DEDICATION 
miift difcover. If, on the contrary, tht 
Cape of Good Hope be ceded to the crown 
of England, I make bo queftion but the 
Bpitiiii will foon eftablifli colonies on the 
caftern and weftern coafts, whlGh5 in con- 
junction with their fouthern pofieffion, inuft 
efFefiually Ihut out every other nation from 
interpofing with that part of Africa. 
At prefent, if we take a view of the gen- 
eral ftate of Europe, and in confidering this 
fubjecl, direft our attention more efpecially 
to England, we Ihall obferve how effentiai 
to her future commerce, the colonizing and 
cultivating thofe parts mufl ultimately prove. 
The French Republic have accomipliihcd an 
objecl: which for centuries they have been 
attempting in vain, and which they con- 
ceive muft, in the courfe of a very few- 
years, give their trada a decided preference 
to that of England. They have conquered 
the Beigic provinces^ and the Emperor hath 
ceded thefe countries for ever to the French 
Republic. Antwerp^ the great depot of Eu- 
ropean commerce^ about 250 years ago,, 
looks proudly and confidently to a fudden 
refurreftion ; ihe was defpoiled of her trade 
by fhutting up the river that nature gave 
her ; but the French, who have reftored 
this navigation, exultingly declare, that by 
opening the Scheldt^ they will fliut the 
Thames. Without giving full credit to this 
cxpeclation, we may reafonably fuppofe,. 
tkat as moft of the trade of London came 
