The Tropics are two Circles parallel to the Equator, and diftant from it 23 Degrees 29 Minutes; that on the North Side of it is called the Tropic of Cancer, at which the Sun has its greatest North Declination; then making to us, and all Places in North Latitude, the longest Day and shortest Night, which is about the 21st of June. The other on the South Side is called the Tropic of Capricorn, at which the Sun has its greatest South Declination, making then our fhortest Day and longest Night, which is about the 22d of De cember. The Polar Circles are alfo parallel to the Equator, compaffing the Poles of the World at 23 Degrees 29 Minutes Distance; that about the North Pole is called the Artic Circle, and the other is called the Antartic Circle. These Tropics and Polar Circles divide the Globe of the Earth into 5 Parts, called Zones, of which 3 were accounted by the Ancients to be fo intemperate, as to be uninhabitable; the Zones are called Torria, Frigid, and Temperate, that is, I Torrid, or Burning Zone, 2 Temperate, and 2 Frigid or Frozen Zones. The Torrid Zone is all that Space of the Earth and Sea, which lies between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and is 47 Degrees broad; its Inhabitants fee the Shadow of the Sun turn fometimes towards one Pole and fometimes towards the other. The Two Temperate Zones are thofe Spaces of the Earth and Sea contained between each Tropic and the Polar Circles; the Inhabitants of the North Temperate Zone have their Shadows at Noon fall North, and those of the South Temperate Zone have their Shadows at Noon fall South. The Two Frigid Zones are contained between each Polar Circle and its Pole; thofe who inhabit them have their Shadow always running round them, according to the different Motions of the Sun. Climates are thofe Tracks of the Earth bounded by imaginary Lines running parallel to the Equator, and of fuch a Breadth from South to North, that the Length of the Artificial Day in one furpaffes that in the other by Half an Hour. The Inhabitants of the Earth are diftinguished by the feveral Meridians and Parallels under which they live, and are denominated either Periæci, Antiæci, or Antipodes. The Periaci are thofe People of the Earth who live under the fame Parallels, but oppofite Meridians. The Antiaci are thofe People of the Earth who live under the fame Meridians, but oppofite Parallels. The Antipodes are fituated directly oppofite to each other, the Feet of the one directly against the Feet of the other, lying under oppofite Parallels and oppofite Meridians. It is Midnight with one when it is Noon Day with the other; the longest Day with the one is the shortest with the other; the Length of the Day with the one is equal to the other's Night; and the Seafons are opposite, being Summer with the one when it is Winter with the other. The Real Parts are Earth and Water, generally divided into four Parts or Quarters, called Europe, Asia, Africa, and America; each of thefe, and confequently the whole Globe, is divided into Continents, Ilands, Seas, &c. A Continent is a great Quantity of Land not divided by the Sea, wherein are feveral Empires, Kingdoms, and Countries conjoined, as Europe, Afia, and Africa, is one Continent, and America another. An land is a Part of the Earth that is environed or encompaffed round by the Sea, as Great Britain and Ireland. 1 A Peninfula is a Part of Land almoft fui rounded with Water, fave one narrow Neck of Land which joins the fame to the Con tinent. An Ifthmus is a narrow Neck of Land joining the Peninfula to the Continent, by which the People may pass from one to the other. A Promontory is a high Part of Land, ftretching itself into the Sea, the Extremity of which is called a Cape or Headland. A Mountain is a rifing Part of dry Land over-topping the adjacent Country, and appearing firft at a Distance.. The Earth being encompaffed with Water, whofe Washings in furrounding the dry Land, cut and fhape many winding Bays, Grecks, and meandering Inlets, and extending itself round them all, is but one continued Ocean. An Ocean is a vaft Collection of Salt Water, feparating Continents from one another, and washing their Borders or Shores. A Sea is Part of the Ocean, to which we must fail through fome Strait, as the Mediterranean, and Baltic Seas. A Strait is a narrow Part of the Ocean lying between two Shores, and opening a Way into fome Sca, as the Straits of Gibraltar that lead into the Mediterranean Sea, and the Sound which leads into the Baltic Sea. A Creek is a final narrow Part of the Sea or River, that goes up but a little Way into the Land. A Bay is a great Inlet of the Land, as the Bay of Biscay, and the Bay of Mexico; otherwife a Bay is a Station or Road for Ships to anchor in. A River is a confiderable Stream of Water iffuing out of one or various Springs, and continually gliding along in one or more Channels, till it discharges itself into the Ocean: The leffer Streams are called Rivulets. A Lake is that which continually retains and keeps Water in it, as the Lake Zair, in Africa, and Nicaragua, in America. A Gulph is a Part of the Ocean or Sea, contained between two Shores, and is every where environed by Land, except its Entrance, where it communicates with other Bays, Seas, or Oceans. There Geographical CIRCLES and ZONES. We lose sight of distant Objects at The Rays of Light pafsing through the Atmosphere make Objects Zone Arctic Circle\ Tropic of Cancer Equator Meridian TORRID appear higher than they are. Zone BURNING ZONE Temperate Antarti Frozen Zodiac Tropic of Capricorn Zone Circle Zone South Pole Intipodes EAST There are five Oceans, namely, the Northern, the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Indian, and the Southern. The Atlantic Ocean is ufually divided into two Parts, one called the North Atlantic Ocean, and the other the South Atlantic, or Ethiopic Ocean. The Northern Ocean ftretches to the Northward of Europe, Afia, and America, towards the North Pole. The Atlantic Ocean lies between the Continents of Europe and Africa, on the Eaft, and America on the Weft. That Part of the North Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and America, is frequently called the Western Ocean. The Pacific Ocean, or, as it is fometimes called, the South Sea, is bounded by the Western and North-west Shores of America, and by the Eaftern and North-eaft Shores of Afia. The Indian Ocean washes the Shores of the Eaftern Coafts of Africa, and the South of Afia, and is bounded on the Eaft by the Indian Iflands and the Southern Continent. The Southern Ocean extends to the Southward of Africa and Ame-` rica towards the South Pole. NOTE. Here the Teacher will perhaps find it convenient to have a Globe, or Map of the World before him, whereon he can point out the feveral Pofitions, Latitudes, Longitudes, &c. to the Pupil ; as that will strengthen his Memory, and give him a better Idea than he can poffibly have by only reading them over. The fame may be observed in reading the Ufe of Gunter's Scale and the Quadrant. NAVI |