ELUCIDATIONS. 
213 
to this fpirit that we are indehted for the progrellive uiiprove- 
ments in the North- American and Afiatic Geography : our fyf- 
tems embracing obje6;s far fuperior to the limited viev/s \vil\\ 
which Geographical Surveys are ordinarily undertaken : not the 
topograpliy of townlhips, diftricls, counties; but the Geogra- 
phy of Empires, Regions, and Continents ! 
As both Europe, and its adjacent Continent, Asia, are 
fpread over with inland feas, lakes, or rivers of the moft ex- 
tended navigations, fo as collectively to aid the tranfport of bul- 
ky articles of merchandize from one extreme of them to the 
other ; and to form (like ftepping-ftones over a brook) a more 
commodious communication; fo likewife the northern part of 
the new Continent appears to have an almoil continuous Inland 
Navigation, which muil: pro^^e of infinite advantage to the in- 
habitants, when fully peopled ; and contribute to their fpeedier 
civihzation, in the mean time. But Africa (lands alone in a 
geographical view ! Penetrated by no inland feas, like the Mediter- 
ranean, Baltic, or Hudfon's Bay ; nor overfpread with extenfive 
lakes, like thofe of North America; nor having in comm.on with 
the other Continents, rivers running from the center to the ex- 
tremities : but, on the contrary, its regions feparated from each 
other by the lead practicable of all boundaries, arid Defarts of 
fuch 
