# Caledonia (Defoe)/Part 1

CALEDONIA, A POEM, &c.
IN Northern Hights, where Nature seldom smiles, Embrac'd with Seas, and buttress't round with Isles, Where lofty Shoresregard th' adjacent Pole, Where Winds incessant blow, and Waves incessant roll; Where Tyrant Cold in Glacy Ocean reigns, And all the Habitable World disdains, Defies the distant Influence of the Sun, And shines in Ice. —— ——
First youngest Sister to the Frozen Zone, Batter'd by Parent Natures constant Frown. Adapt to Hardships, and cut out for Toil; The best worst Climate, and the worst best Soil. A rough, unhewn, uncultivated Spot, Of old so fam'd, and so of late forgot. ​NEGLECTED SCOTLAND shews her awful Brow, Not always quite so near to Heaven as now.
Circled with dreadful Clifts and Barb'rous Shores, Where the strong Surff with high impetuous Roars, Invades the Rocks, and these their Rage disdain, And with redoubling Noise they'r hurry'd home again; The hollow Caverns Mutual Roars return, And Baffled Neptune raging makes the Ocean burn.
The furious Elements in vain contend, Unmov'd the mighty natural Breast-works stand. Their awful Hights in threatning Grandeur shine, Emblems of mightier Hearts of Stone within. Th' Instructing Rocks, Invincible and Strong, Describe the Race that to these Rocks belong, And bid the quick retreating Waves declare, And warn the World against a Northern War. Tell them the Hopes of Conquest must be vain; When Hands of Steel shall Rocks of Flint maintain.
These are th' eternal Bounds of Providence, The Oceans Bridle, and the Lands Defence. The Warts and Wrinkles plac'd on Natures Brow That her Maternal Care and Conduct show. The meanest parts of Nature have their Use, And some to Terror, some to Strength conduce: Nor is their Ornament at all the less; For Beauty's best describ'd by Usefulness.
​Behind this Rugged Front securely lies Blest Caledonia, and with Ease defies Her Northern, or her Southern Enemies. Fixt by Decree, Her Nature's not to fear Huge Navies there, or Icy Mountains here. Here Towring Clifts, and there the Beachy Shoal Defy the Raging Monsters of the Pole. There equally they Floating Worlds defy, Bid them stand off and live, advance and die: The Hardy Wretch that sees the Hint too late, Fails not to find his Folly in his Fate.
Behind this Rugged Front securely lies Old Caledonia, all the Worlds Surprize. Her Native Beauty and her Wealth conceal'd Waits the blest Hour when both shall be reveal'd. In Age and Fancy'd Poverty Secure, And yet She's ever Young, and never Poor.
Here labouring with the Injuries of Time, Inclement Air, Inhospitable Clime, ​Foreign Invasions and Intestine Wars; Yet all her Native Beauty still appears.
Brittain's Left hand, which when she shall unite, As Nature dictates, and the Fates Invite, And join her younger Sister on the Right: How shall they Mutual Wealth and Strength convey, And with Contempt the weaker World Survey! Till THAT BLEST HOUR, how does her Injur'd Name Sleep in the Rubbish of her Ancient Fame? Buried in Slander, by Reproach laid low: And all the distant World believes her so: Then let us first survey her Fancy'd Herse, She'll find some Resurrection in our Verse; Till rousing from a long declining Fate, WHOLE BRITTAIN shall her Glory reinstate.
How have we plac'd her out of Nature's Eye, Where Constant Colds Few Seeds of Life supply? Where Nature Chill'd some despicables dwell, Immur'd with Darkness and ally'd to Hell. No Moderate Blessings, no Endowment share, Nothing that's Pleasant see, nothing delightful hear: ​But see the Horrid Bear march round the Pole, And feel her Piercing Breath Congeal the Soul. Their Musick's Whirl-wind, and the shrill Echoing Roar Of Frozen Seas on the Deserted Shore.
