The Subject of this Treatise therefore being Cofmography, needs no Commendation, where there are Noble Men or Noble Minds: Wherefore all I fhall fay of Aftronomy is, That 'tis of such important Confe quence, that without the Science thereof, how great Uncertainty in Times and Seafons, what diftracting Confufions in Human Affairs, muft we neceffarily be involv'd in? And for Geography, all that need to be fpoken of it is, That 'tis fo Noble a Study, and of fuch grand Importance, as Kings and Princes have made it their highest Concern to understand it, as well for the Improvement of all Naval Knowledge, and neceffary Advantages of Maritime Commerce and Trade; As for that the Acquifitions of all Martial and Regal Dominion depends thereon. Wherefore, that the one might be the more eafily apprehended, and the other more truly reprefented to our View and Fancy, the Ancients, with the Confent of fucceeding Ages, have with much Pains and Industry not only invented, but also commended to Pofterity the Sphere and Globe, of whofe Excellency all I shall say, is, That they have the Priority in Nature of all other Inftruments, as moft fit and convenient to the understanding and fancy, analogically reprefenting the Heavens and the Earth, in their proper genuine Figures; and therefore ought indeed to be the first Study a Learner Learner fhould undertake: for without a competent Knowledge of them, he will not be able to understand well any Author in other Mathematical Sciences. I cannot conclude without faying one Word or two concerning Globes, the Subject of this Treatife. 'Tis now about 50 Years ago fince Mr. Jofeph Moxon made a new Size of Globes about 14 Inches Diameter; and in his Book of the Ufe of the Globes he tells us, That he had the Help and Affiftance of the ableft Mathematicians in England and Holland, and are ftill cryed up by fome for the best and latest Globes in England. Give me leave only to acquaint my Reader, and others whom it may concern, That fome Years after I publish'd a Pair of Globes about the faine Size, wherein I then corrected thefe, and many other notorious Errors: Not to infift much upon the Cæleftial Globe, wherein all the Stars muft neceffarily have been out a whole Degree in Longitude, in Right Afcenfion and Declination fome much more: But in the defigning of the Terrestrial Globe, I was obliged to alter many places in Europe two or three Degrees of Latitude, and more than five in Longitude. To rectifie fome places in Afia 10 Degrees in Latitude, and as much in Longitude. In Africa and America almost the fame, and alfo to infert feveral eminent Countries, A 3 Countries, Cities, Rivers, &c. wholly omitted in his. But the general Commendation my Globes have had from worthy and learned Gentlemen, and the kind Reception they have found at the two moft Learned Universities of the World, beyond those old Erroneous Globes, may juftly command my Silence, had it not been for a Reafon. Vide N. 32. in Geography made cafie. I had almoft forgot to have acquainted my Reader, That about the fame time I published also a Book for the Use of them, the Problems being written by Mr. Wm Leybourn, which having been long fince out of Print, although much enquired after, as being the best Treatife of the Globes extant, is now again revived, being much Corrected and Improved with many Additions. My only Defign hereby is, That it may be useful to excite and encourage fuch as for want of a plain and eafie Introduction, are content to be ignorant and careless of thefe fo excellent Sciences: And that it may to young Students give them fuch useful Notions, as may induce them with the more Eafe and Pleasure to advance into the Study of deeper and larger Mathematical Contemplations; which is the real Defire of R. Morden. |