( *3 ) 



tion, which were in vogue in his time, he reje£b, . 

 as frivolous, the applications made of certain pro- 

 phecies on this fubje6t, and efpecially that of Ab- 

 dias, which had been applied to' the converfion of 

 the Weft-Indies by the minjftry, of the French and 

 Spaniards, the only nations who have truly under- 

 taken this great work ; for the Portuguefe, to whom 

 the Brazils owe their converfion, may be compre- 

 hended under the name of Spaniards, and the mif- 

 lionaries of the other nations of Europe who have 

 had a'fhare in the publication of the gofpel in the 

 new World, went thither under the banner of the 

 crowns of France, Spain, and Portugal. In fad, 

 Abdias could pofTibly have had the Idumearfs only, 

 in view, and there is not a fingle word in his pro^ 

 phecy that can be applied to America with any de- 

 gree of probability. 



rviOn! v.i 'VjlniLl ■ oj ; < .. . . . v . • 

 Lefcarbot leans fomewhat more towards the fen- 



timent of thofe who have tranfported into the new 

 world the Canaanites, who were driven out of the 

 promifed land by Jofhua. He thinks there is at 

 leaft fome probability in this notion, becaufe thefe 

 nations, as well as the Americans, were accuftomed 

 to make their children pafs through the fire, and to 

 feed upon human flefh, whilft they invoked their 

 Idols. He approves "wh at Father Acofta fays of the 

 accidents which might have caufed certain mips to 

 land in America," and alfo with refpecl to the paffage 

 by the north of Afia and Europe. He believes that 

 all the parts of the Continent are contiguous, or at 

 leaft, that if there be any Streight to pafs, like that 

 of Magellan, which he fuppofes feparates two Con- 

 tinents from each other, the animals which are to 

 be found in the New World might have made their 

 v paffage good notwithstanding, fince Jacques Car- 

 tier faw a bear, as large as a cow, fwim over an 



arm 