Legends of Fables fill our partial Heads, Of Lands where Grass ne'r grows, or Mortal treads; Where keenest Winds and Storms Incessant blow On Mountains cover'd with Eternal Snow; Where Nature never blooms, and Sun ne'r shines, But Cold with Cold, and Frost with Frost Combines, Inhospitable Clime. ————————
What Countrey's this? And whither are we gone? Bright Caledonia, where will Fable run? Suffer th' impartial Pen to range thy Shore, And do thee Justice, Nature asks no more:
Fitted for Commerce and cut out for Trade; The Seas the Land, the Land the Seas invade. The Promontory Clifts with Hights embosst, And large deep Bays adorn thy dang'rous Coast; Alternately the Pilot's true Relief, These warn at Distance, those receive him safe; The deep indented Harbours then invite, First court by day, and then secure at night: The wearied Sailors safe and true Recess, A full Amends for wild Tempestuous Seas. ​Nature that well foreknows a Nations Fate, Thus fitted Caledonia to be great. Her various Aspects the Design explain, And Circumstances shall resist in vain. Subject no more to ev'ry cross Event, She shall be Great and Rich, as Nature meant.
View next her Seas, from ancient Terrors nam'd, For Bug-bear Storms, by Bug-bear Sailors fam'd. Phenician Sailors, wise in Ignorance, That dream't of THULE, yet afraid t'advance; ​Thy lengthen'd Sun with uncooth Joy survey, And vainly dream'd it led to bright Eternal Day: Unbless'd with Art, yet from thy Ocean fly, Afraid to live, because afraid to die. To them thy Wealth and Stores were unreveal'd, And all beyond thee happily conceal'd. Had they thy Scally Shoals of Blessings known, They'd long since chose thy Shores, and quite sorgot their own. Thine had been India, and thy Golden Seas Had fill'd their Antique Songs.
But Fear, that Negative of Glory, gave This Gift appropriat to a Race more brave. The frighted South-taught Navigators fly, And mock'd with Fear, their own Success destroy. Unpractis'd in thy watry Wars, they shun Thy safer Coast, and at a Distance run.
Thy Seas, tho vast, and in Extent unknown, In Wealth and Strength to Thee subservient grown. Calm Tides, smooth Surface, and a shining Brow, And gentle Gales for Wealth and Commerce blow. These reconcile the once so dreadful Waste, And Art and Industry supply the rest.
Hail Science, Natures second Eye, Begot on Reason by Philosophy, Mans Tellescope to all that's Deep and High; ​What Infinites dost thou pursue! The Tangl'd Skeines of Nature how undo! Pierce all her darkest Clouds, her Knots untye, And leave her naked to the wandring Eye.
What Gust of Knowledge blew thee off to Sea? A desp'rate Curiosity. In Mountain-Waves, and raging Wind, Tell us, what couldst thou hope to find? 'Tis answer'd,—These are Natures Schools, To teach the Power of Art and Rules:
From hence what vast instructing things thou'st brought; Besides the Huge Remains not yet found out. But of all Knowledge, this was sure the best, As 'tis the Pole-star to the rest. How wing'd with Science, men might trace The foaming Oceans roughest Face; Plow the vast Furrows of th'amazing Deep, With Ease and Safety sail and sleep.
No more th' uncertain Northern Tides shall fright, Familiar Dangers lessen to the Sight; The Rocks and Sands, the threatning Shore, Pledges of certain Death before. Now Roads and Harbours found for help appear, And show the Follies of our ancient Fear; Under their Weather Banks we calmly ride Danger and Safety they divide. Now they appear the Aids of Providence, The Sailors Safety, and the Lands Defence.
Bold Science whither wilt thou stear, See how the Tempests arm'd with Death, appear; ​Read but the threatning Language of the Skies, How gathering Clouds, with-Child of Thunders rise; See Mountains heap'd in strong Rebellion move, See Ossa top'd with Pelion, threatning Jove; See angry Nature rous'd to Civil War, 'Twas Prudence first taught Mankind how to fear; Bold Science, whither wilt thou Steer!
