Literature, &c. with Commerce. 23 
mental, than neceffary. But there are other 
branches of natural philofophy which may be 
deemed highly ufeful and important to commer¬ 
cial men. Thefe are Geography, Mechanics, and 
Chemiftry. 
Geography is fo clofely connected with com¬ 
merce, that it would be almoft as great a reflec¬ 
tion on the merchant to be ignorant of it, as of 
the rules of Arithmetic. Shall the man, whofe 
vefiels traverfe every quarter of the globe, be 
unacquainted with its form, its motion, its di- 
vifions, its kingdoms, feas, rivers, lakes, iflands 
and mountains ? Shall he be uninformed of the 
nations and people with whom he traffics, their 
perfons, manners, cuftoms, governments and 
religion ? Are not the flux and reflux of the tides, 
the fituation and courfe of currents in particular 
feas, and the direction of thofe winds, which 
prevail in certain feafons and latitudes, pheno¬ 
mena, into the nature and caufes of which he is 
interefted to inquire ? And, above all, fhould 
he not endeavour to know the produce of every 
country, and the articles, which, not being fup- 
plied in their own climate, may be mod accept¬ 
able objects of commerce to the inhabitants? 
* The remaining branches come more immedi¬ 
ately within the province of the manufafturer. 
Manufactures bear fo intimate a relation to the 
Mechanical Powers, as to be incapable of fub- 
iifling, in any degree of vigour, without their 
C 4 fupport. 
