34 The Universe. 



earth, this has been variously determined 

 by different authors, both ancient and 

 modern. The following dimensions may 

 be taken as near the truth. 



The circumference . . 25,OOO miles. 

 The polar diameter . . 7893 miles, 

 The equatorial diameter 7928 miles, 

 The superficies 198,944,206 sq. miles. 

 The solidity 263,930,000,000 cubic m. 

 Also the seas, and unknown parts of the 

 earth, by a measurement of the best maps, 

 contain 160,522,026 square miles ; the in- 

 habited parts, 38,922,180 ; of which Eu- 

 rope contains 4,456,065 ; Asia, 10,768,- 

 823 ; Africa, 9,654,807 ; and America, 

 14,110,874 square miles. 



Of the divisions of the Earth. In tak- 

 ing a view of the terraqueous globe the 

 3iiost obvious divisions that present them- 

 selves, are those that are sketched by the 

 yielding water on the crooked shore, call- 

 ed continents, islands, seas, &c. 



A continent is a large tract of land not 

 separated by the sea ; as Europe, Asia, 

 &c. An ocean is a vast collection of wa- 

 ter not separated by land ; as the Atlan- 

 tic, Pacific, &c. A sea is a smaller col- 

 lection of water communicating with the 