Vain Caution! See the daring Nymph sets Sail, What Fear calls Storm, she calls a welcome Gale; On raging Waves, and Mountain Billows tost, She sees with Joy her Port, with Joy she quits the Coast; The Wind's embrac'd with high expanded Wings The Sailors sleep and fly, the Pilot sings; Sometimes he mounts so high, he turns his Ear, And listens for the Musick of a Sphere; Charm'd with the Symphony, he'll Consort keep, And Beat true Time, tho' he reviews the Deep.
She's gone, new Worlds she seeks, new Worlds she finds, She rides on Tempests, and improves the Winds, Th' Elemental Terrors she'll despise, And Bully Neptune boldly she defies. See how Mankind by her Experience taught, Has all to Rule and Method brought; The Practicable Seas to Art submit, And Wealth and Commerce freely circulate, ​With steady hand th' experienc'd Pilot Steers, And laughs in Northern Waves at Southern Fears, Defies the two and thirty Hosts of Air, And sits compos'd i'th' midst of Elemental War, All unconcern'd at Natures Quarrels, he, To his own Use, applies their Enmity.
The Furious Wind, the Water's Rage, He wisely joins to his Just End, the Voyage: In this he makes their pointed Rage agree, And forms their Discord into Harmony.
So jarring Parties in a State, By the Wise Conduct of the Crown, Are manag'd to support the Magistrate, And fix that Power they struggle to pull down.
Knowledge gives Courage, Science makes Men brave; Folly drives headlong to the Grave: For Ignorance and Fear make Cowards run Into those Dangers they'r afraid to shun.
Discretion only makes Men safe and bold, While Fears the Remedies withhold; Fear holds the Gates of Reason fast, Shuts out its help, and so the Coxcomb's lost.
The Pilot now, Consummate in his Skill, Made safe by Nature, mounts the Watry Hill; Thro' Paths untrod, and Mazes of the Deep, He Cuts his Guided Course, the rough, the steep, ​Are all made smooth to him, he knows his Way, He neither fears the Night, nor Courts the Day: Thro' all the Tempests Midnight Rage he slies, Visits the Bottoms now, anon the Skies.
When up to Heav'n he mounts, the Cheering Sun Makes glad, and 'tis the same when darting down; To all the Dark abyss he shoots and see's, The Hollow Deeps of Natures Nudities; Till his Blest Port with steady Hand he finds: And thus to Art he reconciles the Winds.
Thus vanishes the Horrid and the Wild, And Nature's now with pleasant Eyes beheld; When Boreas mad with northern Vapours raves, We smile, and with Contempt survey the Waves Art reconciles the Elements, and Trade Can now with ease the Globes Extremes invade. Eternal circulating Commerce flows, And ev'ry Nation, ev'ry Nation knows. Torrid and Frigid scale, and joyn the Poles, And far as Wind can blow, or Water rolls, Ships sail, and Men in search of Wealth will trace All the Meanders of the Universe.
The rough, the smooth, to men of Art submit; The Northern Winter Cold, or Southern Heat, With equal Safety, and with equal Ease, Calm Caspian Lakes, and Caledonian Seas. By Natures Aid, and Arts concurring Law, Dangers are only Helps to draw. ​The Thirsts of Honour Generous Minds bewitch, And Danger tempts the Brave, as Gold the Rich.
'Twas Courage first that ventur'd out to Sea, Young in Experience, as Philosophy. Noah himself had certainly been drown'd, Had not his Courage, as his Faith, been sound.
Hail Caledonia, by vast Seas embrac't; Those Seas for Glory, Wealth and Terror plac't. Dreadful in Fame, to thee familiar grown, Suited to no mens Temper like thy own.
