large proportion of the people of Asia. 
 
 The Grand Lama is a name given (o the High 
 Priest of the Thibetian Tartars.nho resides at Pu- 
 toli, a vast palace on a mountain, near the banks 
 of the river Barampooter. At the foot of this 
 mountain reside 20,000 Lamas^ or priests. His 
 worshippers are very numerous, and come from 
 far distant countries. Even the emperor of China 
 himself acknowledges him in his religious char- 
 acter. 
 
 The Grand Lama^ Avho is some ]ie?ilthy peasant 
 purchased when young, and privately educated 
 for the purpose, is never to be seen but in a 
 secret place in his palace, amidst a great number 
 of lamps, sitting cross-legged upon a cushion, and 
 decked all over with gold and precious stones ,• 
 where, at a distance, the people prostrate them- 
 selves before him, it being unlawful for any so 
 much as to kiss his feet. He returns not the least 
 sign of respect, nor ever speaks, even to the 
 greatest princes ; but only lays his hand upon 
 their heads, and they are fully peijfuaded they 
 receive from thence a full forgiveng'ss of all their 
 sins. The subordinate Lamas, who wait on him'. 
 K 
 
110 ^lUDERN GLOGiVAl'^U, 
 
 enjoy all tlie good things that are presented to hna^ 
 who is himself, the most miserable wretch in the 
 empire. When he begins to grow old or sick, 
 they privately despatch him, and set up another 
 Ih his pUtee. 
 
 Besides the religious sects already mentioned, 
 there is an anomalous set of human beings, callea 
 Atheists, whose distinguishing characteristic is a 
 destitution of all religion. 
 
 Among this diversity of religions, each individ- 
 ual must choose for himself, when suiiiciently in- 
 formed to make a true judgment. We shall be 
 safe in making the Bible our rule ; remembering 
 always, that it is necessary to a good man, that he 
 love God with all his hearty and his neighbor as 
 h'invself. None but such as ''"fear God and zvork. 
 righteousness^"'' are accepted of him. 
 
 The Indians of JVorth America constitute anoth- 
 er class of religionists, distinct from all others 
 They are not idolaters, like the Pagans of the 
 east, but believe in one Great Spirit^ who made 
 all things, and to whom they olTer worship after 
 their own manner. They believe also in a future 
 state, of which they have very crude and absurd 
 notions. 
 
 The following numbers, belonging to the 
 difterent religions, taken in part from M. 
 Brun. are probably nearer the ivuth than anv 
 which have appeared. 
 
 Cathojics in Europe, 88,000,000, ) 
 
 . out of Europe, 28,000,000, \ ^^^^^^^'^^^^ 
 
 Greek Church, - - . . 70,000,000 
 Protestjmts, - - . - 42,000,0011 
 
 Totffl Ghristiatm, 22S.000.00T> 
 
KEI.IGIOX., 
 
 Ill 
 
 Jev^ifi, - . - ^ - 
 Mahometnns, - - - - 
 'Braminism, - - - GO 
 Schaiuanism, or the reli- 
 gion of Deiai Lama, 50 
 Pagans, <( Buddismjncluding the re- 
 ligion of Fo, - - 100 
 Fetichism and othei^, in- 
 ^ eluding Atheists, 100^ 
 
 Indians, 
 
 5,000,005 
 110,000,000 
 
 310.000,000 
 
 1,000,001) 
 
 Total 654,000,000 
 
 •• Languages and religious creeds are the ties 
 of moral society^ which often survive the fall of 
 civil and political society^ whose province it is to 
 determine the boundaries of states and empires, 
 which it is the province of political^eography to 
 describe.'' * 
 
 Q;U€stio'ns on Section HI. 
 
 How does Political Geography consider the 
 earth ? 
 
 Till the building of Babel did all mankind 
 speak but one language, or more ? 
 
 How many were spoken after God confounded 
 thejlanguage of men ? 
 
 Is it known how many radical or primitive Irti- 
 guages there are in the world ? — or how many 
 dialects of these languages'? 
 
 Who is about to publish a large work on this 
 "^nhject ? ^ 
 
 RTi'ini' 
 
112 MU.DER-^ GEOGRAPHY . 
 
 Is it probable that all mankind may, at some 
 period hereafter, be brought again to speak but 
 one language ? 
 
 For what purpose was government instituted ? 
 
 How many simple forms of government are 
 there ? 
 
 Are all other governments a mixture of these ? 
 
 What was the earliest form of government in 
 the world ? 
 
 Where did this kind of government long exist ? 
 
 Describe a monarchical government, and give 
 the various names of the chief magistrate, and the 
 countries where these names are given. 
 
 How many kinds of monarchy are there? 
 
 Give an example of each. 
 
 What is an Aristocracy ? — a Republic ? 
 
 How many kinds of republics are there ? 
 
 Define them. 
 
 What are the fundamental laws of a coun try- 
 called ? 
 
 What is meant by religion ? 
 
 Give the illustration of this meaning. 
 
 What is the proper meaning of the word e- 
 Tigimi ? [See note.] 
 
 How are mankind di%^ided in respect to re- 
 ligion? 
 
 Who are Christians ? 
 
 What parts of the world do they inhabit ? 
 
 How are Christians divided ? 
 
 Describe the Catholics^ and name the ce> 
 they inhabit. 
 
 Describe the Protestants^ and when and how 
 they came by their name. 
 
 How are Protestants divided ? 
 
 What are the subdivisions of F^ntherans and 
 Cklvintsfs ? 
 
RELLGIOiV. ' 113 
 
 Are the Friends or Quakers Protestants ? 
 
 Where do they principally reside ? 
 
 In what countries do Christians of the Greek 
 Church reside ? 
 
 In what points do the}^ resemble the Catholics? 
 
 In what do they differ ? 
 
 What branches of this church are mentioned ? 
 — their places of residence ? 
 
 Who are the Jews, and where did they former- 
 ly live ? 
 
 Where and what are they now ? 
 
 From whom do the Mahometans derive thefr 
 name and doctrine ? 
 
 What do Deists believe, and what do they 
 discard ? 
 
 Where are they only to be found? 
 
 Give the reason assigned for this. 
 
 To what are they compared ? 
 
 Who reduced Deism to a system, and when ? 
 
 On what points do they differ among them-. 
 selves l 
 
 Who are Pagans or Heathens ? 
 
 What is said of their numbers ? 
 
 What parts of the globe do they inhabit ? 
 
 What is said of their divisions ? 
 
 Which is their most extensive worship? 
 
 State what is said of the Grand Lama — the 
 place of his residence — the number of Lamas or 
 priests who reside at the foot of the mountain — 
 the number and character of his visiters. 
 
 State the other particulars mentioned concjenv 
 ing this extraordinary heathen Deity. 
 
 Who are Atheists ? 
 
 What is their distinguishing characteristic ? 
 
 Jfre the Indians idolaters ? 
 K 2 
 
114 MODERN GEOORAPKY. 
 
 In whom and what do they believe ? 
 
 Give the numbers of the Catholics in Europe — 
 out of Europe — of the Greek Church — of Pro- 
 testants — of Jews — of Mahometans — of Pagan? 
 of the different descriptions — of the Indians — the 
 total number ? 
 
 What are the ties o{ moral society ? 
 
 What is the province of civil nnd politirj^l 
 socletT ? 
 
^ECTIO]\ IV 
 
 VROGKESS FROM THE SAVAGE TO THE CIVIIJZED STA'Jl . 
 
 '^<(vagcs, — Civilized Men. — Xavigaiion^ effccjb 
 
 on the state of the world. 
 
 Savagci;, Mex in the savage state 4iave no 
 written language, no history, but very imperfect 
 iradition ; no books, no knowledge of the arts of 
 reading, writing, ari Imietic, agriculture, mechan- 
 ics, or of navigation, or regular commerce. Their 
 ideasof their own origin, and of that of the world, 
 and^of those beings vvho inhabit it generally, and of 
 him who made them all, and of their future des- 
 tiny, are very crude, and have in them very little 
 of truth. They roam in forests, are sustained by 
 simple food, which they there gather, and dwell 
 in huts. 
 
 Civilized Men, These arc in a stale tlirectly 
 ihe reverse of that of the savages. They have 
 written languages, histories, and books on all the 
 arts and sciences, and knowledge of the means of 
 multiplying and disseminating books to any extent, 
 of maintaining intercourse with each other all 
 over the world by Avriting ; especially have the^^ 
 the Bible^ which contains all the light and truth 
 necessaiT to «:uide mankir.d ihrouofh this w^orld tv 
 
lib MODERN GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 future and endless happiness. The difterence 
 therefore between savage and civilized men is 
 Immense, and when this difference is considered, 
 it should make us feel our obligations to do what 
 WE can to extend the blessings of civilization, and 
 of the Bible, to all who are now destitute of 
 them. 
 
