Chap. I. 
George Anson, Efq ; 
3$1 
Inftance, as the 'Variation of the Needle, the perfect Know- 
ledge of the Longitude, and the exaCt Defcription of the 
true Form of the Earth ; for, though we know with Cer- 
tainty, that it is fpherical or globular, yet it is no lefs cer- 
tain, that we have not as yet a clear, diftinCt, and demon- 
ftrative Notion of its true Form ; though there are ftrong 
Reafons to believe, that, what Sir Ifaac Newton advanced 
upon this Subject, is the Truth, or, at lead, very near the 
Truth. What has been hitherto advanced with reiipefit 
to the Variation of the Needle, and the Caufes thereof, 
appears, from Experience, yery uncertain and unfatisfaCtory. 
If, from Obfervations already made, any probable Syllem 
fhouid be hereafter formed, the Truth of them can be 
eftabliftied, or their Falfhood fully detected, by fuch 
Voyages only. If we do not keep up, and even extend, 
the Knowledge we have of the Countries about the South 
Pole, as well as of thofe about the North, we can never 
hope or expeCt to come at Truth, either in regard to this, 
or to the Longitude ; which, notwithstanding what fome 
great Mathematicians have peremptorily determined, may 
have a nearer Relation to each other, than we can imagine. 
I know it may be faid, that all thofe Things, and parti- 
cularly the Figure of the Globe, upon which, perhaps, they 
are all founded, are to fuch a Degree certain, as to ferve the 
Ufes of Navigation, fo far as the Accuratenefs of that Art is 
hitherto praCtifed •, but yet, if that Art may be carried to 
a much higher Degree of Perfection, as in the Opinion of 
the fitted Judges it certainly may, by the Profecution of fuch 
Inquiries as have been mentioned, why fhouid they not be 
profecuted, or why fhouid we either decline or circum- 
fcribe that Method by which alone they can be profecuted 
to Advantage ? It is certain, that, befides the Points al- 
ready touched, there are many others, which we are con- 
tent to believe certain, though fome Doubts have been 
i moved about them, not without great Appearance of 
Reafon ; And, as I am now taking my Leave of Things 
i of this Nature, I will take the Liberty of mentioning one. 
Tt is fuppofed, that, the Longitude and Latitude of Places 
being once certainly and accurately determined, they can 
never alter, whatever Variation or Deviation may happen 
to the celeflial Bodies. Yet this has not only been doubted, 
but the very contrary of it has been afferted, firft by the 
famous Jofeph Sc aliger, in the Year 1610 ; and afterwards 
by a learned Frenchman , Mr, Peter Pit tit, who wrote- an 
exprefs Treatife upon it, affirming, that, after a certain 
time, the Latitude and Longitude of Places on the Surface of 
the Earth have a fenfible Change : And, to confirm this, he 
has compared many Obfervations, recorded by theAntients, 
of the Latitude of feveral Places, particularly Paris and 
Rome, with modern Obfervations of the Latitude of the fame 
Places ; from whence it appears, that there are very con- 
fiderable Differences between them ; which Differences he 
afcribes to the Variation of the Poles of the Earth. It is 
very certain, that fuch Differences there are, and fmaller 
Differences between the Obfervations of modern Travel- 
lers ; but I pretend not to determine, whether they are 
thus occafioned. Scaliger indeed fays, that, after a certain 
time, the Pofitions of Dials will alter, and become falfe, 
as if they had been removed, and placed in a wrong La- 
titude. But, if all this fhouid be true, I am very fenfible, 
that the refpeCtive Pofition and Diflance of Places towards 
each other would hill remain the fame, and the Defcription 
of Places on the artificial Globe remain true and unaltered, 
Ithough new Meridians, and new Parallels, might be drawn 
over them. I only mention this, to fhew, that there are 
frill many Things to be inquired into ; and that, though 
we far exceed the Antients, yet we have not carried Navi- 
gation, either to its utmoft Degree of Perfection, or even 
to that Degree of Perfection, of which, from former 
Difcoveries, it appears capable of being carried : And 
from hence X infer the Neceffity of purfuing long Voyages, 
rand of perfifhng, in order to farther Difcoveries, in that 
Courfe by which fo much already has been difcovered. 
But it may be demanded. Who is it that you oppofe ? 