The bounteous Ocean fraught with native Gold, Sav'd it for thee; by its own Curse, the Cold. Had not the Storms and Tempests govern'd here, And fenc'd this long hid Treasure round with Fear, Past Ages had thy rifled Store decreast, And Foreign Nations all thy Wealth possest. Wealth that well suits a hardy Race like thine, That dares through Storms and Death pursue the Mine. Wealth hid from Cowards, and the fainting Hand, Scar'd with the Sea's content to starve by Land. ​But when thy daring Sons the Wave explore, The Ocean yields her unexhausted Store: Thy open Harbours all her Gifts divide, And Seas of Wealth roll in with ev'ry Tide: The Golden Shoals thy very Nets pursue, Laugh at the lesser Treasures of Peru; Prompt thee to change the meanness of thy State, Bids thee, when e're thou wilt, be rich and great.
Tell us ye Sons of Myst'ry, from what Hand, What secret High Command Gives out the Word that's heard to Natures Deep, Where all the Scaly Tribes their Councils keep? Who tells them when the very Month arrives? And who the secret Order gives? When from the Womb of Wonders far by-North, The mighty Slymy Hosts come forth; The num'rous Legions spread the Sea, The wondring frighted Waves give way; Forward the Mighty moving Hosts push on, All guided by a Hand unknown. ​Th' Involuntary well directed Fry, The unknown something readily obey.
No Pilot can with more Exactness steer, Not Sun or Moon divides the Year. Not the revolving Stars their Course obey• Not Darkness can succeed the Day, With a more punctual steady Pace, In Manner, Measure, Time and Place; True to the very Distance of the Shore, They'r never, where they never were before Where there's but few, there ever was but few, To ev'ry Circumstance so true. Such Courses steer, such Orders keep, Thro' all the wandring Mazes of the Deep; As if the Ancient Paths they could discry, Or read their Father's History:
Then Caledonians lend an humble Ear, And your own ill accepted Blessings hear, From the profound unmeasur'd Deeps Where Nature all her Wonders keeps. Her Handmaid Instinct, this Blest Message gave To all the Watry Crew beneath the Watry Cave. ​Go Numberless and spread the Finny Sail, And find Britannia Nature's Darling Isle; There spread your Scaly Squadrons, and submit, Your Makers Law Commands, To Every Net. Be You Their Wealth and plenteously supply What Coldest Soil and Steril Climes deny. Be You Their Envy'd Blessing, and attend The willing Prey, to the undustrious Hand, In proper Squadrons all your Troops divide, And visit Every Creek, with Every Tide. Present your selves to every Hungry Door, Employ The Diligent, and feed The Poor. If they reject the Bounties of the Sea Bid'em Complain no more of Poverty. Upbraid their sloth, and then return to me, Visit no other Port.
The punctual well instructed Fish obey, And Scaly Squadrons spread the Northern Sea, Directly point their Course, and find the Shore, As if they'd all been here before. Their equal Distance keep, divide and join, As if they're taught by Book, or steer'd by Line: ​Their strong Detachments send to every Creek, In just Proportion their own Mischiefs seek. Seek out the Harbours, seek the Indented Shore, Timploy the Diligent, and feed the Poor. No other Port they visit.
Ah! Caledonia, mark the High Command, And mark the Caution of the Heavenly Hand; If thou reject the Bounties of the Sea, No more Complain of Poverty. Hadst thou in early time with Wisdom grac't Heav'ns Bounty, as in Duty bound, embrac't, Above the Nations thou hadst rais'd thy Head, At Home their Envy, and abroad their Dread, Thy Wealthy Clime would all the World invite, They'd Court Thee to Unite. No more of Barren Hills and Seas complain, Reproach the Land with Blasts, with Storms the Main.
Not all the Spicy Banks of Ganges Stream, Not Fruitful Nile so oft the Poets Dream, ​Not Isles of Pearl, not rich Pacifick Seas, Not the more Fruitful Caribbees, Not Africks Wealth or Chilean Stores, The Silver Mountains, or the Golden Shores, Could such an Unexhausted Treasure boast, A Treasure how supinely lost! What Pains has Scotland taken to be Poor, That has the Indies at her Door; That lets her Coursest Fate of Choice remain, And sees her Maker Bountiful in Vain.