 Navigation. '^ In the history of mankind, th£ 
 progress of navigation will always hold the first 
 place after that of agriculture. The civilization 
 produced by agriculture, is purely local. Itstojis 
 as soon as the wants of the nation are supplied.''* 
 Those who are engaged in it, feel littie inter- 
 est in what is going on in the great w orld. '^ But 
 navigation disturbs this 'Chinese happiness, and 
 interrupts a repose so opposed to the high desti- 
 nies of human nature. A vessel unites the most di;?- 
 tant regions of the world ; cities, and even w^bolc 
 nations are, in effect, transported to other cli- 
 mates ; the tumult and hum of civilization is heard 
 among indolent savages, and a universal move- 
 ment pervades all classes." ''At first civiliza- 
 tion was collected around the Mediterranean sen ; 
 it was for ages almost the only ^ea on w^hich there 
 was any navigation. At length the mariner's com- 
 pass was invented, and Columbus appeared. A 
 new world saw our vessels enter on its shores. A 
 new Europe has arisen on the American continent, 
 and is advancing with giant steps in the career of 
 improvement. The Atlantic Ocean has already 
 become, what the Mediterranean w^as before, the 
 great highway of civilized nations."! The Indian, 
 the Pacific, and the Eastern Oceans, extending 
 from pole to pole, have already been cro-ssed by 
 
 -: M. Brun., i IbiUv 
 
\A\iaAiio..\. J IT 
 
 AtueriCri'j n;ivli;'ator?=. '^Alreiidy British coiouists 
 are planting the innumerable islands which form 
 to the south-east of Asia, a Mth part of the world : 
 and Australasia, the most delightful country on 
 the globe, will probably, ere many generatioi.s 
 pass away, have reached the highest pinnacle of 
 civilization. Let colonists fraught with our learn- 
 ing found a new Greece in Otaheite, the Sand- 
 wich, or Pelew Islands ; then those rising grounds 
 which now produce only aromatic herbs, will hc\ 
 covered with towns and pahices ; bays now 
 shaded by a forest of palms, will display a forest 
 of masts ; gold and marble will be extracted from 
 the bowels of mountains as yet untouched by the 
 miner ; and one day, perhaps, Europe, Asia, and 
 Africa, will find successful rivals in countries now 
 scarcely known. Thus in the history of the hu- 
 man race, the past, the present, and the future, 
 are connected Avith the position of the great seas 
 of the globo, and with the progress of navi- 
 gation,'** 
 
 (Questions on Section IV. 
 
 Describe men in the savage state. 
 
 What are their ideas of their own origin, and 
 (»f that of the world ? 
 
 How do ih^y live ? 
 
 Describe civilized en n al the particulars 
 mentioned ? 
 
 What should this great difference between sav- 
 age and civilized man teach us ? 
 ■ What place in the history of mankind dor-s 
 "J^^vigation hold ? 
 
 ^ M. Brim. 
 
} 1 8 SiODERN OLOGRAPH V. 
 
 What is the civilization produced by AgTicul- 
 lure? 
 
 When does it stop ? 
 
 How do people who are engaged in Agricul- 
 ture generally feel in regard to what is going 
 forward in the great world ? 
 
 What effect does navigation produce on such 
 people ? 
 
 What is said of the wonderful effects of a 
 vessel ? 
 
 Where was civilization at first collected ? 
 
 Was the Mediterranean for ages almost the 
 only sea navigated ? 
 
 What machine was invented, and what distin- 
 guished man arose to use it? 
 
 What was the consequence ? 
 
 What has since arisen on the American Con^ 
 tinent ? 
 
 What is this " New Europe" doing ? 
 
 What is said of the Atlantic Ocean ? 
 
 What have American navigators done ? 
 
 Where have British colonies been established ? 
 
 What will these colonies in a few ages proba- 
 bly become ? 
 
 What is the recommendation given as to Col- 
 onists ? 
 
 What would be the consequences should a new 
 Greece be thus founded in these islands ? 
 
 State the conrbrsion drawn from the whole. 
 
J^jEGTION V 
 
 {)h hllOTKi^TANT CHRISTIAN MISSIO?^ TO THK HEATHL.V*. 
 
 Commencement^ Progress^ Success^ Present Stati: 
 and Future Prospects of these Missions. 
 
 Commencement. We can look back^ in reftr- 
 ence to Protestant missions amonsf the heatheu, 
 to the year 1646, when the Rev. John Elliot o{ 
 Roxbury, near Boston, commenced his labors 
 among the Indians in that vicinity. From that 
 period to the year 1795, the efforts to convert 
 the heathen were few, scattered, feeble, and of 
 small effects. At the extraordinary meeting of 
 all denominations of Protestant Christians in Lon- 
 don, in the summer of this year, (1795,) a mis- 
 sionary spirit was most remarkably kindled, which 
 has since been diffused throughout the whole 
 ,Christian world. The fruits of this spirit have 
 been very wonderful, both at home and abroad. 
 Among these fruits may be reckoned the estab- 
 lishment of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 
 and all similar societies since formed in Europe, 
 America, and in almost all the other parts of the 
 world, together with sabbath schools, domestic 
 
i 2i) iMODLRN GEOGRAPIIV. 
 
 missions, and tract societies, and all that Chri^tiai) 
 zeal, and sjmpathy for the heathen, and for all 
 v» ho are ignorant of the gospel, manifested in the 
 diversified efforts that are made to support these 
 great institutions. Christians, who look on these 
 surprising operations, and who at the same time 
 view and contemplate the corresponding improve- 
 ments in agriculture, in literature, the arts and 
 sciences, in navigation, in civil government, all 
 co-operatiiig together to the same great end, the 
 peace, union, and happiness of mankind ; in view 
 of all ihc'^^e things. Christians believe that 
 the happy period described in the closing chap- 
 ter of this book, is in truth drawing near, and is 
 now even at the door. 
 
 The number of missionaries which have been 
 sent into heathen countries, from the beginning 
 of missions, including all the members of mission 
 families, cannot be correctly estimated. From 
 some investigation of the subject, we may reckon 
 more than 2000 persons now on the ground, occu- 
 pying more than 1000 different stations, scattered 
 amongst almost all the Pagan nations of the u'orld ; 
 beside a large and fast increasing num]>er of na- 
 tives, who have been educated for this employ- 
 ment, and a great and increasing number oi' Do- 
 mestic Missionaries^ whose business it is to build 
 up the waste places in Christian countries, and to 
 preach the gospel, and plant churches in the ex- 
 tensive frontiers of our own country. A view of 
 these things can hardly fail to fasten, on serious 
 minds, a conviction that a great work, indeed, is 
 going on in this most important branch of im- 
 proving the moral and religious condition of man- 
 kind. It is worthy of notice and commendation, 
 that the United Brethren, known by the nam.e of 
 
CHRISTIAN MISSIONS. itii 
 
 Moravians, a small body of about 1G,000 sonls, 
 began their benevolent operations, as far back as 
 1732, have since steadily, patiently, and success- 
 fully, pursued them in the most forbidding parts 
 of the globe. 
 
 (Questions on Section V, 
 
 When did Protestant missions among the hea 
 then commence ? 
 
 Who was the first missionary named, and where 
 =did he live, and with whom did he labor ? 
 
 From 1646 to 1795, what is said of the efforts 
 to convert the heathen? 
 
 What meeting was held in London in 1795 ? 
 
 What took place at this meeting ? 
 
 What is said of the spirit kindled on this oc- 
 casion ? 
 
 What have been its happy fruits ? 
 
 Enumerate them. 
 
 What corresponding improvements have been 
 made in agriculture, &c. ? 
 
 To what great end have all these improvements 
 co-operated together ? 
 
 What do Christians, who look on these sur- 
 prising operations, believe ? 
 
 What number of missionaries have been sent 
 among the heathen from the beginning of mis- 
 sions? 
 
 What number of Protestant missionaries, in- 
 ckiding members of the mission families, are sup- 
 posed to be nov/ on the ground ? 
 
 Who are to be added to this number in heathen 
 nations and in our own nation ? 
 
How many stations do these Missionaries dcciu 
 py, ami where are these stations situated ? 
 
 What truth does a view of these things tend to 
 produce on serious minds ? 
 
 What is said of the United Brethren, or BIoTa- 
 vians? 
 
 What is the number of these Christians ? 
 
 When did they begin their missions ? 
 
 How and where have they evince pursued their 
 benevolent operations ? 
 
SJECTION \ >, 
 Particular Modern Geography- 
 
 We: give only a short summary of this article^, 
 M hich is fully treated in our School Abridgment, 
 the study of which it is intended, shall succeed 
 that of this First Book, 
 
 We have already given an account of the 
 great Oceans on the globe, and of the grand divi- 
 sions of the Earthy with some general views cf 
 their population, the varieties of the human race, 
 their languages, different governments and reli- 
 «^ions, and added some interesting calculations.* 
 
 The two great continents are divided as fol- 
 lows : 
 
 The Ea^tern^ into Asia, Europe, and Africa. 
 
 The Western^ into ISorth America and South 
 America. 
 
 The Islands of the great Oceans, are divided 
 into Australasia, the Asiatic Isles, Polynesia, 
 the African Isles, and the Islands of North and 
 South America. 
 
 These divisions, with the great oceans and 
 smaller portions of water, embrace the whole 
 
 * See pp. 2T5. 97. 
 
1 i'4 MOJ)ERN GEOftKAPHV. 
 
 J ace of the globe. For an account oi the divisions 
 of water, see p. 29. The divisions o; land are 
 now to be considered, and in the order in which 
 they are named above. 
 
 ASIA. 
 
