i 64 j 



be expected, the preferring the private and particular gain of 

 certain individuals to the general interefts of the community, 

 as well as to the intereft of the whole world, in the extenfion of 

 fcience. This it was that induced the States General, at the 

 inftance of their Eaft India Company, to difcourage all attempts, 

 for finding a North Eaft pafTage, and to ftifle fuch accounts as 

 tended to fhew that it was practicable. We may add to thefe, 

 the fournefs of difappointed navigators who endeavoured to ren- 

 der their own mifcarriages proofs of the impracticability of any 

 like attempts. This was the cafe of Captain Wood, who was 

 fhipwrecked upon Nova Zembla, and who declared, that all en- 

 deavours on that fide were, and would be, found vain; though 

 Barentz, who died there in a like expedition, affirmed, with his 

 laft breath, that, in his own opinion, fuch a pafTage might be 

 found. 



That the earth was fpherical in its form,, was an opinion very 

 early entertained, and amongft the learned generally admitted.. 

 It feemed to be a plain deduction from thence, that a right line, 

 parting through the globe, would terminate in two points dia- 

 metrically oppofite. Plato is thought to., be the firft who fpoke 

 of the inhabitants (if fuch there were) dwelling at or near thofe 

 points, by the name of Antipodes. This doctrine occafioned dis- 

 putes amongft philofophers for many ages; fome maintained, 

 fome denied, and fome treated it. as abfurd, ridiculous, and im- 

 pomble e . Whoever will examine impartially the fentiments of 

 thefe great men, weigh the contrariety of their opinions, and 

 conlider the {ingularity of their reafonings, will fee and be con- 

 vinced how unsatisfactory their, notions were, and difcover from 



e Lucr. de Natura Rerum, lib. I. ver. 1063. Cicer. Acad. QuafL 

 lib. V. Plin. Hift. Natural, lib. II. cap. 65. Plutarch, de Facie in 

 Grbc Lunse. Macrob. de Somn. Scip. lib. II. 



thence, 



