Genre:

Essay

Subjects:

Astronomy, Physical Geography, Human Geography, Navigation

People mentioned:

Ferdinand Magellan, Isaac Newton, Francois M A deVoltaire, Thales, Pythagoras of Samos, Ptolemy, Nicholas Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei

    Begins: 'Among the many sciences which tend to improve the mind, and elevate our conceptions, there is none, perhaps, more eminently useful than the study of geography'. Whilst other authors 'consider it in too limited sense; imagining that a bare enumeration of the manners, amusements, disposition, and genius, of several nations, is sufficient to form a perfect system of geography' this essay is written to 'treat more amply that part of geography which considers the earth as a planet, which demonstrates the principles of motion, and describes, explicitly, its internal formation, and external appearance, and to explain, with precision, such parts of natural philosophy as are requisite to a perfect knowledge of geography'. (539)