 Boundaries and Extent. — Asia is bounded N. 
 by the Frozen ocean, E., by the Pacific ocean, S. 
 by the Indian ocean, VV. by the Red sea, which 
 separates it from Africa, the Mediterranean sea, 
 the Archipelago, the Black sea, and straits of 
 Caffa ; thence to the Northern ocean, the line 
 is unsettled. Its greatest length is 7370 miles ; v 
 its breadth 4230, containing 164,000,000 square 
 miles. ^ 
 
 Divisio7i3 and Population. — We give here the 
 common i visions, observing only that M. Brun 
 has divided this country into 19 regions, corres- 
 ponding with its natural divisions. 
 
 Population, 
 
 1. TnrkeyinAsia, ----- 12,000,000 
 
 2. Russia in Asia,' 2,700,000 
 
 3. Arabia, 12,000,000 
 
 4. ladepeudentTartary, - - - 4,000,0Q0 
 
 5. Pi-rsia, ----'---- 18,000,0(?a 
 
 6. Cabul and Beloochisian, - 14,000,0Q0 
 
 7. Hindostan. or Hither India, - 101,000,000 
 
 8. Farther India, ----'-- 17,000,000 
 0. Chinese Empire, 150,000,000 
 
 10. Japan, - - 25,000,000 
 
 11. Asiatic Islands, 18,000,000 
 
 About 373,000,000 souls in the 10 divisions, or. 
 
 the whole of continental Asia. 
 
 ^^ M. Rrnn; 
 
EUROPE. 
 
 Boundaries and Extent. — Europe is bounded N. 
 by the Frozen ocean ; E. by Asia ; S. by the 
 Mediterranean sea, which divides it from Africa; 
 and W. by the Atlantic ocean. Its greatest lengfli 
 is about 4,000 miles ; its breadth 2,400 ; contain- 
 ing, according to Hassel, 3,387,000 square miles. 
 
 Divisions ojid Population. — The political, or 
 aiational divisions of Europe are, 
 
 Population. 
 
 1. Great Britain, - • - - ^ . 12,600,000 
 
 2. Ireland, - - 4,500,000 
 
 3. Norway, 930,000 
 
 4. Sweden and Lapland, - - - 2,470^000 
 
 5. Denmark, - - 1,565,000 
 
 5. Russia in Europe, - - . - 41,773,000 
 
 7. Poland, *2,800,000 
 
 S. Prussia, 10,000,000 
 
 9. Austria, IncludiJig 5 great races, 28,000,000 
 
 10. Germany, 10,500,000 
 
 11. Switzerland, 1,750^000 
 
 12. Netherlands, 5,285,000 
 
 13. France, 29,300,000 
 
 14. Spain, - - 10,350,000 
 
 15. Portugal, 3,683,000 
 
 16. Italy, including Sicily and ) .^ ^. . ^^^ 
 
 Sardinia, i ' ' 
 
 17. Turkey, 10,000,0^0 
 
 =^ This is all that is le'^t of Poland, once among the wwei- 
 ful kingdoii*3 of Europe, the greater part of her former terri- 
 tory and pNOpulalion being divided between Pwussia-, Austria', 
 and Prussia". 
 
 ft 2 
 
1 t^ h r.lOl)i:ni'N tiEbuKAl'llV. 
 
 AFRICA. 
 
 Boundaries and E?deiit. — Africa is bounded IS. 
 by the Mediterranean sea ; E. and S. E. by the 
 Jled sea, and Indian ocean ; S. W. and W. by the 
 Ethiopic,* and Atlantic oceans. It contains about 
 11,700,000 square miles. 
 
 Divisions and Population. — A great part of the 
 interior of Africa, is an unexplored and unknown 
 region. The larger and smaller kingdoms, the 
 most of them of undefined limits, may be come-- 
 niently divided into, 
 
 1 . Northern Africa, 
 
 2. Eastern do. 
 
 3. Southern do. 
 
 4. Western do. 
 
 5. Central do. 
 
 These large divisions are subdivided irao ia, 
 great number of smaller ones, the whole contain- 
 ing, according to Hassel, 99,000,000 of inhabit* 
 jmts; according to M. Brun, only 70,000,0-00. 
 
 AMERICA. 
 
 Di.visiods and Population. — This continent has 
 the Pacific ocean on the W. the Frozen ocean N. 
 and the Atlantic and Ethiopic oceans E. and is 
 divided as follows : 
 
 1. North America. 
 
 2. South America. 
 
 These are separated by the Isthmus of Darien. 
 
 3. American Islands. 
 
 These divisions contain 50,000,000 of inhabit- 
 ants. 
 
 * See p. 30. ' 
 
N.OPvTH AMEKICA. 127 
 
 NORTH AMERICA. 
 
 Divisions and Population. — North America is 
 divided into, 
 
 1. British America on the north, 
 
 2. United States in the middle, 
 
 3. Spanish America on the south, 
 
 Russia has a small settlement on the north-west. 
 
 BRITISH AMERICA, 
 
 Population. 
 
 i. Nova Scotia, 100,000 
 
 2. New Brunswick, 60,000 
 
 3. Lower Canada, 300^000 
 
 4. Upper Canada^ 100,000 
 
 5. The Islands of Newfoundland, - - 70,000 
 
 LWITED STATES. 
 
 BGundaries and Extent. — The United States are 
 bounded N. by British America ; E. by the Atlan- 
 tic ocean ; S. by the (}ulf of Mexico ; S. W. by 
 the Spanish dominions ; \V. by the Pacific ocean 
 = — coutaining 2,000,000 square miles. 
 
 Divisions and Population. — The United States 
 are divided and peopled as follows, 
 
 1. Maine, -' 298,335 
 
 2. New-Hampshire, - - - - 244,161 
 
 3. Vermont, 235,761 
 
 4. Massachusetts, 523,287 
 
 5. Rhode Island, 83,059 
 
 6. Connecticut, 275,24.8 
 
 
128 MODERN G.KOoillA^H\- = 
 
 f 7. INew-York, -.---- 1,372,812 
 
 8. New-Jersey, ----- 277,585 
 
 9. Pennsylvania, 1,049,398 
 
 10. Delaware, - 72,749 
 
 111. Maryland, 407,350 
 
 12. Virginia, 1,065,366 
 
 13. North-Carolina, - - - - 638,829 
 
 14. South-Carolina, - - - - 490,309 
 
 15. Georgia, 340,989 
 
 16. Alabama, 127,901 
 
 17. Mississippi, 75,448 
 
 18. Louisiana, 153,407 
 
 f 19. Tennessee, 422,813 
 
 20. Kentucky, 564,317 
 
 21. Ohio, - - 581,434 
 
 22. Indiana, 147,178 
 
 23. Illinois, 55,211 
 
 ^24. Missouri, 66,586 
 
 District of Columbia, 33,039 
 
 Michigan, -------- 8,806 
 
 Northwest, 
 
 Arkansaw, 14,273 
 
 Missouri, 
 
 Oregon, 
 
 Florida, 15,000 
 
 Total population in 1820, - - - 9,625,724 
 
 Note - -By accident, Spanish, North and South America, and the 
 West Indies, were sent too laU for insertion in their plaize, "vvbich is 
 I'.ere, and will be found in an ap])eudix ; -Nvhiuh see. 
 
 OCEANICA. 
 
 Under this general head we embrace all the 
 principal islands of the several oceans on fhe 
 
 glol^.e. 
 
(X.KAMCA. l'2\} 
 
 1. Asiatic Islands. — These lie in the great In^ 
 dian ocean, S E. of Asia. 
 
 2' African Islands. — Madagascar, Isle of France 
 St. Helena, and others on the coast of Africa. 
 
 Australasia. — Embracing New Holland, and 
 the adjacent islands of Papua, or New Guinea, 
 New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon isles, 
 New Caledonia, and the New Hebrides, New^ 
 Zealand, and Van Dieman's land, extending from 
 lat. 3° N. to lat. 50^ S., and from long. 95° to 
 185° E. 
 
 4. Polynesia. — Embracing all the Islands from 
 lat. 50° S. to 35° N., and from 170° E. long, from 
 London, to 130° W., viz. 1. The Pelew Islands. 
 2. The Ladrones. ^ 3. The Carolines. 4. The 
 Sandwich Isles. 5. The Marquesas. 6. The 
 Society Isles. 7. The Friendly Isles. 
 
 5. American Islands. — Under this head are em- 
 braced Greenland, (which has lately been found 
 to be an island,) Newfoundland, the West India 
 islands, and all other islands on the American 
 coast. 
 
 Questions on Section VI. 
 
 Of what has an account already been given? 
 
 How are the two great continents, the eastern 
 and western, divided ? 
 
 Mention the divisions of each. 
 
 And the divisions of the islands. 
 
 Do these divisions, with the great oceans, em 
 brace the whole face of the globe ? 
 
 Give the boundaries of Asia — its length — - 
 breadth — contents in square miles — its divisions — 
 their number — and population of each division. 
 
 How does M. Bnm divide Asia ? 
 
L'>0 MODERN GEOURAFUi. 
 
 Give the boundaries of Europe — -its lejio^iit 
 ' — breadth — its contents in square miles — its di- 
 visions — their number — the population of each. 
 