When Caledonians, when will you be wise, And search for certain Wealth in Native Seas? A Wealth by Heav'n design'd for none but You, A Wealth that does your very Hands pursue, ​Upbraids You with Neglect of Your own Right, And courts Invading Neighbours in your Sight.
When Caledonians, when will You be wise? When from Your Clouded Circumstances rise? Banish Invaders, Heav'n's own Gifts enjoy, This would Your Native Poverty destory. This would restore Your Ancient dear bought Name, This, and Your Valour, would revive Your Fame; How would Your Navies quickly spread the Seas, And guard that Wealth they help You to possess? How would Your Commerce all Your Sons restore, And they'd seek Home that shun'd that Home before? With Wealth and People, Happy, Rich and Free, You'd first Improve the Land, and then the Sea; Be Strong, be Great, be Rich, be Europe's Fear, Their War, their Wealth, their Trade, their Honours share.
But let's Retreat, Who can the Scene survey, And View this Wealth the Neighbour Nations Prey; What Eye, that's Caledonia's Friend, can see Her Sons on Shore, and Strangers spread the Sea? Who can, with Patience, View her People Poor, And Mines of Wealth snatch'd up at ev'ry Door? The Bounty Heav'n for their Peculiar meant, Reap't by the Hands to whom 'twas never sent. The Ocean plunder'd, the Advantage sold, While these enjoy the Tempests, those the Gold.
​Hail Blest Conjunction, Brittain's last best Hour, Shall Caledonia to her self restore; Assert her long neglected Property, Her Blessing, her Inheritance, the Sea.
In hopes of this, let's land and range the Shore, And view the Nation that the World calls Poor. Plenty's a doubtful Word mistook by most, A modern Term for Luxury and Waste. So Canaan flow'd. the Lands in Plenty drown'd; Yet Egypt did in vast Increase abound. The World's amus'd with different Forms of Words, When various Sence the various Thought affords. Nature's by vast Comparisons explain'd, And all her Contradictions so maintain'd. So Scotlands Barren, Fruitful, Poor and Rich: Speak Malice, Speak Insulters, tell us which. Describe the Globe, run all the Climates o'er, She's Poor compar'd to Rich, and Rich compar'd to Poor.
In Climates next, let's view her Northern Coast, A fruitful Stile, with Epithets embos't, The Horrid, Boistrous, Barren, and the Cold, What Fabl'd Monstrous Stories have been told! Yet range the Globe, and her Extremes survey, And sail from Magellan to Hudsons Bay; Ditto the Jest, and when the Truth's but told, She's Cold compar'd to Hot, and Hot compar'd to Cold.
​Nor is there less of Injury appears About her Mountains, or her Mountaineers. View but the Savage Madagascar Moors, Campeche Indians, or Circassian Boors, And when the Characters we shall compare, A Northern Highland-man's a Christian there. Polite his Manners, and his Modern Dress, Is Beauty all, when match't with Ugliness.
* ↑ All the Western and Northern parts of Scotland are fenc'd with small Islands, which not only break off the Force of the Atlantick Ocean, but make excellent Harbours for Shipping, and Conveniencies for Trade.
* ↑ The Shores to the North of Scotland may be said to regard the adjacent Pole, either because it lies diretly open to the Great Northern Ocean, which no Sailer could ever yet find the Extent of; or because it sees that Pole elevated to a great Height.
* ↑ I call that continual Cold in the Frozen Seas here Tyrant Cold, because he reigns Uncontroll’d by the Accession of any Heat from the Sun.
* ↑ Shines in Ice. The Ice and Snow always give a kind of Light, tho faint and melancholy.
* ↑ Youngest Sister, because the North Capes and the Coast of Greenland seem to be of the same Family, but advanc'd farther North. First youngest, a Licence taken to express Scotland the first of the Habitable, or at least Sociable Parts of the World so far North.
* ↑ The Raging of the Sea will often resemble Fire, and seem to burn, especially as some say on a Southerly Wind.
