88 Kbtlccs respecting Kew Books. 



One essential merit in this v\oik is, the liberal and exten- 

 sive manner in which the opinions of preceding writers arc 

 detailed ; and the impartiality which Mr. Clarke observes 

 in leaving the reader to form his own opinion from the facts 

 that are adduced. We perceive no attachment to system, 

 or preconceived opinions ; no invidious aspersion even 

 when considerable errors arc detected ; no wish to steal the 

 thoughts of other writers and di^guisc them under a new 

 form of expression. The mariner's compass, from the evi- 

 dence which Mr. Clarke adduces, was certainly first known 

 and used in the Indian ocean, whence it was introduced 

 into Europe as a new discovery. It is assigned by professor 

 Asseniani, of Padua, to the Arabians, (Introduction, p. g, 

 note ;) and Mr. Clarke has brousrht strong proof to show 

 that the flower which marks the ?<[orth, and which has er- 

 roneously been called the Jleiir de lis, was in reality the In- 

 dian lotus. Dr. IJyde, in his treatise De Religioiic Vctirum 

 Persanun, affirms that the Chaldeans and Arabians had 

 innnemorially made use of the compaSi> to guide them over 

 the vast deserts that overspread their respective countries ; 

 and according to the Chinese records, as cited by Mr. Mau- 

 rice, the emperor Chingvang, above a thousand years l)e- 

 fore Christ, presented the ambassadors of the king of Co- 

 chin- China with a species of magnetic index which they 

 called citinan ; a name by which they at this day denomi- 

 nate the mariner's compass. [Progress of Maritime Disco- 

 vcri/, sect. i. p. 7.) The earliest allusion to the directive 

 po\\'er of the magnet occurs in the Life of Pythogaras by 

 Jamblichus, who asserts that " Pythagoras took from 

 Abaris, the Ilvpcrborean, his golden dart, without which 

 it was impoirsible for him to find his road." (Ibid. p. 51.) 

 Mr. Clarke thinks that the loadstone, though not used in 

 havioaiion, was brought by Solomon's navigators from India 

 to Europe; and in support of this cites, on the authority 

 6f Mr. Ilenlev, a passage from the 10th chapter of the first 

 book of Kings, (ch. iii. p. 397-) The magnet was men- 

 tioned by the most antient classical \\-r)ters under the name 

 of Lapis Hcrnclius, in allusion to Hercules, who was said 

 to have sailed in a golden cup, given him by Apollo, to the 

 coasts of Spain, where he set up the pillars that bear his 

 name; or perhaps rather from Hcraclea, a city of Lydia, 

 where it was discovered. Our author's learned relation. Dr. 

 \\'t)lton, was of opinion that the magnet was known aud 

 admired by the antients, but v/as never employed for the 

 purposes of navigation. (Ibid, pages 177 inid 17B.) These 

 are ccrUiiuly very curious facts, v.liich luvs hitherto been 



too 