 Give the boundaries of Africa — its contents In 
 square miles — its divisions. What is said of ita 
 interior regions ? 
 
 Of its larger and smaller kingdoms ? 
 
 Into how many divisions may Africa be conven* 
 iently divided ? 
 
 Name them. 
 
 What is the estimated population of Africa ? 
 
 Give the boundaries of America — its divisions 
 — the number of its inhabitants. 
 
 What isthmus separates North and South Ame- 
 rica ? 
 
 Give the divisions of North America. 
 
 What are the divisions of British America, and. 
 ilie number of inhabitants in each ? 
 
 Give the boundaries and extent of the United 
 States — the number and names of the several 
 states and territories — the population of each in 
 1820.* 
 
 What are contained under the general head of 
 Oceanica ? 
 
 How many divisions are there under this head ? 
 
 Name them. 
 
 Where do the Asiatic islands lie ? 
 
 The African ? 
 
 What islands does Australasia embrace 'I 
 
 What Polynesia ? 
 
 Give the latitudes and longitudes of these d'l^ 
 visions, and point them out on the map. 
 
 Where do the American islands lie ? 
 
 N>me the principal ones. 
 
 *■' See Appeuj^i*^ 
 
PROSPECTIVE GEOGRAPHr, 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Lv reviewing' the long way we have travelled^ 
 from the creation down to the present time. 
 through a period of nearly 5000 years, we find 
 events, the most interesting and important, con- 
 oected with every step of our progress. Begin- 
 ning with the creation of the heaven and the 
 earth, we have described the process of that great 
 work, as given us by Moses, in the successive 
 parts of it, to its completion, when the eaif^th w^as 
 litted to be the happy abode of innocent beings. 
 
 We have described the solar system in its seve- 
 i;:al parts ; the earth which we inhabit, particular- 
 ly, in its grand divisions and natural history. We 
 have given an account cf the creation, the high 
 rank and character of MAN, and the vast and splen- 
 did inheritance bestowed on him by his Maker. 
 We have described, also, the delightful garden of 
 Eden, which the Creator himself selected and 
 planted for the first parents of our race. To in- 
 struct and gratify our young readers, we' have 
 given a geographical description oi\Mesopoiamia^^ 
 
IM rROSPECTI\'E GEOUilAFiiV. 
 
 that most interesting country, in which this garden 
 was situated, and the rivers and places in it, which 
 are mentioned in the Bible. 
 
 We have given an account of the building of the 
 ark by Noah ; of the flood, and its awful effects 
 on the earth ; of the building of Babel ; of the 
 confounding of the original and common language 
 of mankind ; the forming of new languages for 
 different portions'of them ; — thus laying the found- 
 ation for their dispersion over the face of the 
 earth, and becoming the seeds of the nations who 
 have since inhabited it. We have presented a 
 general view of the introduction of Christianity, 
 and of its wonderful effects on the world. 
 
 We^have taken a general and particular geo- 
 graphical survey of the earth, as it now lies be- 
 lore us, and have noticed some of the wonderful 
 events of the last half century, and the varied 
 and innumerable improvements which have 
 been made in every thing which relates to the el- 
 evation, convenience, increase, and happiness of 
 mankind. New nations, we find, are springing 
 up in parts of the world, till lately hardly known, 
 which will probably soon rival the old ones. The 
 inhabitants of the earth are every where waking 
 up — combining together — pressing onward — and 
 ]n many different ways urging on the advancement 
 of things to some great and glorious end. " In 
 the progress of these events," a late writer perti- 
 nently observes, " it is impossible not to perceive 
 that an immense change is about to be effected, 
 with respect to the aspect of the civilized world." 
 
 Contemplating these things, every one will be 
 roady to ask — what is the nature of these expect- 
 ed changes, and of this glorious end which they 
 are to accomplish ? and when are these things to 
 
I.NTROBUCTIOX. 133 
 
 be I To satisfy inquiries of this kiad, as far as 
 they can be satisfied, is our object in this con- 
 cluding part of our little work. 
 
 We are fully aware, that of the future it be- 
 comes us to speak with ca-iiion. We can trace 
 back our own way to former ages by the monu- 
 ments which those who have gone before us have 
 iei't behind them, and can tell with confidence 
 what has been. The present is before us, and of 
 that, therefore, we can speak with certainty. 
 Bn.t a darkness hangs over the future^ which 
 nothing ]>iit the eye oi' the Great Supreme ran pe- 
 ri(^ trine. 
 
 M 
 
bECllOiX 1, 
 
 r/iere uvill be a great moral change in the juiurc 
 ages of the world. 
 
 Although we are not gifted with capacities 
 1o know the future, as well as we know the past 
 and the present, still we are not left iri total 
 ignorance of what is to be. He who sec^* 
 alike the past, the present, and the future, ha^ 
 kindly given us a Revelation^ which sheds a light 
 upon the future. By its aid we can look forward 
 and discern some of the changes which will take 
 place in the future ages of the world, and what ii? 
 to be the end of all things pertaining to the hea- 
 vens and the earth. By this Revelation, contain- 
 ed in the Bible, we are plainly, in very many 
 places, and in various language, taught, that a 
 great moral change^ affecting the whole human race. 
 ^vill take place hereafter, and probably is already 
 commencing, in the uncommon events of the pre- 
 sent day. By this change, the ruins of the fall. 
 to a great extent, will be repaired ; the power 
 arid influence of the Messiah's reign will be fell 
 and acknowledged by all nations, producing uni- 
 versal peace and willing obedience to the law of the 
 Creator; and the earth and its inhabitants, in a 
 manner and degree beyond our anticipations, will 
 return again to the happy state of perfection, in- 
 nocence, and peace, in which they were originally 
 formed. This most desirable state of the world 
 
MORAL CIIANGi: OF THE WOPcLD. iob 
 
 was intimated in the very first promise kindly 
 made to man, immediately after his fall — '• The 
 seed of the woman (meaning Christ the Messiah) 
 shall bruise the serpent's head.'' The same great 
 event was announced in the sacred prophecies, 
 in plainer and plainer language, in successive pe- 
 rieds, till finally, the subject arose in the view of 
 the prophet, to such magnitude and interest, that 
 it occupies nearly the whole of the last book in 
 the sacred volume. 
 
 But a very few, only, ot the almost innumera- 
 ble passages in the Bil3le, which have more or 
 less bearing on the period which is to come, can 
 be recited in this little book. A few of those 
 which are more explicit, however, will be sufiicient 
 ior our purpose, which is, to put our youthful read- 
 ers on the inquiry, to find out, and to note down 
 in their little commonplace books (which they 
 would do well alv/aj^s to keep) other passages that 
 relate to the same subject. It becomes the young, 
 particularly, to look to the future, and to ascer- 
 tain from every source at their command, the 
 events, which are probably to happen in the age 
 in which they are to live, and to act.* 
 
 Some of the passages which describe the future 
 period of the world follow. No comment is made 
 on them. '' Thou art my Son, this day have I be- 
 gotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee 
 
 * The author here remarks, thnt it has been his great ob- 
 ject to bring before his little readers, the vast subjects com- 
 prised in this book, which would seem, at first view, far to 
 exceed the comprehension of the minds of children and 
 5'ouths to lead them to inquire^ and to ask questions^ which 
 they can do on every topic which is here treated. The 
 plan, he is sensible, is new and, but an experiment ; he feels 
 a stron^; confidence in its success. 
 
136 PROSPECTIVE GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 the heathen for thme inheritance, and the ulK r- 
 most parts of the earth for thy possession '^ [Ps. 
 iL] ^^All kings shall bow down before liini." 
 *• It shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
 mountain of the Lord's house shall be establish- 
 ed in the top of the mountains, and shall be ex- 
 alted above the hills ; and all nations shall i\o\v 
 unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come 
 ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 
 to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will 
 teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his 
 f)aths ; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and 
 the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And he 
 shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke 
 many people, and, they shall beat their swords in- 
 to ploughshares, and their spears into pruning- 
 hooks ; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, 
 neither shall they learn war any more." [Isaiah 
 ii.] ''There shall be nothing to hurt or of- 
 fend in all the holy mountain." " For as the 
 earth brlngeth forth her bud, and as the garden 
 causeth the things that are sown into it to spring 
 forth, so the Lord will cause righteousness 
 and praise to spring forth before all the na- 
 tiGJisj'^ [Is. Ixi.] The stonfe which was cut out 
 of the mountain, and smote without hands the 
 image, became a great mountain and filled the 
 whole earth." [Dan. ii. 35.] " Many shall run to 
 and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." [Dan. 
 xii. 4.] " The light of the moon shall be as the 
 light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be 
 seven-fold, as the light of seven days." [Isa. xxx. 26.] 
 •' The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the 
 earth, as the waters cover the sea." [Is. xi. 9.] 
 •'All shall know the Lord from the least unto thf 
 oreatest." "Who hath heard such a thing? 
 
