66 Geographj/. [Chap. V. 



them the blessings of literary, moral, and religions 

 knowledge, and the arts of cultivated life, as in 

 initiating them into the vices which corrupt and de- 

 grade, we might expect soon to see them become 

 the happy seats of literature, science, arts, and 

 pure Christianity, and, in time, reflecting rich 

 blessings on their benefactors. 



The enlargement of geographical knowledge 

 during the last century has led to an increase 

 of the comforts and elegancies of life, in almost 

 every part of the civilised world. By this the 

 productions of every climate have become known 

 and enjoyed in every other; the inventions and 

 improvements of one country have been communi- 

 cated to the most distant regions; and the comforts 

 of life, and the refinement of luxury, have gained 

 a degree of prevalence among mankind greatly 

 beyond all former precedent. Never, assuredly, in 

 any former age, were so many of the natural pro- 

 ductions, and the manufactures of different coun- 

 tries enjoyed by so large a portion of the human 

 race, as at the close of the eighteenth century. 



Finally, the geographical discoveries of the last 

 age have contributed to illustrate and confirm Re- 

 velation. The discoveries of Behring and Cook 

 were before mentioned as throwing light on the 

 population of the New World, and thus tending 

 to support the sacred history. But, beside these, 

 the knowledge of the manners, customs, and tra- 

 ditions of different nations, especially of those on 

 the Eastern Continent, gained by modern ^•oyager<! 

 and travellers, has served to illustrate the meaning, 

 and unfold the beauty of many passages of scrip- 



