EUROPEAN. 175 



nearly central in France ; and Brest and Cherburg, in the north-west. 

 The island of Corsica belongs to France. The Canal of Languedoc, 

 in the south-west, is one hundred and eighty miles long ; and there 

 are other important canals, connecting the principal rivers ; but these 

 we have no room to mention. France excels in agriculture, manu- 

 factures, science and literature; and is now enjoying great national 

 prosperity. 



Great Britain-, includes England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland; 

 with the adjacent smaller islands, west of the North or German 

 Sea. The island of Britain or Britland, was anciently called 

 Britannia; and comprehended Britannia Prima, in the south; 

 Britannia Secunda, since called Wales ; Flavia Cassariensis, in 

 the centre and east ; Maxima Csesariensis, now the north of Eng- 

 land ; with Valentia in the south, and Caledonia in the north of 

 Scotland. The Orkney and Shetland Islands, north of Scotland, 

 and the Hebrides or Western Islands, on the west of it, belong to 

 Great Britain. The Wall of Hadrian ran eastward from Solway 

 Frith ; and that of Jintonine extended from the Frith of Clyde to 

 that of Forth. Ireland was anciently called lerne or Hibernia ; and 

 the Irish Sea, Mare Hibernicum. The capital of Great Britain, is 

 London, anciently called Londinium, on the river Thames ; now 

 containing 1,600,000 inhabitants, and probably the largest city 

 in the world. The other chief cities of England, are Bristol, Bir- 

 mingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds, in the west, all ex- 

 celling in manufactures and commerce ; York, the ancient Eboracum, 

 in the north-east ; Portsmouth, and Plymouth, in the south ; and 

 Oxford, on the Thames, and Cambridge, in the east, famed for their 

 Universities. In Scotland, are Edinburgh and Glasgow, Paisley, 

 and Aberdeen ; and in Ireland, Dublin, Cork, ami Limerick. Great 

 Britain has extensive resources in her exhaustless mines of iron and 

 coal ; and her vast manufactories ; in which and in extent of com- 

 merce, she stands unrivalled. She excels all other nations, except 

 perhaps the United States, in the extent of her canals and railroads ; 

 by which all the parts, of England especially, are closely connected. 

 Her progress in science and literature has not been inferior ; and she 

 has done perhaps more than any other nation, to civilize and Chris- 

 tianize the world. 



3. We come next to Central Europe, including Germany and 

 the nations with which it is, or has been, associated. This is a rich 

 and fertile portion of the old world, producing grain, wine, wool, 

 and cattle, in abundance ; and the mines of Germany are among the 

 most extensive and celebrated known. In education, arts, literature, 

 and science, Germany shares with France and Great Britain, the 

 foremost place among the nations, notwithstanding her divided politi- 

 cal state. 



Belgium, is a part of the ancient Belgica ; and recently formed, 

 in connection with Holland, the kingdom of Netherlands : but it now 

 constitutes a distinct and flourishing monarchy, though of small 

 extent. It includes the old provinces of Luxemberg, and Liege, in 

 the south-east, Brabant, in the east, and the greater part of Flanders, 

 in the west. Luxemberg, is a part of Germany ; and hence the 



