Edge of the brazen Meridian, it is exactly in the Pole of the Horizon.

SECONDLY, The Divifion of the Earth into Zones.

The Tropics and Polar Circles divide the Globe into five Zones, or Belts, which have their Names from the different Degrees of Heat and Cold, which, by their Situation, they are fubject to, viz. One Torrid Zone, two Temperate, and two Frigid. The Torrid Zone lies betwixt the two Tropics; the two Temperate Zones are comprehended betwixt the Tropics and Polar Circles; and the two Frigid Zones lie within the Polar Circles *.

THIRDLY, The Divifions of the Earth by the relative Situation of its Inhabitants to one another, in refpect to Days and Seafons.

1. Those who live in the fame Degree of Longitude, and in equal Latitudes, one North, the other South of the Equator, are called Antaci. The Hour of the Day and Night are the fame with both, but the Seasons of the Year are contrary.

2. Those who live in the fame Latitude, but in oppofite Points of Longitude, are

*The Ancients imagin'd the Temperate Zones only were habitable, fee Ovid Metamorphof. B. I. 1. 49, 50. Virgil Georg. B. I. 1.-233-8.

called

called Periæci. Their Length of Days and Seafons of the Year are the fame; but their Days and Nights are contrary.

3. Thofe who live in equal Latitudes," one North, the other South, and also in oppofite Points of Longitude, are called Antipodes. Thefe have Days, and Nights, and the Seasons of the Year, all contrary to one another +.

FOURTHLY, The Divifion of the Earth by Climates.

Climates are bounded by Parallels of Latitude, drawn at fuch a Distance from each other, as that the longest Day at the leffer Parallel, exceeds that at the next greater Parallel, by half an Hour. There are twentyfour fuch Climates betwixt the Equator and each Polar Circle, which grow narrower as they lie farther distant from the Equator. And there are reckoned fix Climates more from each Polar Circle to its Pole, which increase not by half Hours, but by Months.

+ There is another old Divifion of the Inhabitants of the Earth, with respect to their Shadows, viz, into Afcii, Perifi, &c. fee Gordon, P. I. § 1.

A TA

FIFTHLY, The natural and political Divifions of the Earth.

By the natural Divifion we mean that which Nature has made in the Surface of the Globe, as Land and Water. The Land is again divided into Continents, Ilands, Peninfulas, Ifthmus's, Promontories, Coafts, &c. The Water is alfo diftinguished into Seas, Oceans, Lakes, Gulphs, Bays, Straits, Rivers, &c.

The political Divifion of the Earth is made by Men, who have diftinguished it

into

into four Quarters; and these again into Empires, Kingdoms, States, Republics, Principalities, Provinces, Counties, Parishes, &c. For a particular Description of all which we refer to Gordon's Geographical Grammar, or fome larger Syftem of Geography.

CHA P. III.

A Defcription of the Celestial Globe, its Points and Circles.

T

HE Celeftial Globe is an artificial Representation of the Heavens, having the fixed Stars drawn upon it, in their natural Order and Situation.

It is not pretended that the Celestial Globe is so just a Representation of the Heavens, as the Terreftrial Globe is of the Earth; because here the Stars are drawn upon a convex Surface, whereas they naturally appear in a concave one. But fuppose the Globe was made of Glass, then to an Eye placed in the Center, the Stars which are drawn upon it would appear in a concave Surface, juft as they do in the natural Heavens.

As the Terrestrial Globe, by turning on its Axis, represents the real diurnal Motion

5

of

of the Earth; fo the Celestial Globe, by turning on its Axis, reprefents the apparent diurnal Motion of the Heavens.

The Circles and Points which are either peculiar to the Celestial Globe, or which have not been taken notice of in explaining the Terreftrial, are these that follow:

1. The Zodiac, which is a Hoop, or Belt round the Heavens, of about fixteen Degrees broad; along the middle of which runs the Ecliptic, or the Sun's annual Path. The Signs of the Zodiac are the fixed Stars that are contained in this celeftial Belt; and which, for distinction fake, are thrown into twelve Conftellations, or Afterims, and are called Aries, Taurus, &c.

2. The two Colures *, which are whole Meridians, one paffing thro' the first Point of Aries and Libra, where the Ecliptic croffes the Equinoctial, (the Circle that anfwers to the Equator on the Terreftrial Globe.) The other paffing thro' the first Points of Cancer and Capricorn where the Ecliptic touches the Tropics. The former is called the Equinoctial Colure, the latter the Solficial Colure.

3. The first Points of Aries and Libra are called the Equinoctial Points +; because,

*The Name comes from reros mutilus and ovça cauda, because they are often reprefented only as half Meridians, which are not completely feen in an Oblique Sphere.

Equino&ial, from equus equal, and Nox Night.

when