-MORAL CHANGE OF THE WORLD. Vol 
 
 Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be 
 made to bring forth in one day, or shall a nation 
 be born at once ?'' [Is. xlvi.] " And it shall 
 come to pass, that from one new moon to anoth- 
 er, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh 
 come and worship before me, saith the Lord.'' 
 [Is. Ivi.] ^' The inhabitants shall not say I am 
 sick." [Is. xxxiii.] '' It shall come to pass, that 
 1 will gather all nations and tongues, and they shall 
 come and see my glory." [Is. xxxiii.] "He 
 (Christ) shall have dominion from sea to sea, 
 and from the river to the ends of the earth." 
 [P^.^'lxxiv.] '' The kingdom, and the dominion, 
 and the greatness of the kingdom under the 
 whole heaven, shall be given to the people 
 of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is 
 an everlasting" kingdom, and all dominions shall 
 serve and obey him." [Dan. vii.] "Hath God 
 cast away his people ? God forbid. He hath not 
 cast away his people." " Blindness in part has 
 hap])ened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gen- 
 tiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be 
 saved." [F{om. xi.] 
 
 The gospel is to be preached, with the Holy 
 Ghost ciccompanying it, to every nation, and kin- 
 dred, and tongue, and people, under the whole hea- 
 ven. Satan is to be bound a thousand years, during 
 which periodThrist will reign. And in these hap- 
 py years the rigliteous shall flourish, and enjoy 
 abundance of peace. 
 
 We can forju but very faint ideas of the very 
 gj^eat and wonderful change*;, which will have 
 been eftected in the world, ^vhen these and many 
 ther prophecies^ wliich relate to the future, shall 
 have been ffulfilled. Our highest conceptions of 
 the hnnpiroj^s and glory of tlic ncrind of Chrisfs 
 
13o PROSPECTIVE GEOGRAFilY. 
 
 reign on earth, doubtless fall . far short of what 
 will be realized by those who live in that period. 
 To serve God and to do good, will be their highest 
 pleasure. Selfishness,that bane of human happiness, 
 which has ever been, and is now, the cause of most 
 of the miseries which afflict our world, will be 
 banished, and give place to the reign of love and 
 good will : and this guilty, polluted, and wretched 
 world, renovated by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
 will again reflect the image of heaven, and as at the 
 first, God will dwell with men. While coiiteii!- 
 plating this ravishing prospect, the poet shall 
 speak for us the language of our hearts. 
 
 " One soni; employs all iiations ; and all ( ry 
 ^ Worthy the Latiib, ibr he WdSoIaiu torus/ 
 The dwellers in the vales, and on the rocke, 
 Shout to each other, «nd the moiuitain lops 
 From distant nionntaios, catch the flyin«: joy ; 
 Till nation after nation, taught the strain ; 
 3-^arth rolls the rapturous Hosanna round.'- 
 
 Coii-jitr. 
 
 Questions on Section I. 
 
 What is the subject of the third part of this 
 book ? 
 
 In reviewing the preceding parts, what facts and 
 information do you find ? 
 
 Relate the particular things enumerated in \he 
 Introduction, beginning with the Creation — then 
 the Solar System — the Earth — the Garden of 
 Eden, &c. 
 
 What does the conlemplatioii of these things 
 prompt one to ask ? 
 
 What is said to be the object of the concluding 
 ])art of this litfle work ? 
 
MURAL CHAXGi: Ol^ THL WwiU-P. 1:59 
 
 }h)w does It becoine us to i^pea]: uf the future ? 
 
 Can v/e speak with coiiiideuce of u'hut \vc\< been 
 and what now is ? 
 
 What hangs over the future ? 
 
 What eye alone can penetrate ihis darkness? 
 
 Can we know the tVitare as we know the past 
 ami the preseni ? 
 
 Can we know nothini^ of whai h to be ? 
 
 Whence do we derive our knowledge of the 
 future ? 
 
 Does this sacred book shed light on the ages 
 to come, and inform us of the end of all things? 
 
 What great chcmge does it particuiarlv fore- 
 tell ? 
 
 Will this laoral chaniye :ifiect the w\bole world? 
 
 Is this change probabi}^ now commencing? 
 
 What are the indications of this ? 
 • What are to be the consequences of this change ? 
 
 Enumerate those which are stated. 
 
 In what proniise was. this desirable strite of 
 things tirst intimated ? 
 
 Has this event beea announced in other pro- 
 phecies ? 
 
 In what language ? 
 
 What book of the script^ires is almost wholly 
 occupied with this subject ? 
 
 Are the passages of the Bible which relate to 
 this subject, i'ew or numerous ? 
 
 Of what kind are the few, passages selected for 
 this book ? 
 
 Will these be sufficient to answer the purpose 
 of this book? 
 
 What is that purpose ? 
 
 What book, is it recommended, that childrei 
 should keep ? 
 
 To what use should they put such a book? 
 
14.Q I'RU^PECTIVE GEO.GJlAPH\'. 
 
 What d(M3S it particularlv become the young tp 
 
 Repeat the prophecies which describe the lii- 
 Uire period of the world. 
 
 Can we form any adequate ideas of the change? 
 which will take place, the scenes of glory and 
 happiness w^hieh will open to tlie view^, and en- 
 j^oyment of those wi^o will live on earth during 
 this period ? 
 
 What will be their employment? 
 
 What is said oi selfishness ? 
 
 Will this odious spirit, this most fruitful source 
 of human misery, be banished from among men 
 during this happy period ? 
 
 What will follow ? 
 
 Repeat the lines ofCowpers description of the 
 State of the world at this period ? 
 
SECTION 11. 
 
 'iisequeiice^ of the great Moral Change^ described 
 ill the foregoing section. 
 
 There will be no more wars. The passions 
 ^vhich now occasion them, will be subdued. The 
 earth will not be stained with human blood, as it 
 now is. Mankind every where will love one 
 another, and seek each other's good, performing- 
 all acts of kindness and good will, fulfilling 
 all the offices of the most perfect friendship. 
 All ranks and classes, of both sexes ; all of every 
 age, nation, and language, under the whole 
 heaven, will be much better people, and have 
 far higher enjoyments, than any, even the best, 
 with whom we are now acquainted. They will 
 be capable of doing vastly more good than those 
 who now dwell upon the earth, and will (Jo 'far 
 more. Now^ benevolent plans and eftbrts are 
 opposed, and often frustrated, by wicked men — 
 then^ there will be no contending interests, all 
 will be actuated by one spirit. The intelligence 
 and wisdom of all will be combined to devise, and 
 their efforts to execute, the best and most ex- 
 tensive plans for doing good. Now^ plans of be- 
 nevolence are retarded, suspended, and often de- 
 feated, from the want of sufficient pecuniary re- 
 sources — then^ the millions on millions now ex- 
 pended in wars, in measures and means of nation- 
 al defence andsecuritv — the millions also hoarded 
 
142 P-EH^PECTIVE G¥'J)GKArU\. 
 
 by avarice, expended in gratifying the privle 
 ambition, revenge, and other unlawful passion* 
 and appetites of mankind, and particularly in 
 ijUemperance — and the millions more which will 
 be saved by the avoidance of all the multitude of 
 expensive vices, which will now have ceased, by 
 an inolpease of human industry, and by a wise 
 economy in expenditures — all these immense ex 
 penditures, redeemed from their present unhal- 
 lowed uses, may be converted, to all the extent 
 necessary, and will be converted, to purposes of 
 beneficence, and public utility. 
 
 This wonderful change, w^hich will take place 
 in the dispositions of men toward each other in 
 (his hap^y period, is described by the prophet 
 Isaiah, and after him by Cowper, in a style of 
 exc^uisite beauty. 
 
 *^* The lion, and the leopard, and the bear, 
 Grazie with the fearless flocks ; all bask at noon 
 Together, or all gambol in the shade 
 Of the same grove, and drink one common stream. 
 Antipathies are none. No foe to man 
 Lurk? in the serpent now ; the mother sees, 
 And smiles to see, her infant's playful hand 
 Stretch'd forth to dally with the crested worm, 
 To stroke his azure neck, or to receive 
 The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue. 
 All creatures worship man, and all mankind 
 One Lord, one Father."* 
 
 * Some writers consider the language of fhe pro))liet, in 
 the passage here alluded to by the poet, ^sjiguralive, intend- 
 ed merely to illustrate the peaceful and happy state of man- 
 kind, during the period he is describing. The poet, how- 
 ever, appears to understand the prophet literally— ■■^s doe? 
 Mr. Henry, who, in his commentary, says, *'the lion shall 
 cease to be ravenous, and shall cat straw like the ox, as 
 som© think all the beasts of prey did before the fall. 7'he 
 asp i«n-5 the cockatrice shuU cease to be venomous, so thai 
 
MORAL CHANGI-: OF XHE WORI D* H 3» 
 
 in view of the wonders opened by the prophe- 
 cies, this charming poet exclaims :— 
 
 ** Ah scenes surpassing fable, and yet true ; 
 
 Sxienes of accomplished bliss ! Which who can se^, 
 
 Though but in distant prospect, and not feel 
 
 His soul refreshed with loretnste of the joy ? 
 
 Rivers of «^ladness water all the earth, 
 
 And clothe all climes with beauty ; t'^e repi^ch 
 
 Of barrenness is past. I'he fruitful field 
 
 Laughs with abundance ; and ihe land, once leaij, 
 
 Or fertile only to its own disgrace, 
 
 Kxulta to see its thistly curse repeafd 
 
 The various seasons woven into oUe, 
 
 And that one season an eternal spring. 
 
