250 NEW ATLANTIS 



To this he said, ' You remember it aright ; and there- 

 fore in that I shall say to you, I must reserve some 

 particulars, which it is not lawful for me to reveal, but 

 there will be enough left to give you satisfaction. 



' You shall understand (that which perhaps you will 

 scarce think credible) that about three thousand years 

 ago, or somewhat more, the navigation of the world 

 (especially for remote voyages) was greater than at this 

 day. Do not think with yourselves, that I know not 

 how much it is increased with you, within these six- 

 score years ; I know it well, and yet I say, greater then 

 than now ; whether it was, that the example of the 

 Ark, that saved the remnant of men from the universal 

 deluge, gave men confidence to adventure upon the 

 waters, or what it was ; but such is the truth. The 

 Phoenicians, and specially the Tyrians, had great fleets ; 

 so had the Carthaginians their colony, which is yet 

 further west. Toward the east the shipping of Egypt, 

 and of Palestine, was likewise great. China also, and 

 the great Atlantis (that you call America), which have 

 now but junks and canoes, abounded then in tall ships. 

 This island (as appeareth by faithful registers of those 

 times) had then fifteen hundred strong ships, of great 

 content. Of all this there is with you sparing memory, 

 or none ; but we have large knowledge thereof. 



' At that time, this land was known and frequented 

 by the ships and vessels of all the nations before named. 

 And (as it cometh to pass) they had many times men 

 of other countries, that were no sailors, that came with 

 them ; as Persians, Chaldeans, Arabians, so as almost 

 all nations of might and fame resorted hither ; of whom 

 we have some stirps and little tribes with us at this 

 day. And for our own ships, they went sundry voyages, 

 as well to your straits, which you call the Pillars of 

 Hercules, as to other parts in the Atlantic and Mediter- 

 ranean Seas ; as to Paguin (which is the same with 

 Cambaline) and Quinzy, upon the Oriental Seas, as far 

 as to the borders of the East Tartary. 



' At the same time, and an age after or more, the 

 inhabitants of the great Atlantis did flourish. For 



