DEDICATION. 



I t was a golden age, which united humanity and 

 fcience, exempted men of liberal minds and educa- 

 tion, employed in the nobleft of all occupations, that 

 of exploring the diftant parts of the Globe, from be- 

 ing any longer degraded, and rated as little better 

 than the Buccaneer, or pirate, becaufe they had, till- 

 then, in manners been nearly hmilar. 



I t is well known, that an uncertainty had ftill 

 remained concerning the form, quantity, and confift- 

 ence of the earth ; and this, in fpite of all their abili- 

 ties and improvement, met philofophers in many ma- 

 terial inveftigations and delicate calculations. Uni- 

 verfal benevolence, a diftinguilning quality of Your 

 Majesty, led You to take upon Yourfelf the direc- 

 tion of the mode, and furnifhing the means of remo- 

 ving thefe doubts and difficulties for the common be- 

 nefit of mankind, who were ail alike interefled in 

 them. 



By Your Majesty's command, for thefe great pur- 

 pofes, Your fleets penetrated into unknown feas, 



fraught 



