1 THE PRESENT STATE OF THE Republick of Letters. For JANUARY 1733. ARTICLE I. A compleat Syftem of general Geography, JANUARY 1733. A of of the Atmosphere; the Nature of Exhalations, Winds, Storms, Torna- dos, &c. The Origin of Springs, Mi- neral Waters, Burning Mountains, Mines, &c. The Ufes, and making of Maps, Globes, and Sea-Charts. The Foundations of Dialing; the Art of Meafuring Heights and Distances; the Art of Ship-Building, Navigation, and the Ways of finding the Longitude at Sea. Originally written in Latin by Bernhard Varenius, M. D. fince im- proved and illuftrated by Sir Ifaac Newton, and Dr. Jurin; and now tranflated into English, with additio- nal Notes, Copper-Plates, an Alpha- betical Index, and other Improvements. Particularly useful to Students in the Universities, Travellers, Sailors, and all thofe, who defire to be acquaint- ed with mix'd Mathematicks, Geogra- phy, Aftronomy and Navigation. By Mr. Dugdale. The whole revised and corrected by Peter Shaw, M. D. Lon- Church-Yard. 8vo. Two Vol. First TH HIS Work, as appears from its Title, is a Mixture of Geography, Geometry, Aftronomy, natural Philofophy and Mechanicks. It was first published at Amfterdam in 1650; but the Dutch Edition being out of Print, Sir Isaac Newton, Lucafian Profeffor of Mathematicks in the University of Cambridge, undertook to fend it into the World again, with Emendations, Additions, and fuch Schemes and Tables as he judged proper for the Explanation and Illuftration of fo useful a Piece. This was perform'd in 1672. A Second Edition was published at Cambridge in 1681, with farther Additions. THE intrinfick Value of the Book itself, and the Improvements made by that great Ornament of our Country, recommended it fo ftrongly, that a new Edition of it became neceffary. Dr. Bentley, Mafter of Trinity College in Cambridge, was fo fenfible of the Importance of it, that he engaged Dr. James Jurin, then Mafter of Arts, and Fellow of that College, to undertake it, and add an Appendix, containing the Discoveries made fince the Time, in which the Author lived. This was printed in 1712. The Tranflation before us is made from the Edition laft mention'd. Sir Ifaac Newton left 33 Figures to illuftrate the original Work and his own Additions; which are now increased to 49, engraved on 12 CopperPlates. MR. Dugdale in the Geometrical Part of this Work has demonftrated feveral Propofitions when occafion requir'd it: explain'd feveral tedious Demonftrations; or at least directed his Reader, where he may find Satisfaction in thofe Points. In the Aftronomical Part, he has undertaken to ftrengthen the Author's Arguments in favour of the Copernican Syftem, and correct or illuftrate his Affertions and Propofitions by others taken from later Writers, or grounded on more accurate Obfervations, made fince his Death. In the Philofophica! Part, he has rejected, what he calls, the improbable Conjectures of the Antients, and the unwarrantable Suppofitions of Des Cartes, of which he thinks Varenius was too fond. Instead of them, he introduces the Newtonian Principles, for folving the Phenomena, which he prefers to thofe of the French Philofopher. In the Geographical Part he has alter'd the Names, Situation and Description of feveral Countries, Iflands, Seas, &c. fo as to make them more conformable to our Englife Maps. Dr. Jurin's Appendix is tranflated and diftributed through the whole in its proper Places. As Varenius's Book in Latin, is not every where now to be found, it is hoped the Learned will pardon our inferting fome Paffages of it, especially when our Editor's Obfervations and Improvements would not be very intelligible without; and our English Readers will expect no Apology, for giving them fome Acquaintance with a Foreign Writer, who has been thought worthy of the Regard of three of the greateft Men of our own Nation. THE whole is divided into three Books; which are fubdivided into forty Chapters. The firft Book treats of Abfolute Geography, viz. the Figure of the Earth, its Measure, Motion, Situation, &c. its Conftitution, Parts, &c. The fecond of Relative Geography, that is, of the Properties of the Earth in refpect to the Hea |