Obs. For the particulars of the British Empire, see Goldsmith's British Geography.

331. Asia includes countries the most populous and fertile of any on the globe. It was, besides, the first peopled, the residence of our first parents, the scene of scripture-history, and in Canaan, Jesus Christ worked his miracles, and promulgated the doctrines of revelation and a future state.

332. 'Modern Asia contains Siberia, Tartary, China, Birmania, Malacca, Hindostan, Thibet, Persia, Arabia, Syria, Turkey in Asia, besides the vast islands of Japan, Borneo, Sumatra, Ceylon, New Holland, ihe Philippines, Formosa, &c.

333. The internal seas of Asia are the Red Sea, the Persian Gulph, the Caspian Sea, the Japanese Sea, and the Yellow Sea. Its coasts are washed besides, by the Great Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Chinese Sea, the Northern Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea.

334. Its great rivers are the Ganges, the Euphrates, the Indus, the Amur, the Kian Ku, and the Hoan Ho; and the mountains where these rise, are the Uralian, the Gauts, those of Caucasus, Taurus, and Thibet.

335. British India, or countries governed by England in India, are those immense and fertile districts watered by the Ganges called Bengal, of which Calcutta is the capital ; nearly the whole of the coasts of the peninsula of India; and the island of Ceylon.

Where sacred Gauges pours along the plain,
And Indus rolls to swell the eastern muin,

What awful scener the curious mind delight
What wonders burst upon the darsled sight!
There giant-palme lift ligh their tufted heatis :
The plantain wide his graceful folinge spready
Wild in the woods the active monkey spring 1
The chattering parrot claps her painted wingai
'Mid tall bainboos lies hid the deadly mnake,
The tiger couches in the tangled brakes
The #potted axis bounds in fear away
The leopard darty og bis detenceles prey.
'Mid reedy pools and ancient forests rude,
Cool, peaceful haunt of awful solitude !
The huge rhinoceros rends the crashing bougha o
And stately elephants untroubled browse.
Two tyrant-seasons rule the wide domnin.
Brorch with dry heat, or drench with toode of rata i
Now feverish herde rush madding o'er the plains
And cool in shady streams their throbbing veins :
The birds drop lireless from the silent spray,"
And vature faints beneath the fiery day:
Then burete the deluge on the sinking shore,

And teeming Plenty empties all her store. 938. China is at once the most ancient, the most extensive, the most populous, and best regulated empire in the world. In it are more than 300 millions of people; and its laws and government have subsisted, with very slight changes, for upwards of 3,000 years,

337. It is covered with canals, and every ncre of its soil is cultivated. To secure it from invasion, it is separated from Tartary by a wall 1,600 miles long, and so thick, that tive horsemen may every where ride abreast on it; yet the Tartars conquered China about 160 years ago, and still retain its governmeuf.

898. The chief cities of China are, Pekin, Nankin, and Canton, each of whicb contains

more inhabitants than London, and they are rather more extensive. Canton is the only port where foreigners are allowed to trade; and from hence, the English bring teas and other Chinese commodities for the supply of Europe.

CHINESE

339. The Birman empire, of which the capitals are Ava and Pegu, separates China from Judia. Persia, celebrated in ancient history, has for many years been torn in pieces by civil wars.

Arabia is famous for the exploits of Mahomet; and for the still wandering character of „ts inhabitants.

O'er Arabia's desert sands

The patient camel walks :
'Mid lonely caves and rocky lands

The fell hyena stalks.
On her cool and shady hills,

Coffee-shrubs and tam'rinds grow :
Headlong, fall the welcome rills

Down the fruitful dells below.
GF. The fragrant myrrh and healing balm
Perfum, the passing gale :

N

THA how with dates the aprendlog palin

O'er.cow're the peopled vale

Haver in the darkrudh air,
Like a torrent Hoshing louil,

Autre installinluent taste

The stilling hot winda ilvo
Down falle the win witli trembling liste;

The gaping rallle die
Shepherd-people on the plain

Pitrile their fruta mud wander free
Wealthy ritime they misilsilt,

I'vor get blest with liberty. 314). The land of Canaan, now called Syria, las lueu for four centuries in the hands of the Turks; and, like other party of their empire, has beconie almost a desert. Jerusalem, Bethbabent, and the places recorded in the OW und New Testaments, ale now supported chiefly by pilgrims from Catholic countries, and there are Hillclapely for their reception.

3:11. The following is a summary of the great divisions of Asia : -Nations.

Chief Cities: Popula' en Turkey Alcipo.

19 millions Asmenn

10 do. Prkim aud Nankin..900 do.

ó. 30 do Hitman Empire

10 do.

Arabia

Mecca and Medium :. 10 do. $312. AFRICA ia that quarter of the world which lies, for the chief pant, within the corrid zone;

and is, consequently, burnt up by extreme hent, which engenders also ferocious wild beasts, and every kind of noxious reptiles. It is therefore unhealthy; and in every respect unfavourable to the civilization of man.

343. In ancient times, it was the site of Carthage--the rival of Rome, and for ages the mistress of the commerce of the world; and through all history, Egypt has been famous as the Nursery of the Sciences, and the Emporium of Commerce. At present, Carthage lies in ruins ; and Egypt is a prey to civil anarchy.

344. The northern coasts are inhabited by the Moors, at whose lead is the despotic Emperor of Morocco. The piratical States of Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli, are also on these coasts. At present, the Cape of Good Hope, the southern promontory, and an English settlement, is the only part of Africa adapted to the enjoyment of man.

345. From the northern coasts to the Cape of Good Hope, the whole of this immense continent is inhabited by innumerable tribes or nations of Blacks; many of them in a state of absolute barbarism, and few possessing any considerable degree of civilizution.

346. The ehief rivers of Africa are, the Nile, the Niger, and the Senegal. The mountains are those of Atlas and the Moon. The islands are Madagascar, the Cape Verd, and the delightful Canaries, in one of which is the lotty Peak of Teneriffe.

N?