Who has written againft long Voyages? Who has endea- 
voured to hinder, or circumfcribe them ? Or why do you 
take fo much Pains to eftablifli a Thing, that nobody has 
controverted ? Such Queftions as thefe are common, in the 
modem Way of Reafoning j and this is called holding a 
Man to a Point, to which if he cannot give an Anfwef, he 
is immediately condemned as unreafonable and chimerical., 
Now I very readily own, that I know of none who have 
oppofed what I labour to eftablifli. But if the Reader wifi 
weigh what is laid down in the Remarks on the laft Serif ion,, 
and will refled: on what I have there faid, as to the Impedi- 
ments that ftand in the Way of difeovering the Southern 
Continent, he cannot be at a Lofs for the Reafons that in- 
duced me to labour this Point withfb great Diligence j be- 
caufe he cannot but perceive, that we are rircumferibed on 
every Side by the high eft Authority ; infomuch that, except 
in Time of War, and by Ships of War, there is no make 
ing any Difcoveries, unlefs under the Direction of certain 
Perfons, who have an Intereft in avoiding, and even in pre- 
venting, Difcoveries. I might carry my Obfervations on 
this Head a great deal farther - } but, as 1 have already car- 
ried them far enough to juftify my ConduCt in this relpeCri, 
I am content to fay no more of it. 
But there is one Thing, that, before I conclude this 
Chapter, it is requifite that I fhouid fuggeft to the Reader 
*md it is this ; That we can only circumfcribe' ourfelves. 
Other Nations will, and, indeed, have a Right to take what 
Liberties they pleafe j fo that there is juft Reafon to fear, 
that if we go on in this Method, or if we do not very 
foon alter it, we fhall fee that Spirit of Difcovery, that Ge- 
nius for Commerce, and that Skill in Navigation, for which 
we have been, and are yet famous, transferred elfewhere ; 
for though we may limit the Inclinations, and damp the De- 
fires of our own People, yet we have no Power over Fo- 
reigners, much lefs over the Defigns of Providence. An 
Inftance will make this evident beyond Contradiction : We 
have taken all imaginable Pains, to fecure to ourfelves the 
Trade of the Eaft- Indies, by Laws made in favour of the 
Eaji-India Company : The Swedes and Danes , however, 
trade freely within the Limits of that Company, by which 
they not only fupply themfelves and their Neighbours with 
Indian Commodities, but likewife fome of our neareft 
Neighbours, and even the Inhabitants of the Northern 
Part of our I/land. But, perhaps, if other Meafures had 
been taken, this Mifchief might have been prevented. 
In order to monopolize Trade, we muft leave it free : This 
may foem a Paradox, if not a Contradiction but Reafon and 
Experience fhew us, that it is a Truth. Where-ever Trade 
and Navigation are encouraged, they will profper 5 where- 
ever they meet with ReftriCtions, they will remove, or die. If 
we would embrace the Trade of the World, we muft en- 
courage Trade more than any other Nation in the World ; 
if we would maintain and increafe our Maritime Power, 
we muft extend our Difcoveries, in order to make way for 
that Increafe. It is a Maxim infilled upon by fome Poli- 
tical Writers, and, I believe, they are not in the Wrong, 
viz. That a Nation may gain by Trade, though the Per- 
fons concerned in that Trade are Lofers : But how long 
can this laft ? If we fo manage Matters, that a great Num- 
ber of Merchants over-trade themfelves, or, to exprefs it 
with greater Propriety, are difappointed in their Expecta- 
tions from Trade, the natural Confequence is, that they 
will, or rather muft, decline Trade, which will ruin our 
Navigation. 
But, if new Difcoveries could be made, new Chanels 
would be opened, new Expectations raifed ; and this poli- 
tical Maxim would be verified in its utmoft Extent ; for 
tho 5 fuch private Perfons as might firft engage in thefe new 
Trades, might poffibly be no Gainers by them, yet the 
Nation would •, for, in time, thofe Trades muft be efta- 
blifhed, and the Number of Shipping requifite to carry them 
on would be plainly a new Acquifition to our maritime 
Force. I know of no Method more likely to revive and 
reftore fuch a Difpofition amongft us, than this of recording 
the Exploits of eminent Seamen, that the prefent Age, and 
Pofterity, may have before their Eyes Examples of thofe 
fhining Virtues, which demand not only their Applaufe, 
but their Imitation j Virtues which have not only raifed the 
Maritime Powers to that Height of Grandeur, which they 
enjoy at prefent, but have been likewife of fuch eminent 
Service to the whole Race of Mankind, by extending and 
promoting the molt ufeful Kinds of Knowledge, and by 
contributing to polifli and civilize the molt diftant and bar- 
barous Nations, uniting thereby in friendly Correfpondence 
fuch 
