116 PHYSICAL CONTEMPLATION OP THE UNIVERSE. 



extolled by Strabo ; to its position relatively to Africa, a broad 

 expanse of land within the torrid zone; and to the circum- 

 stance that the prevailing winds from the west are warm winds 

 in winter, owing to their passing over a wide extent of 

 ocean. ( 149 ) The physical constitution of the surface of 

 Europe has moreover offered fewer impediments to the spread 

 of civilisation, than have the long-extended parallel chains of 

 mountains, the lofty plateaus, and the sandy wastes, which 

 in Asia and Africa, form barriers between different nations 

 over which it is difficult to pass. 



In the enumeration of the leading epochs in the history 

 of the physical contemplation of the universe, I propose, 

 therefore, to dwell first on a small portion of the earth's 

 surface where intercourse between nations, and the enlarge- 

 ment of cosmical views which results from such intercourse, 

 Jhave been most favoured by geographical relations, 



