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" natural division 'forms many nations of a moderate ex- 

 " tent. The North'- of Europe has been called, the forge 

 " of the human race. In Asia, they have always had great 

 " iempires: in Eurrtjie, .they could never be established, 

 " Here observe (by'the way) the effect of a country being 

 -"'divided into a dumber of small states; as ancient Greece 

 "for instance, Ancient Italy, modern Italy, Germany, and 

 *' the rest of Europe, at this day; with respect to the en- 

 " couragement of commerce, letters, and arts. In Europe, 

 " the ruling by laws is not incompatible with the main- 

 " tenance of the state, but favourable to its continuance. 

 " It is thi^, wliioh has 'formed a genius for liberty; which 

 " has rendered every part difficult to be subdued by fo- 

 ^' reign powers. On the contrary, in Asia, a servile spirit 

 ''has uniformly reigned." 



" On the; Wpy principle on which slavery prevailed, ge- 

 " nerally, in Asia, it will be seen, why Egypt, if we 

 " are to call it part of Asia^ Egypt long formed an ex- 

 •' ception to all that has been said, respecting the loca- 

 " lity of Asia. It is difficult of access almost on every 

 *' part; affording great impediments to an invasion, and 

 ^' powerful means of defence against a foreign enemy. On 

 *' the side of the Mediterranean sea is a very small line 

 " of coast, in proportion to the general extent and impor- 

 " tance of the country, and this is very difficult of ap- 

 " proach. At each mouth of the Nile are formidable Avhirl- 

 " pools and quicksands; on each flank of Egypt, it is dc- 

 " fended by a dreadful desert of vast extent, where tha 

 .zvoi/: 3^. •; I !*■>; '♦'ii »'^" shifting 