 The garden liears no blight, and needs no (jeu(;^, 
 
 For there is none to covet, all are full." 
 
 Ill the happy period, which the prophecies 
 lead us to expect, there will be a great increase 
 of useful knowledge — great advances in literature^ 
 ike sciences^ the liberal and the jine arts — and a 
 great multitude o{ new inventions^ adapted to faci* 
 litate commercial, literary, and social intercourse, 
 between all nations, and to promote every spe- 
 cies of improvements* The earth will be capa- 
 
 P.?iien{..s «!»all Icl their children play with them, and Rul 
 Uieir hands anion -^ them.'* This appears lo be the natUr;il 
 and conrect interpretation of the passage. There were uo 
 hurtful beasts, or poisonous reptiles^ before the fall, when 
 *' the Lord God brought them to Adam'* to receive their 
 names. And as there will be ** nothing to hurt or destroy," 
 during the period we are describing, we may, I thiQk, 
 saiely infer, that not only the wicked dispositions and habits 
 of men will be changed, but those also of all the inferior 
 creatures ; else there would remain, in savage beasts and 
 venomous reptiles, '<5ame//M>?g, both io hurl and rfej//ioj/" 
 mankind. It is as easy for the Almighty to change the dis- 
 positions of beasts and reptiles, as those of meft. In neither^ 
 can a radical chaoge be wrought, but by miracle. 
 
\ lA FH.U^FKCTJVl:: G.i:uGKAP.li\. 
 
 ble of sustaining a vastly larger ])opulation thait 
 has existed upon it since the flood ; hence we 
 may expect a corresponding increase of its in- 
 habitants. The prophets speak of this period, in 
 language highly descriptive of great prosperity 
 and happiness. The windows of heaven will be 
 opened, and a blessii^ poured out so large that 
 there will not be roonn enough to receive it. 
 The devourer will be rebuked, for the sake of 
 those who shall then inhabit the earths and shall 
 not destroy the fruits of their ground ; nor shall 
 the vine cast her i'ruit before the time in the 
 fields. 
 
 The language in which tlie prophecies, con- 
 cerning this period are expressed, justities our 
 expectations of all these tliiniis. Wliat has^ been 
 witnessed by those now on the stage, for the last 
 half century, and what we daiW hear and see. 
 very plainly indicate that these wonderful im- 
 provements have already commenced, and are 
 now in very rapid progress. In regard to them, 
 the civilized world has already passed through 
 the stage of infancy, and is advancing, under strong- 
 er and still stronger impulses, to manhood. Chil- 
 dren of tender age, by means of the increased 
 advantages for their education, now make great- 
 er acquirements in the various branches oi 
 useful knowledge, than their fathers and mothers 
 before them, made daring a long life. 
 
 In this happy period, also, obstacles to im- 
 provement, which have hitherto existed, will be 
 removed. Now, multitudes absolutely destroy. 
 and still greater numbers impair^ their mental and 
 bodilv energies, by intr?mpernnce. br.th in ^atitio' 
 
MORAL CHANGE OF THE WORLf'. 143 
 
 «iid drinking;^ then these vices will be unknowp, 
 anf] all tv^ili enjoy vigor, both of body and mind. 
 .Kow men are sick and feeble ; then none will say 
 '• I am sick." JV'^ott? time is undervalued, and in a 
 thousand different ways, misspent and wasted ; 
 then it will be duly estimated, and every moment, 
 as it passes, will be improved to some useful 
 purpose. .Yow the millions that are wanted for 
 the various purposes of benevolence, are wasted 
 in wars, in support of the vices of mankind, and 
 hoarded by misers ; then wars and vices will both 
 cease, and so of course will their expenses, and 
 there will be no misers ; and thus this immensfe 
 fund will be redeemed, and all hearts will he 
 prepared to apply it, in all the ways in which it 
 can be made subservient, to the welfare of the 
 world. In such a state of things, who can antici- 
 pate the advances which will be made in evet*y 
 thing which will bless mankind ? 
 
 Questions on Section If. 
 
 AVhat is the lirst consequence named, of ihp 
 gvcM moral change we have described ? 
 
 \yhy will there be no wars ? 
 
 Is the earth now stained with human blood ? 
 
 Will it be during the Messiah\s reign ? 
 
 What will then be the feelings and conduct of 
 mankind towards each other ? 
 
 * Physicians have estimated, that at least ihree-fourths of 
 the diseases, which now afflict our world, are either wholly 
 prodaced, or rendered much more distressing and fatal, by 
 intemperance in drinking. Add to this, the like injurtous 
 effects of excess in eativg, and it will be found, that in these 
 two vices only, Wo have the causes of nearly the whole cf 
 human diseases. 
 
 M 
 
14G I'LKSFKCTIV'K GLOGKAjfHV. 
 
 Wliat IV ill (ben be the character of men. coin- 
 pared with tlieir present character? 
 Of v/lrat will Ihey then be capable ? 
 How are Jjenevolent plans and efforts nou 
 Ireated? 
 
 How will tbev be treated ihe/i ? 
 What cause iwiso retards, and often defeats. 
 }*enevolent plans ' 
 
 What means for llieir support will then exist ? 
 vViii these means be immense? 
 From wliat sources w ill they arise ? 
 To what purpose v.wy they, and usUl they, 
 doubtless be converted ? 
 
 Which of *the prophets has described, in lan- 
 guage most pertinent and beautiful, the change 
 in the dispositions oi" men, which is expected 
 jiereal'ter to take place r . 
 
 Vvliat celebrated }iOot has put his description 
 into verse ? 
 
 Repeat the lines quoted. 
 Also tliose which follow. 
 
 How do some writers consider the langUcige 
 used by the propltet Isaiah, in the passage 
 quoted ? [The anf^wer is in the note.] 
 How does the poet understand them ? 
 How does Mr.. Henry ? 
 • Repeat his remarks. 
 
 Is this probably the correct m.eaning of tiie 
 })rophet ? 
 
 What reasons are assigned to support it ? 
 If, during the period in question, nothing is to 
 exist which shall " hurt or destroy," must not the 
 savage and ferocious dispositions of wild beasts 
 and venom.t)us reptiles be changed, and become 
 haraiiess, as they were when the Lord God 
 brourtt them to Adam to receive their names? 
 
MOilAL CUAXoG OF THE WOULD. 147 
 
 It' this is not so, how will the propliecy ho 
 ibldlled? 
 
 Will it not he as easy for the Almighty to 
 change the had tempers of beasts, as those of 
 wicked men ? 
 
 Can either he done radically and etTectUctlly, 
 without a miracle ? 
 
 What other consequences will follow the great 
 moral change which has been mentioned ? 
 
 How do the prophets speak of this period ? 
 
 How do they describe this prosperity ? 
 
 Does the language used by the prophets justify 
 expectations of this kind? 
 
 What does the state of things for the last half 
 century, and their present state, indicate? 
 
 In regard to these things, what is said of the 
 advances of the civilized world? 
 
 What is said of the improvements of children 
 now, compared with those of their parents ? 
 
 What great obstacle to improvement now exist<. 
 vrhich will then be removed ? 
 
 What is said of intemperance in the note ? 
 
 What is said in, regard to sickness ? 
 
 What in regard to time ? 
 
 What is now done with the millions wanted for 
 benevolent purposes ? 
 
 What will be done with these millioas io the 
 happy period before us ? 
 
 Whijt will be the eftcrt .^ 
 
SKCTION li(. 
 
 Uf tits period iinmediaielij succeeding the close ot 
 the thousand years of happiness in this ztcorJd, 
 Satan loosed. The Resurrection, The final 
 judgment. The burning of the world. 
 
 We have no light on the events of these most 
 interesting" periods, but what we derive from the 
 Holy Scriptures. The description of the tirst 
 there given by the apostle John, in these few 
 words, which are very plain and explicit. 
 
 •' And when the thousand years are expired, 
 Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall 
 go out to deceive the nations which are in the 
 lour quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to 
 gather them together to battle : the number of 
 whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went 
 up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed 
 the camp of the saints about, and the beloved 
 city : and fire came down from God out of hea- 
 ven, and devoured them And the devil that 
 deceived them was cast into the lake of tire and . 
 brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet 
 are, and shall be tormented day and night, for 
 ever and ever.'-* 
 
 Reference is had to this event by the apostle^ 
 in the 3d verse of this chapter. And the angel 
 who seized and bound the old serpent, ^' cast 
 him, into the bottomless pit, and shut him up. and 
 
 * Rev. XX, 7-.10 
 
>i:t a seal upon him, that he should deceive the 
 nations no more, till the thousand years should 
 he fuililled ; and after that he must be loosed for a 
 little season,'''' A short period^ after his confine- 
 ment for a thousand years, will be allowed to the 
 adversary, the devil, to deceive the nations, and 
 to re-establish his kingdom among men. Of the 
 events of this " little season," we know nothing, 
 other than what is contained in the passages 
 quoted. The efforts of Satan will be vigorous 
 and powerful, aided by '^Gog and Magog, the 
 number of whom will be as the sand of the sea ;''-* 
 but the desperate battle in which he will rashly 
 engage, will ^soon terminate, by the immediate 
 interposition of the divine power, in the awful 
 and complere overthrow of him and his innume- 
 rable army. This is to be his last effort, after 
 which, he is to be '^ cast into the lake of fire and 
 brimstone, with the beast and the false prophet, 
 and shall be tormented day and night, /or ever and 
 every 
 
 After this last victorious conflict with Satan, 
 the General Resurn^ction of the dead, and the 
 final Judgment of mankind will immediately 
 follow, which will be the vlast transactions on the 
 face of this polluted earth. Of this grand and 
 amazing scene, of which the universe of intelli- 
 gent beings will be witnesses, the apostles and 
 oar blessed Saviour himself, have^given us de- 
 scriptions, here presented in their own words. 
 
