DEDICATION. 



It 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 fimilar,. 



It 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 philosophers in many ma- 

 terial inveifigations and ^delicate calculations, Uni- 

 verfal benevolence, a diftinguilhing quality of Your 

 Majesty, led You to take upon Yoiirfelf 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 all alike interefted in 

 them. 



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

 pofes, Your fleets penetrated into unknown feas, 



fraught 



