4 
DISCOVERIES OF THE ANQIENTS. 
are mentioned by ancient writers, and many more 
were probably undertaken, of which no records 
are now in existence. Yet the steps of their pro- 
gress can by no means be traced with the same 
precision as those by which the modern world 
has been explored. Regular narratives, such as 
have now become so frequent, were either never 
produced, or have all perished in the wreck of 
antiquity. The events connected with this pro- 
gress, are found only in detached notices scatter- 
ed through the writings of geographers, histo- 
rians, and even of poets. These have, however, 
been collected with very great diligence by a se- 
ries of learned men in modern times, from whose 
inquiries, compared with the original materials, it 
may be possible to exhibit such a sketch of the 
progress of ancient discovery in Africa, as will be 
gratifying to the curiosity of the general reader. 
The first steps of that process by which the old 
world was divided into continents, are involved in 
some obscurity. Several curious notices, however, 
are recorded by Eratosthenes.* The distinction 
* Strabo (Xylandri), II. 45. It is true, Strabo himself en- 
deavours to controvert these observations, but, so far as I can 
discover, on no soHd ground, and solely from his general wish 
to contradict his predecessor. The application to Africa is 
of my own making ; but 1 think it arises clearly from the pre- 
cedent of Asia, and from the particular and general uses of 
the names of Africa and Libya, as noticed in the text. 
DSl 