 * Who " Gog and Mag^og," are, and/ where they will 
 dwe'.l in such numbersAlurin«; the thousand happy years, we 
 Tcnow not, uor do we mak^ any conjectures^ on a subject, leit 
 in fhe jhirk^ and therefore'not important for us to know. 
 
 1^.2 
 
laO PROSPECTIVE GEOftRAPHV. 
 
 The Savior says, '• The hour is coming, when 
 all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of 
 the Son of God, and shall come forth ; they that 
 have done good, unto the resurrection of life, 
 and they that have done evil, unto the resurrec- 
 tion of condemnation." St. Paul says, " The 
 Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a 
 shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with 
 the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
 first, and with those who are alive and remain," at 
 that period, ^^ shall be caught up together, to meet 
 the Lord in the air." '' We shall all l)e changed, in 
 a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last 
 ^rump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead 
 shall be raised incorruptible, and put on immortal- 
 
 The final Judgment the apostle John thus de- 
 scribes, 
 
 '•And I saw a great white throne, and him that 
 sat on it, from whose face the earth and the 
 heaven fled away ; and there w^as fomid no place 
 for them. And 1 saw^ the dead, small and great, 
 stand before God ; and the books were opened ; 
 and another book w^as opened, which is the book 
 of life: and the dead were judged out of those 
 things which were written in the books, accord- 
 ing to their works. And the sea gave up the 
 dead which were in it; and death and hell de- 
 livered up the dead which were in them ; and 
 they were judged every man according to their 
 works. And death and hell were cast into the 
 lake of fire. This is the second death. And 
 whosoever was not found written in the book of 
 life, was cast into the lake of fire." 
 
 The description of the Judge himself follows. 
 .— ^* When the Son of man shall come in his glory. 
 
THE FINAL JUDGMENT. Jol 
 
 and all the holy angels with him, then shall he 
 sit upon the throne of his glory : and before him 
 shall be gathered all nations ; and he shall sepa- 
 rate them one from another, as a shepherd di- 
 vide th his sheep from the goats : and he shall set 
 the sheep on his right hand, but the goals on the 
 left. Then shall the King say unto them on his 
 right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, in- 
 herit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
 foundation of the world : for I was an hungered, 
 and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave 
 me diink : 1 was a stranger, and ye took me in : 
 naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and ye 
 visited me : I was in prison and ye came unto 
 me. Then shall the righteous answer him, say- 
 ijig, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and 
 fed Ihee ? or thirsty, and gave thee drink ? When 
 saw we thee a stranger, aad took thee in ? or 
 naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee 
 sick, or in prison and came unto thee ? And the 
 King shall answer, and say unto them. Verily I say 
 unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto 
 one of the least of these my brethren, ye have 
 done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto 
 them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye 
 cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
 devil and his angels : for I was an hungered, and 
 ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave 
 me no drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me 
 not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and 
 in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall 
 they also answer hmi, saying, Lord, when saw we 
 thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or 
 naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minis- 
 ter unto thee ? Then shall he answer them, say- 
 ino*. Verilv I sav unto vou. innsmucb as ve did it 
 
La2 PROSPECTIVE GEOGKAPH.V. 
 
 not unto one of the least of these, ye did it not to 
 me. And these shall go away into everlasting' 
 punishment: but the righteous into life eter- 
 nal." 
 
 The scene of the judgment having past, then 
 the prophet directs : — '' Lift up your eyes to 
 the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath ; 
 for the heavens shall vanish like smoke, and the 
 earth shall wax old like a garment.''* The 
 apostle Peter gives a more particular description 
 of the awful scene of an expiring world. ^^ But 
 the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the 
 same w^ord, are kept in store, reserved unto fire, 
 against the day of judgoient, and perdition of 
 ungodly men. The day of the Lord will come ils 
 a thief in the night, in Avhich the heavens shall 
 pass away with a great noise, and the elements 
 shall melt with fervent heat, the earth, and the 
 •works that are therein, shall be burnt up." '• It 
 is fit," says President Davis,t " that so guilty 
 a globe, that had been the stage of sin for so many 
 thousands of years, and which even supported the 
 cross on which its Maker expired, should be 
 made a monument of the divine displeasure, and 
 either be laid in ruins, or refined by fire." 
 
 The following is Dr. Young's description of 
 this amazing scene : 
 
 '* See all the formidable sons of fire, 
 Eruptions, earthquakes, comets, lightnings, pljuy 
 Their various engines ; all at once discharge 
 Their blazing magazines ; and take by storm, 
 This poor terrestrial citadel of man.' ' 
 
 ^ Is. lvii.6. 
 
 "^ S"ee his sermon on the Jud'(m«|it»* 
 
tJlRM.NG OF THE WORLD. 
 THE WORf.D ON' KIRK. 
 
 1 Fet. iii. h). 
 
 As thel.polluted bodies of good men are puri- 
 iied by perishing in the grave ; so a world, stain- 
 ed with human blood, andj corrupted by human 
 vices, is destined to be purged as by fire. Both 
 are to be dissolved and perish ; and both, Phee- 
 nix-like, will spring into a%ew existence, freed 
 from [all the elfects^of sin, prepared, the one to 
 enjoy, the other to be the theatre of enjoying, 
 perfect, ineflable, and endless^happiness. 
 
 (Questions onlSection III. 
 
 What are the three periods ^mentioned at the 
 head of this section ? 
 
 Whence do we derive our only light, on the 
 great events jof these periods ? 
 
 What, according to the apostle John, will hap- 
 pen to Satan, at the expiration of the thousand 
 years ? 
 
 For how long a time is Satan to be loosed ? 
 
 For what purpose ? 
 
154 PKIISPECTIVE GEOGPtAPHV. 
 
 What will he attempt ? 
 
 AVhose aid will he have ? 
 
 What will be the issue of the great battle ? 
 
 What Will be done to him after his defeat ? 
 
 After this victorious conflict, what will next 
 follow I 
 
 What will follow the resurrection ? 
 
 Will the judgment be the last transaction in 
 this world / 
 
 Who have given descriptions of the final judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Recite that given by John. 
 
 And the more full one given by Christ him- 
 3«elf? 
 
 After the judgment is past, what is next to 
 be looked for ? 
 
 What does the prophet direct ? 
 
 Give the apostle's description of this awful con- 
 cluding scene. 
 
 How are the bodies of good men purified ? 
 
 How is this polluted world to be purified ? 
 
 What must happen to both ? 
 
 After they have perished, what will next take 
 place conrernins: them ? 
 
;SECTION 1\ 
 
 2 Pet. iii. 1.;. 
 The jVew Heavens^ and .Xetc Earth. 
 
 It would seem, from the Scriptures, that '• the 
 heavens and the earth," like man, their propri- 
 etor and lord, are to perish only for the purpose 
 of becoming immortal. Man dies, his body mould- 
 ers into dust ; but it is raised again a spiritual 
 body, prepared for the society of spirits made 
 perfect, who dwell in heaven with God. The 
 earth and the heavens also, are to be burn- 
 ed up, and to pass away; ^^nevertheless," sa\s 
 the apostle, "we, according to the promise of 
 God, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
 wherein dwelleth righteousness."* The apostle 
 John informs us, that he saw this new heaven and 
 
 =^ 2 Pet. iii. \?,. 
 
156 PROSPECTIVE GEOGRAPHV. 
 
 new earth, and from his own knowledge he tbu^' 
 describes them. " And I saw a new heaven and 
 a new earth ; for the first heaven and the first 
 earth were passed away ; and there was no more 
 sea. And t John saw the holy city, new Jerusa- 
 lem, coming down from God out of heaven, pre- 
 pared as a bride adorned for her husband. And 
 1 heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Be- 
 hold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he 
 will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, 
 and God himself shall be with them, and be their 
 God. And God shall wipe away all tears from 
 their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, 
 neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be 
 any more pain : for the former things are passed 
 away. And he that sat upon the throne said, 
 Behold, 1 make all things new. And he said unto 
 me. Write : for these words are true and faithfuL 
 And he said unto me. It is done."* 
 
 A further description of the New Jerusalem, if 
 given in the last chapter of the Bible. " And he 
 showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as 
 crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and 
 of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and 
 on either side of the river, was there the tree of 
 life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and 
 yielded her fruit every month : and the leaves of 
 the tree were for the healing of the nations. And 
 there shall be no more curse : but the throne of 
 God and of the Lamb shall be in it ; and his servants 
 shall serve him : and they shall see his face ; and 
 his name shall be in their foreheads. And there 
 shall be nO night there ; and they need no candle, 
 neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God givetli 
 
 ^ ilev^xxi. 1 - Q. I 
 
m;\v jiKA\ bns and .\k\v r.Ar.TiT. jOT 
 
 them li^ht: and they shall :rei2fn for ever and 
 ever." 
 
