ORIGIN OF THE DIFFERENT NATIONS, THEIR POLITICAL REVOLUTIONS, PUBLISHED BY W. W. WOODWARD, PHILADELPHIA, AND BY T. B. WAIT & co. AND CHARLES WILLIAMS, BOSTON. T. B. Wait & Co. Printers, 1812. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT: BE it remembered, That on the twentieth day of July, A. D. 1811, and in the thirty-sixth year of the Independence of the United States of America, THOMAS B. WAIT AND CO. of the said district, have deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit: A Geographical and Historical View of the World: exhibiting a complete delineation of the natural and artificial features of each country; and a succinet narrative of the origin of the different nations, their political revolutions, and progress in arts, sciences, literature, commerce, etc. The whole comprising all that is important in the geography of the globe, and the history of mankind. By John Bigland, author of " Letters on Ancient and Modern History," "Essays on various subjects," etc. etc. With Notes, correcting and improving the part which relates to the American Continent and Islands. By Jedidiah Morse, D.D. A.A.S. S.H.S. author of the American Universal Geography, etc. In five volumes. In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, intitled, “An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an act intitled, “ An act supplementary to an act, intitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprie. tors of such copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving, and Etching Historical, and other Prints." WILLIAM S. SHAW, Clerk of the District of Massachusetts. PREFACE. GEOGRAPHY and History are two great luminaries, which reciprocate their light, and ought ever to be, in some mode or other, concomitants. The ancient historians were convinced of this truth. Herodotus, Diod. Sicul. Sallust, and Cæsar, besides many others, have mixed geographical descriptions with their narratives; and their example has been followed by the historian of the Decline of the Roman Empire, with several other modern writers. Supported by such authorities, I presume to offer to the public a compendious history of mankind, illustrated by a view of geography and physical circumstances. The utility of these studies is so well known and acknowledged, that a long preface is unnecessary to a work on subjects so important and so universally interesting. Many books, however, both on geography and history, being abroad in the world, some apology may perhaps be expected for adding another to the number. Without pretending to depreciate the labours of others, it will not be amiss to observe, that this compendium being constructed on a plan entirely new, and compiled from original authorities, its use will not be superseded by any work which at present is extant. In treating subjects so vast and 38 DE 13 8 A 717 |
