ixS Asia exceeds Europe and Africa in the extent of its territories, 

 it is also superior to them in the serenity of its air, the fertility of its 

 soil, the deliciousness of its fruits, the fragrancy and balsamic quali- 

 ties of its plants, spices, and gums ; the salubrity of its drugs ; the 

 quantity, variety, beauty, and value of its gems ; the richness of its 

 metals, and the fineness of its silks and cottons. It was in Asia, 

 according to the sacred records, that the all-wise Creator planted the 

 gai^den of Eden, in which he formed the first man and first woman, 

 from whom the race of mankind was to spring. Asia became again 

 the nursery of the world after the deluge, whence the descendants of 

 Noah dispersed their various colonies into all the other parts of the 

 globe. It was in Asia that God placed his once-favourite people, the 

 Hebrews, whom he enlightened by revelations delivered by the pro- 

 phets, and to whom he gave the Oracles of Truth. It was'here that 

 the great and merciful work of our redemption was accomplished by 

 his divine Son ; and it was from hence that the light of his glorious 

 Gospel was carried, with amazing rapidity, into all the known nations, 

 by his disciples and followers. Here the first Christian churches 

 were founded, and the Christian faith miraculously propagated and 

 cherished, even with the blood of innumerable martyrs. It was in 

 Asia that the first edifices were reared, and the first empires found- 

 ed ; while the other parts of tne globe were inhabited only by wild 

 animals. On all these accounts, this quarter claims a superiority 

 over the rest. But it must be owned that a great change has hap- 

 pened in that part of it called Turkey, which has lost much of its 

 ancient splendour; and from the most populous and best cultivated 

 spot in Asia, is almost become a wild and uncultivated desert. The 

 other parts of Asia continue much in their former condition, the soil 

 being as remarkable for its fertility as most of the inhabitants for 

 their indolence, effeminacy, and luxury. This effeminacy is chiefly 

 owing to the warmth of the climate, though in some measure heigh- 

 tened by custom and education : and the symptoms of it are more or 

 less visible, as the several nations are seated nearer or further from 

 the north. Hence the Tartars, who live in nearly the same latitudes 

 with us, are as brave, hardy, strong, and vigorous, as any European 

 nation. What is wanting in the robust frame of their bodies, among 

 the Chinese, Hindoos, and all the inhabitants of the most southern 

 regions, is in a great measure made up to them by the vivacity of 

 their minds, and ingenuity in various kinds of workmanship, which 

 our most skilful mechanics have in vain endeavoured to imitate. 



This vast extent of territory was successively governed, in early 

 times, by the Assyrians, the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks ; 

 but the imm°r:? r> regions of India and China were little known to 



Von. II. B 



