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LETTER XXII. 
A MIND, naturally inquifitive, one 
would imagine, muft feel diffatisfied 
in a (late of total ignorance, relative to the 
furface of this terreftrial globe. The great- 
eft number of mankind know nothing more 
of the planet they inhabit, than the town 
or parifh in which they were born. A fchool- 
boy, from a public feminary, is as ignorant 
of Geography as a peafant, and the fyftern 
of education at the Univerfities is not cal- 
culated to inculcate Geographical informa- 
tion. 
There are, I believe, very few young gen- 
tlemen, who do not feel deprefTed by this 
load of geographical ignorance. Every 
Newfpaper is an opprobrium. They read the 
names of towns and countries without know- 
ing in what quarter of the world they are 
to be found 5 and they are afraid to afk 
queftions, which, they know, fome children 
could anfwer. They have feen Geographi- 
cal Grammars; but thefe are fuch thick 
clofe-printed volumes, and feem to contain 
fuch a multifarious accumulation of fcience 
N and 
