Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca, 
Or, A Complete Collection of 
VOYAGES and T RAVELS. 
\ 
BOOK L 
' » 
An Account of the Circum-Navigators of the Globe^ and of the 
Dilcoveries of the Eaft and Wefi Indies, 
CHAP. III. 
Comprehending the Difcovery, Settlement, and Commerce of the West Indies. 
SECTION I. 
Of the Importance of the new-difcovered Continent of America, the Nature of that 
OifcGvery,^ the Felicities attending it, the Advantages derived from the?tce to the Art 
of Navigation, and the principal Points to be treated of in this Chapter, 
I. fd Ages and. all Nattons have concurred in admiring fuch as have dijlinguijhed themfelves by the Difcovery 
cj new Cgmtries, 2. Tihe Art oj Navigation much improved in Columbus’i time^ and yet he had great 
IDificiattes to gruggle with in Fheory and PraChce. 3. By his Scheme he avoided the Imputation of Herefy^ 
which had fallen upon all who 77 iaintained Antipodes before him, 4. No juft Imputation on him that he 
did noL fnd exaClly as he conjectured, 5. A fuccinct Account of the SubjeCh that are to be treated 
of m this Chapter, J J 
HERE are very few Points as to 
which the Judgments of different 
Times and feveral Nations have fo 
well agreed, as in the Fame due to 
thofe who firft difcovered diftant 
Countries. In relpeft to the fabulous 
Hiftory, Bacchus is highly celebrated 
for his Indian Expedition, and chiefly becaule he durft 
penetrate farther than any Man had ever gone before, he 
was reputed a Deity. The Egyptians,, who were efteemed 
to be the wifefl: People of Antiquity, and with reafon, 
fince almofl; all the Sciences travelled into this part of the* 
World from thence, paid the higheft Tribute of Praife to 
fuch of theii Monarchs as were fuppoled to have con- 
quered the Eaft, and to have penetrated into Countries 
where, .before that time, no vidlorious Armies had ever 
come. It was for the fame Caufe that the lyrian Her- 
iiues was fo much magnified by his Countryiuen ; and 
it was the Glory which thofe Eleroes had acquired, that 
VoL. n. Numb. LXX. 
prompted Alexander, the moft ambitious and moft daring, 
of the Greeks, to undertake his famous Expedition againft 
the Indians, that he might not fall fhort of any whofe 
Names were recorded in Hiftory ; which Vanity of his 
tranfported him to fuch a Degree, that though, after the 
Ruin of the Perftan Empire, he efteemed himfelf only 
the firft of Men •, yet, on his framing the Projed; of in- 
vading India, he conceived himfelf, and expebled that 
others fhould conceive him, fomewhat more than Man. 
In fucceeding Times, we find this Humour far from being 
worn out, fince even the Romans, who, if not a wifer, 
were moft certainly a more moderate and better-judging 
People than the Greeks, efteemed the Invafion of Britain 
by Julius Cafar the moft glorious of his Acftions, and 
that which redounded moft to the Honour of their 
Empire. 
Upon the fame Principle the famous Emperor Prajan 
was fo extremely defirous of following the Example of 
Alexander, and carrying the Terror of the Roman Arm% 
B into. 
