Tho' learn'd, well-bred; and tho' well-bred, Of GEOGRAPHY; GEOGRAPHY is a Defcription Geography de- call'd and Parts, viz. (1.) Geography pro- Its Divifion perly fo call'd, as it denotes bare- into Geography ly a Defcription of the Land, or terrestrial Part properly fo of the Surface of the Globe. (2.) Hydrography, Hydrography. which contains a Defcription of the Waters, or aqueous Part of the Earth's Surface. divided into Proper or Special Geography is again divided Proper or Speinto (1.) Chorography, which is a Defcription of cial Geography particular Countries, as Great Britain, France, Chorography &c. (2.) Topography, which is a Description of and Topograparticular Places. Geography may again be di- phy. vided into (1.) The Phyfical Part, which treats of the Nature and Qualities of the feveral Parts of the Earth and its Appennages; as the Figure, Magnitude, &c. of the Earth itfelf; of Mountains, Seas, Rivers, &c. of Beafts, Birds, and Fishes, &c. (2.) The civil or political Part, which treats of Cities, Towns, Societies, Laws, Language, Learning and Customs, of the feveral. Peoples and Nations of the Earth. THE Principles on which the Science of Geo- The Principies graphy depends, are of three forts, viz. (1.) Pro- of Geography. pofitions Of the general the Earth. pofitions of Geometry, Arithmetic and Trigonometry. (2.) Aftronomical Precepts and Theorems. (3.) Experience; for the greatest Part of Geography is the Refult of the Obfervations and Experience of those who have travel'd and defcrib'd the feveral Countries. SINCE the Globe or Body of Earth on which Affections of we live, is the immediate Subject of this curious and most useful Science, I fhall firft confider the more general and abfolute Affections thereof, and then those which are more particular. Of the first Kind are (1.) The Figure or Form. (2.) The Magnitude or Dimensions thereof. (3.) The Motion of the Earth. (4.) The Situation thereof in respect of the other Parts of the Universe. (5.) The conftituent Parts or Subftance of the Earth. Of all which in their Order. Of the Figure of the Earth. The odd Notions of the it. As to the Figure of the Earth, the Antients had different and very odd and abfurd Opinions of it. Some thought it was plain; others, that Antients about it was concave; and again fome, that it was quadrangular; and others, that it was oblong, or in Form of a Parallelogram. Crates resembled it to a Semicircle; Hipparchus to a round Table; Pofidonius to the Form of a Sling; Leucippus to the Form of a Drum; and others form'd other vulgar and rude Conceptions, and made wretched and fenfelefs Comparisons concerning it; all which were in Time confuted, as the World grew wifer. When and where Mathematical Knowledge came to be understood, Philofophy (which without it is generally the most aukward Nonfenfe) foon convinc'd Men that the Figure of the Earth was that of a round Ball or Globe; and this Opinion was fufficiently establish'd and even demonftrated by many of the Antients, as Pythagoras, Ariftotle, Archimedes and others; and indeed common Experience and Knowledge The true Figure of the Earth is Foundness or Sphericity. of of Travellers, Navigators, and Aftronomers does fo invincibly atteft the Truth of the Roundness of the Earth by many infallible Obfervations and Arguments, that it can never more be doubted Or rather that of. But tho' the Earth, as to the general Idea, of a prolate be of a Round or Spherical Form, yet the modern Sphere, or Spheroid. or Newtonian Philofophy (which refines on all others) hath really demonftrated that it is not exactly round, but fpheroidical, or that of an oblate Sphere or Spheroid: And that the Diameter of the Equator, or from Eaft to Weft, is greater than that of the Poles, or from North to South, by about 34 Miles, the Proportion to each other being as 692 to 689. Earth. THE Magnitude of the Earth is eafily attain- Of the Magniable many Ways, as I have fhew'd in my Young tude of the Trigonometer's Guide. For fince it is known to be round, and that one Degree of a Great Circle thereof contains 69 and a half of our Statute Miles, 'tis evident the Circumference of the Farth will be 25020 Miles; and therefore the Diameter or Thickness of the Earth is 7964 Miles; the Surface will contain 1992 50205 Square Miles, and the folid Content of the Earth will be 264466789170 Cubic Miles. about the Sun. THE Motion of the Earth about the Sun hath Of the Motion been long afferted by the Learned, and denied by of the Earth the Ignorant and the Enthufiaft, who never fail to oppugn what they don't understand. In the dark Ages of Antiquity Pythagoras was the first who difcern'd and maintain'd it; which was again loft, with all other valuable Learning, for many Ages, till retriev'd by Copernicus, Galileo, &c. and is now demonftrated beyond all Exception to equal Judges of the Matter. For fince it is fufficiently proved, That the Squares of the Periodical Times are proportional to the Cubes of the Distances from the Centers of the Orbits, about |