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of the Ptolemies; and the iron sceptre of the CHAP. Mamalukes is now in the hands of a Turkish pasha. The Nile flows down the country, above five hundred miles from the tropic of Cancer to the Mediterranean, and marks, on either side, the extent of fertility by the measure of its inunda tions. Cyrene, situate towards the west, and along the sea-coast, was first a Greek colony, afterwards a province of Egypt, and is now lost in the desert of Barca.

From Cyrene to the ocean, the coast of Africa extends above fifteen hundred miles; yet so closely is it pressed between the Mediterranean and the Sahara, or sandy desert, that its breadth seldom exceeds fourscore or an hundred miles. The eastern division was considered by the Romans as the more peculiar and proper province of Africa. Till the arrival of the Phoenician colonies, that fertile country was inhabited by the Libyans, the most savage of mankind. Under the immediate jurisdiction of Carthage, it became the center of commerce and empire; but the republic of Carthage is now degenerated into the feeble and disorderly states of Tripoli and Tunis. The military government of Algiers

s the wide extent of Numidia, as it was once united under Massinissa and Jugurtha: but in the time of Augustus, the limits of Numidia were contracted; and, at least, two thirds of the country acquiesced in the name of Mauritania, with the epithet of Cæsariensis. The genuine Mauritania, or country of the Moors, which, from the ancient city of Tingi, or Tangier,

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was

Africa.

1.

CHA P. was distinguished by the appellation of Tin gitana, is represented by the modern kingdom of Fez Salle, on the ocean, so infamous at present for its piratical depredations, was noticed by the Romans, as the extreme object of their power, and almost of their geography. A city of their foundation may still be discovered near Mequinez, the residence of the barbarian whom style t the emperor emperor of Mo

The Medi

with its

islands.

we condescend to not that his more

rocco; but it does

southern dominions, Morocco itself, and Segelmessa, were ever comprehended within the Roman province. The western parts of Africa are intersected by the branches of mount Atlas, a name so idly celebrated by the fancy of poets * but which is now diffused over the immense ocean that rolls between the ancient and the new continent form

Having now finshed the circuit of the Roman terranean empire, we may observe that Africa is divided from Spain by a narrow strait of about twelve 37 miles, through which the Atlantic flows into the Mediterranean. The columns of Hercules, so famous among the ancients, were two mountains which

and

The long range, moderate height are very of

mount Atlas (see Shaw's Travels, p. 5.) are

a soli

tary mountain which rears its head into the clouds, and seems

on

to support the heavens. The peak o contrary,

rises a league and a half above the

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sea, and as it was frequently visited by the Phoenicians, might engage the notice of the Greek poets. See Buffon, Histoire Naturelle, tom. i. p. 812. Histoire des Voyages, tom. ii. v

+ M. de Voltaire, tom. xiv. p. 297. unsupported by either fact or probability, has generously bestowed the Canary Islands on the Roman empire.

I.I

which seemed to have been torn astrider by someNCH A E. convulsion of the elements and sat the foot ofg the European mountain, the fortress of Gibralto tar is now seated. The whole extent of the Me diterranean Sea, its coasts, and its islands, wered comprised within the Roman dominions Of the larger islands, the two Baleares, which derive their name of Majorca and Minorca from their respective size, are subject at present, the former to Spain, the latter to Great Britain. It is easier to deplore the fate, than to describe the actual condition of Corsica. Two Italian sovereigns assume a regal title from Sardinia and Sicily. Crete, or Candia, with Cyprus, and most of the smaller islands of Greece and Asia, have been subdued by the Turkish arms; whilst the little rock of Malta defies their power, and has emerged, under the government of its military Order, into fame and opulence.

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This long enumeration of provinces, whose General **** broken fragments have formed so many power Roman em ful kingdoms, might almost induce us to forgive pire. the yanity or ignorance of the ancients. Dazzled with the extensive sway, the irresistible strength, and the real or affected moderation of the emperors, they permitted themselves to despise, and sometimes to forget, the outlying countries which had been left in the enjoyment of a barbarous independence; and they gradually usurped the licence of confounding the Roman monarchy with the globe of the earth * But the temper,

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*Bergier, Hist. des Grands Chemins, 1. i. c. 1,00,03, 4.

a very useful collection.

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CHA P. temper, as well as knowledge, of a modern his

I.

torian, require a more sober and accurate language. He may impress a juster image of the greatness of Rome, by observing that the empire was above two thousand miles in breadth, from the wall of Antoninus and the northern limits of Dacia, to mount Atlas and the tropic of Cancer; that it extended, in length, more than three thousand miles from the Western Ocean to the Euphrates; that was situated in the finest part of the Temperate Zone, between the twenty-fourth and fifty-sixth degrees of northern latitude; and that it was supposed to contain above sixteen hundred thousand square miles, for the most part of fertile and well cultivated land *.

*See Templeman's Survey of the Globe: but I distrust both the Doctor's leaming and his maps.

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WAWHICH A Prİyem ǝH
studio puverendo yd smoЯ to
Of the Union and internal prosperity of the Roman
Empire, in the Age of the Antonines.x

II.

Principles

T is not alone by the rapidity, or extent of con- CHAP. quest, that we should estimate the greatness of Rome, The Sovereign of the Russian deserts commands a larger portion of the globe. In the of govern seventh summer after his passage of the Helle- ment. spont, Alexander erected the Macedonian trophies on the banks of the Hyphasis *. Within less than a century, the irresistible Zingis, and the Mogul princes of his race, spread their cruel devastations and transient empire, from the sea of China, to the confines of Egypt and Germany. But the firm edifice of Roman power was raised and preserved by the wisdom of ages. The obe. dient provinces of Trajan and the Antonines were united by laws, and adorned by arts. They might occasionally suffer from the partial abuse of delegated authority; but the general principle of government was wise, simple, and beneficent. They enjoyed the religion of their ancestors, whilst in civil honours and advantages they were exalted, by just degrees, to an equality with their conquerors.

I. The

* They were erected about the midway between Labor and Delhi. The conquests of Alexander in Hindostan were confined to the Punjah, a country watered by the five great streams of the Indus.

+ See M. de Guignes, Histoires des Huns, 1. xv, xvi, and xvii.'

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