XV 
The INTRODUCTION, 
Notice, that the Objection is founded in a Fadt, and that Fadt again, upon a Suppofitioffi that the 
Earth is a perfedt Sphere, which, however, fome able Men have doubted, and affigned very probable 
Reafons for their Doubts. Sir Ifaac Newton thought the Earth a flat Spheroid, and Mr. Cajjini be**’ 
lieved it to be a long Spheroid. It is plain enough, that if either of thefe great Men were in' the 
Right, this would alter the Diftances of Places, that have the fame Longitude and Latitude* and 
confequently, take away the Grounds of this Objedion ; yet, inftead of introducing any Certainty* 
would beget ft i’ll greater Incertainties ; for, it muff be allowed, that if the latter of thefe Conjectures 
had been 'taken for Truth, while the former really was fo, then in a Courfe of one hundred Degrees 
of Longitude, the moft expert and cautious Seaman muff have committed an Error of two Degrees, 
which Slews the Importance of this Enquiry. His moil Chriftian Majefty being informed perfectly 
as to this Matter, in the Days of Cardinal Floury, when the Arts of Peace were his Care, refolved, 
that at his Expence, this Point fhould be put out of Difpute, by caufing two Degrees to be meafured, 
one at the Equator, and the other under the polar Circle, which has been accordingly done, and there- 
by the Truth of Sir Ifaac Newtons Conjecture fully proved. Hence we hgjve great Reafon to expeCt, 
that the Figure of the Earth will very foon be perfectly known, and the different Lengths of Degrees 
digefted into accurate Tables, fo as to be {hewn by bare InfpeCtion, and then we have the greateft 
Room to hope, that as the foregoing Objection took rife from FaCts falfly ftated, it will, by the true 
true dating of FaCts, be entirely taken away. 
One Thing more we fhall obferve before we quit this SubjeCt, and it is this, that the feVeral Me^- 
thods of finding the Longitude before-mentioned, depend upon aftronomical Obfervations, and thofe 
too, very nice and exaCt, which at Sea it is very difficult, at any Time, and very often impracticable 
to make; whence aiifes the Neceffity of finding out fome other Way of difcovering the Longitude, 
for which hitherto nothing has bid fo fir as a perfeCt finding out the Variation of the magnetic 
Needle, which being adjufted to a Table of Longitudes, they would then reciprocally ffiew each other* 
This,' however, we can never hope, till fuch Time as the Princes of Europe , laying afide their Jea- 
loufies and Animofities, unite in the generous and pious Ddlgn of promoting the common Advantage 
cf all their Subjects, by encouraging the Study of thole Sciences, which being perfectly underftood, 
would open a Way to many concealed Branches of Commerce, which might make the Inhabitants of" 
their refpeCtive Dominions as rich and happy as themfelves could wifh, whenever this true and laud- 
able Ambition fhall take Place of that falfe and feigned Ambition which now rules them, we may 
expeCt to fee thofe great Events, and we may reafonably hope to Le them fir ft take Place, at leaft, 
in Part, in that Nation, where this bleffed Change, fo agreeable to the Maxims of Reafon, the Laws 
of Nature, and the DoCtrines of the Chrifl an Religion fhall firft appear. 
We re not, however, to hope this until fuch Time as the Minds of Men are, in fome meafure, 
cured of certain Prejudices which prevail but too generally at prefent. For Inftance, while it is poi- 
fible for any Nation poffeffed of, or veiled with the Power of improving Commerce and Maritime 
Force, to be induced to imagine that any Thing elfe is more worthy her Study and Regard: For 
with refpeCt to extenfive Commerce, we may fafely venture to affert, it is the one Thing neceffaiy in 
Politicks; and if we fludy and purfue this, all Things elfe will be added unto us. It is a.ridiculous 
Thing for fuch a Nation to complain, that her Commodities lie upon her Hands, that her Manufac-* 
tures decay, that Numbers of her People are idle, that Multitudes are poor, and that her Condition 
grows daily worfe and worfe. I fay, fuch Complaints are ridiculous, becaufe it is in her own Power 
to redrefs all thefe Evils, by minding her own Interefl, and applying herfelf to that Thing which 
alone well minded, muff certainly and abfolutely cure them all: But the moff ridiculous Complaint 
that can be made in a Trading Nation is, againft Smuggling; for that plainly proves that fhe has 
minded her Bufinefs fo little, that her Neighbours have got the Start of her, fince it is impoffible that 
foreign Commodities fhould be bought cheaper in one Country than another, unlefs the Laws of 
that other Country are fo framed, as to opprefs and difcourage Trade. 
The Remedy of all thefe Evils, is very foon found, and very eafily applied, if once Mens Eyes are 
opened, and their Hearts enlarged ; for if the Underflanding be clear, and the Will right, a Nation, 
like a private Family, foon alters its Condition, and recovers, by a prudent Management, what was 
loft through want of Attention. The great Engine in both Cafes is, Induftry, and Induftry rightly 
applied. By Induftry, with ref edt to a Nation, we muft mean Application to Trade, as in private 
Life, we mean Application to Bufinefs; for, both in publick, and in private Life, Men may be in- 
dufttious, that is to fay, may be adtive, eager and diligent, not only to no Purpofe, but to bad Pur- 
pofes; for Inftance, the Gamefter takes as much Pains to acquire Money, as the Tradefman, but with 
"this Difference, that the more he labours, the worfe he defer ves, and the richer he grows, the greater 
his lnfamy. Yet why is he infamous? Not furely becaufe he feeks Wealth, but becaufe he feeks it 
In a difboneft Way, in a Way, which though ufeful to himfelf, is deftrudtive to his Neighbours, in 
a Way inconfiftent with Society, and wfiich truly renders him an Enemy to Mankind. But after 
all, is not Ufury, or the Art of making Money beget Money, of the fame Prejudice in Publick, as 
Gaming in private Life, and ought not the Maxims in Government which encourage the one, to be 
as imiverfally condemned, as thofe that tolerate the other. 
Let any Man, who confiders the Confequences of both, fpeak what his Heart dictates, and he muft 
fay they ought ; for if the bare Poffeffion of Money, will produce Money ; and if by watching the Ne- 
ceffities of the Publick, Men can grow as foon, and as certainly rich, as by applying themfelves to 
Trade, it follows, that where-ever this happens, the Idle will eat the Bread of the Induftrious, and 
thofe Men be at the Head of a Society, who are Enemies to Society, in Pradtice at leaft, if not in 
Principle. And now let me have Leave to afk, Wherein the Man who betters his private Fortune^ 
without advancing the Stock of the Publick, is better than a Gamefter ? 
But 
