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known to the ancients terminated. The name 

 of Fortunate Islands had long been as vague a 

 signification, as that of Dorado among the first 

 conquerors of America. Happiness was thought 

 to reside at the end of the Earth, as we seek 

 for the most exquisite enjoyments of the mind 

 in an ideal world beyond the limits of reality. 



We must not be surprised, that, previous to 

 the time of Aristotle, we find no accurate notion 

 respecting the Canary islands, and the volca- 

 noes they contain, among the Greek geogra- 

 phers. The only nation, whose navigations ex- 

 tended toward the west and the north, the Car- 

 thaginians, were interested in throwing a veil 

 of mystery over those distant regions. While 

 the senate of Carthage was averse to any partial 

 emigration, it pointed out these islands as a 

 place of refuge in times of trouble and public 

 misfortune ; they were to the Carthaginians, what 

 the free soil of America is become to Europeans 

 amidst their religious and civil dissensions. 



The Canaries were not better known to the 

 Romans till eighty-four years before the reign 

 of Octavian. A private individual was desirous 

 of executing the project, which wise foresight 

 had dictated to the senate of Carthage. Serto- 

 rius, conquered by Sylla, wearied with the tu- 

 mult of arms, looks out for a safe and peaceable 

 retreat. He chooses the Fortunate Islands, of 

 which a delightful picture had been drawn for 