 Bishop Newton shall he our commentalor on 
 this passage. '• The church of Christ shall en- 
 dure through all tjmes and changes in this world, 
 and likewise in the world to come. It shall he 
 glorious upon earth during the millennium, and 
 shall be more glorious still, in the new earth, after 
 the millennium, to all eternity. Earth," purified 
 by fire, " shall then become as heaven ; or rather 
 it shall be heaven upon earth, God dwelling visi- 
 bly with men : and there shall he no more deaths 
 which cannot come to pass till death shall be 
 totally abolished, and till the former things^ the 
 first heaven and tlie first earth, on v/hich sin and 
 death reigned, ctre passed away. He who sat 
 upon the throne as Judge of the workl, declares, 
 " Behold I make all things new." He is the 
 author of this second, as he was of the first cre- 
 ation; and he commands that these things be 
 written for the edification of his church, with a 
 firm assurance of their truth and certainty."-'^ 
 
 We have thus completed our Geography of the 
 earth and the heavens, in the largest sense of the 
 word, from their creation, till purified by fire, 
 they are swallowed up in eternity, and become 
 the everlasting dwelling-place of glorified and 
 happy human beings. The whole view here 
 presented, cannot fail to fill the mind of everv 
 one who duly contemplates it, with sublime and 
 profitable ideas of the wisdom, the grandeur, and 
 power of God ; and with strong desires to dwell 
 for ever in this new and happy abode. If those 
 
 * ^Fislrop >Vwton'5 Difserlations on the Prophecies. 
 
 N 
 
io8 PPtOSPECTiVL GEOGRAPHY 
 
 who reiin, and the youth Avho may study this i'ittie 
 book, shall in consequence admire and love Him 
 more, and obey Him betfer, and do more good to 
 their fellow beings, and become prepared, for 
 lieaven, the author, who has had great pleasure 
 in writing it, will feel that he has a rich and 
 abundant reward. 
 
 ISome, doubtless, at first view, will pronounce 
 . this book too serious for its subject. But He on 
 v/hose authority we have relied, whose pattern 
 we have followed, and who has furnished us with 
 the greater part of our information, has not 
 thought so, and we do not aspire to be wiser than 
 He is. We know that it has not been the custom 
 to write geography in this form ; but we delibe- 
 rately think it the most natural form, and the 
 best calculated to give us enlarged, sublime, and 
 correct ideas of the subject. If so, we cannot 
 but express a hope that the plan in future, npiay 
 be adopted in our larger geographical works. 
 
 Questions on Section IF, 
 
 Wjiat is the subject of this last section ? 
 
 Are the heavens and the earth to perish ? 
 
 For what purpose ? 
 
 Vv hat is said of man ? 
 
 What of the heavens and the earth ? 
 
 What, according to the promise of God, do we 
 look for ? 
 
 Give the apostle John's description of the new 
 heaven and earth which he saw. 
 
 What does Bishop Newton say concerning the 
 church of Christ ? 
 
i\EW HEAVOS AND ISEW EAKTIf, iD>^ 
 
 What wiii the new earth become ? 
 
 What will be the state of the new earth in re- 
 gard to death ? 
 
 What does the Judge of the world declare ? 
 
 Did he make the present earth, and will he 
 make the new one also ? 
 
 What does he command concerning these 
 things ? 
 
 For what purpose have they been written ? 
 
 What does the author say of this work? 
 
 What will probably be the effect of the whole 
 view of the Geography which he has presented? 
 
 What does he suppose may be the effect on 
 those who read and study this little book ? 
 
 Should it have this effect, what will be the 
 consequence to the author? 
 
 What will seme probablv pronounce this book 
 to be ? 
 
 What answer does the author give to this ob 
 jection ? 
 
 Has it been the custom to write Geography in 
 this form ? 
 
 What opinion, notwithstanding, does the author* 
 give of it ? 
 
 Repeat his concluding remark: 
 
~()inHt('d in itsvlare, p. ] 03. 
 SPANISH NORTH AMEHICjI. 
 
 Boundaries, — N. and N. E. by the United States j 
 E, by the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean sea 
 S. by the Isthmus of Darien ; W. by the Pacific ocean ; 
 containing- 1,258,000 square miles. 
 
 ]3ivisions No Provinres. Population in 1825 
 
 1. Mexico, or New Spain, 15 - 5,840,000 
 
 2. Guatimala, - - - 6 - 1,500,000 
 
 V/EST INDIES. 
 
 These Islands, 33 in number, lie between Florida 
 and the northern coast of S. America ; and contain* 
 tog-ether, 105,000 square miles, 450,000 white inhabit- 
 ants, and 1,600,000 muiattoes and negroes. — Total 
 52,050,000. 
 
 The island of Hispaniola, or Hayti, is independent ;; 
 the rest belong to Great Britain, Spain, and a few to 
 other European nations- 
 
 SOUTH AMERICA. 
 
 Boundaries. — It has North America, and the West 
 Indies, N. ; the Atlantic and Ethiopic oceans, E. ; Ter- 
 ra del Fuego, S. ; and the Pacific ocean W. It con- 
 tains 7,000,000 square miles. 
 
 Divisions. Population. 
 
 1. New Granada, - . - . 1,800,000 
 
 ± Colombia, 728,000 
 
 3; Guiana, 220,000 
 
 4. Peru, 1,077,000 
 
 5. Brazil, 2,400,00a 
 
 6. Buenos Ayres, . . - - 2,000,000 
 
 7. Chili, ..---- 1,200,000 
 
 8. Patagonia, unknown. 
 
 Except Brazil, which is connected with Portugal, 
 
 these late provinces of Spain, have thrown off the yoke 
 of that kingdom, and become independent state?. 
 
C0WrTS2^TS. 
 
 AxKCrtNT GJCOGRAPHT. 
 
 Definition of Geography, - .. - - 6 
 
 Of the creation of the Earth and the Heavens, t6. 
 
 The Solar System, - - - - - 14 
 
 Table of the Sim and Planets, - - - 15 
 
 Names of the twelve Constellations, - - 22 
 
 Of the Earth, 27 
 
 Classification of seas, - - . , - 30 
 
 JVatural History, ------ 37 
 
 The Earth. — Gcograpliical terms, 53 
 The creation, character, and inheritance of Man. 
 —Mesopotamia, and the rivers and places within 
 
 and abotit it, which are mentioned hj Moses, ^^ 
 
 Geolog-ical features and character of Mesopotamia, 67 
 
 The Flood, 75 
 
 The Flood. — Its effects. — liand of Shinar. — Babel. 
 —Confusion of language. — Dispersion of man- 
 
 Idfid. — Their early settlement, - - - CI 
 
 The four ancient Empires of the world, - 85 
 
 WODERW GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Tlie fall of the Roman empire. — The dispersion, 
 state, and prospect of the Jews. — The character, 
 introduction, and effects of Christianity.— The 
 rise, character, and final overthrow of Popery 
 and Mahometanism, - - . , 90 
 
 THE WORLD IN GENERAL. 
 
 Of man. — ^The varieties in the human race. — Unin- 
 habited parts of the world. — Its population, and 
 that of its principal divisions.— -Proportion of 
 deaths according to age. — Averag - length of 
 biiman life. — Number of births and deaths ^u 
 
niialiy in Kussia. — Proportion of births and deaths 
 ill a g-eneration. — Annouat of births and deaths, 
 oil the whole globe, in a year, a da}^ an hour, 
 cj minute — Increase of mankind, if there were no 
 wars nor pestilences, and of their support, by ex- ♦ 
 isting- and futtire improvements. — The proportion 
 of the sexes tbr.t are born, - - - 9t, 
 
 POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Lang-uages. — Forms of Government. — Religion, 105 
 
 GENERAL GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Progress from the savage to the civilized state. — ^ 
 Savages. — Civilized men. — Navigation. — Its ef- ^ 
 fects on the state of the world, - - y^- 
 
 Of Protestant Christian Missions to the heathen. — 
 Commencement, progress, success, present state, 
 and future prospects of these missions, - 119 
 
 PARTICULAR MODERN GEOGRAPHr. 122 
 
 .Of Asia, 125 
 
 Of Europe, ._>--. ih. 
 
 Of Africa, 126 
 
 Of America, ------ ib. 
 
 Of North America, ----- .127 
 
 Of British America, ----- ib. 
 
 Of the United States, . - . - ih. 
 
 Of Oceanica, - 12C 
 
 Of Spanish N. and S. America and West Indies, 160 
 
 PROSPECTIVE GEOGRAPHY. 
 
 Introduction, - - - - »- 131 
 
 Of the great moral change yet to take place in the 
 
 world, .--*---- 134 
 
 Consequences of this great moral change, - 141 
 
 Of the period immediately succeeding the close of 
 
 the thousand years of happiness in this world. — 
 
 The final judgment. — ^The burning of the worlds 148 
 
 The new heavens and the new earth, - - 155 
 
 THK END. 
 
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