THE MODERN PART OF AN Univerfal History, FROM THE Earliest AccOUNT of TIME. Compiled from ORIGINAL WRITERS: By the AUTHORS of the ANTIENT PART. IN RECTO DE CVS LONDON: Printed for T. OSBORNE, C. HITCH, A. MILLAR, JOHN RIVINGTON, S. CROWDER, B. LAW and M.DCC.LXV. THE CONCLUSION OF THE Modern History. INTRODUCTION. Wherein the geography of the globe of the earth is confidered in a new light, with a view to future difcove ries. HE furface of our earth is not like that of the planet T Jupiter, divided alternately by belts and parallels to the equator, but from pole to pole by two tracts of land, and two of fea. The principal tract is the old continent, whofe greateft length is found by measuring in diagonal from the eaftermoft point of North Tartary, along the borders of the Linchidalen Gulph, where the Ruffians have a whale-fishery, to Tobolfki; from thence across the Cafpian and Red Seas to Monoemuigi and the empire of Monomotopa, and from thence to the Cape of Good Hope. This line, the longeft that can be measured on the old continent, is about 10,800 miles, and is no-where interrupted, except by the Cafpian and Red Seas, whofe extent are very inconfiderable in an enquiry which includes the whole furface of the globe, as divided into four parts. THIS extraordinary length could neither be obtained by measuring in meridians, nor by lines parallell, or nearly fo, to the equator. The longeft on the former plan, from Cape North, in Lapland, to the Cape of Good Hope, in Africa, is only MOD. HIST. VOL. XLIII. B abous about 7,500 miles; and on the latter plan, from Breft, in Britany, to the eastermoft coaft of Cochin-China, about 6,900 miles whence it is evident to demonftration, that the greateft length of the old continent, from the eastermoft cape of North Tartary to the Cape of Good Hope, is about 10,800 English miles. THIS line muft, therefore, be regarded as the middle, or center line of that tract of land diftinguished by the name of the Old Continent, because, in meafuring the furface of the earth on both fides of this line, the part on the left is found to contain 7,413,278 fquare miles, and that on the right 7,409,061 fquare miles, a furprising equality, which is next to a demonftration that this line is not only the longest, but the true middle line of the old continent, which, according to this admeasurement, contains about 14,822,339 fquare miles, fomewhat lefs, indeed, than a fifth of the furface of the whole globe; but yet a vast tract of land inclined to the equator in an angle of 30 degrees. THE new continent muft alfo be regarded as an immenfe tract. Its greatest length fhould be taken from the mouth of the river Plata, to that swampy country, which lies beyond the lake of Affinoboils. The line of admeasurement ftrikes from la Plata to the Lake Caracares, from thence through the country of the Mataguais and Chiriguanis, to Pocono, Zongo, and Zamas; from thence to St. Fé and Carthagena, through the Gulph of Mexico, croffing Jamaica, Cuba, and the peninfula of Florida, to the Apalachian mountains; from thence to Fort Louis, in Louisiana, and lastly to the people that dwell beyond the lake of Alfinoboils, where it terminates in land not yet discovered. THIS line, which is interrupted only by the Gulph of Mexico, a kind of mediterranean fea, is in length about 7,500 English miles, dividing the new continent into two equal parts, of which that on the left contains about 3,207,858 fquare miles; and that on the right 3,212,778 fquare miles. This continent, like the other, is inclined to the equator in an angle of 30 degrees, but in an oppofite direction; the old continent ftretching from north-eaft to fouth-weft, and the new from the north-weft to the fouth-east. The fum of thefe two continents, taken together, amounts to no more than 21,242,979 fquare miles, not a third of the furface of the whole globe, which is computed at feventy-five millions of fquare miles nearly. It is befides obfervable, that these two lines which traverfe the old and new continents, dividing each into equal parts, both determinate in the fame degrees of latitude, as well well to the north as to the fouth; and it is no less remarkable, that the two continents lie oppofed to each other in contrary directions. It is likewife very remarkable, that the countries bordering upon thefe lines, that is, within a moderate diftance of fix or feven hundred miles on each fide of them, are more antient, generally speaking, than thofe at a greater distance. Whoever will take the pains to pursue this idea, may be convinced that Europe, and perhaps China and the eastern parts of Tartary, are new countries compared with Arabia the Happy and the Defart, Perfia and Georgia, Turcomania, Circaffia, and the innermoft parts of Tartary. Thus, in the new continent, the Terra Magellanica, the eaftern coaft of Brafil, the country of the Amazons, Guiana, and Canada, are new to Tucumen, Peru, the Terra Firma, Mexico, and Miffiffippi. To thefe obfervations may be added two very fingular facts; the first, that as the two continents are oppofed to each other, the old is more extended to the north of the equator than the new; and on the contrary, the new ftretches farther to the fouth than the old: thus, by each having its center, the one in 16 or 18 degrees of north latitude, and the other in 16 or 18 degrees of fouth latitude, they feen both defigned by Providence as a counterpoize to each other. The fecond fact is, the remarkable conformity between the two continents, in that both are nearly divided into two parts, each of which parts would be encompaffed by the fea, were it not for the two little ifthmus's of Suez and Panama. THESE are the principal remarks which an attentive infpection into the general divifion of the earth has produced. It may, however, appear too precipitate to form a new hypothefis upon thefe premifes; but as none hitherto have confidered the divifion of the earth in the fame point of view, it will not be improper to add a few reflections. It is certainly very fingular, that the line which gives the greatest length to the terreftrial continents fhould likewise divide them into two equal parts; and, it is no lefs remarkable, that these two lines fhould begin and end in the fame degrees of latitude, and have both the fame degrees of inclination to the equator. Thefe conformities may lead in general to fomething which may hereafter be discovered, and of which we are now ignorant; but we shall proceed to illuftrate what has already been obferved, that the most antient countries are thofe which are the higheft, and approach nearest to thefe lines, and that the laft inhabited are the lowest and fartheft removed from them. Thus, for example, in America, the country of the Amazons, Guiana, and B 2 Canada, |