* ↑ The high Shores could be in no place more needful to place Bounds proportion'd to the furious and vast Northern Ocean that beat upon Scotland, from whence there is nothing but Water to the very Frozen Zone of the North Pole. Those Rocks therefore are the Lands Defence, and the Oceans Bridle, and consequently Beauties in their Kind, made so by the Necessity of them.
* ↑ The Situation of Scotland is certainly her Defence against either the Fury of the Ocean from the North, or of Invaders from the South; the dangerous Coast being such, that no Fleets care to venture themselves long at Sea that way.
* ↑ By the Monsters of the Pole may be understood the Whales, in former times terrible to Mariners, as frequently oversetting the small Barks they sailed in; Or since, by the greater Skill in Navigation, that fear is at an end, it may be taken for the Monstruous floating Islands of Ice, which by the Fury of the Winds, are driven about the Northern Seas.
* ↑ Floating Worlds, Navys and Fleets of Ships of War to assault that Country, and transport Armys to make Descents and Depredations on the Coast.
* ↑ The Worlds Surprize to find so fine a Countrey so Peopled, and so In|habited behind such terrible places, which to the Sea-ward promise no|thing but Desert, and abandon'd, uninhabited Places.
* ↑ The Ʋnion, whereby Improvement shall reveal the hidden Fruit|fulness of Scotland.
* ↑ Scotland is allowed the Left hand of Brittain as to Wealth, England as her younger Sister in matter of Antiquity, must however be allowed the Right hand in Wealth and Trade, at least till Union, if ever that shall happen, make them all one.
* ↑ The scandalous Reproaches of Authors pretending to describe either her Climate, People, or Government have been intollerable, and have buried her Character with Noise and Slander; which being never yet de|fended in publick, or any Attempt made to clear up those things to the World, Foreign Nations are too much possest with the Belief of what, when the Truth comes to be examined, appears meer Fiction and Falsity.
* ↑ Cleavland in his Poem upon Scotland, has said a Thousand extrava|gant things on these Heads.
* ↑ By the Horrid Bear is to be understood the Constellation so call'd, which Scotland, being so far North, easily sees in its whole Circular Motion round the Pole.
* ↑ This is as suggested by Foreign Authors, in open Injury of Scotland, and one of the principal Reasons of this Poem.
* ↑ 'Tis presum'd this Part will clear the Author from a Charge of Flat|tery, he designing to say nothing in this Poem, but what Justice and the Nature of things require.
* ↑ Various Aspects, Respecting the Situation of the Coast, or the Plan of the Countrey, which easily discovers that Scotland is equally qualified for Trade with any Nation in the World, whether we consider her Openness to all Parts of the Trading World; or the Convenience of her Harbours, safe Roads, and Neighbourhood both to the German and Atlantick Oceans.
* ↑ Her unhappy Circumstances, with respect to the rest of Brittain, have, without doubt, been the great Obstructions of her Prosperity, particularly as to Trade.
* ↑ The Ancients, in their sailing these Seas, were strangely surprized at two things, 1. The Length of the Days, which they, being general|ly Phenicians and South-Countrey Merchants, had not been used to: From whence some of them, more addicted to superstitious Observations than the rest, blindly imagined, that (since the farther they went North-ward, the Days were the longer, and in some parts hardly any Night) the E|lisium Shades must needs be thereabouts, and that if they should go further, they should come at length to Bright Eternal Day. 2. They were surpriz'd not with the Storms and Tempests only, but with the Tides and Currents, which were not only strange to 'em, but particularly terrible, in that they drove 'em in amongst the Rocks and Shores, where they often perish'd, not from any Real Danger, but for Want of Judgment From whence we have them often expressing themselves in this manner,
* ↑ Thule, an Island in the north of Scotland, was frequently fabled among the Ancients to represent the Elisium, which could be for no other Reason than the Length of the Days. Bright THƲLE far advanc'd in raging Seas. Dierum spatia ultra nostri his mensuram & nox clara, & extrema Britan|niae p•rte b •vis, ut finem atque initium Lucis exiguo discrimine internoseas—Nec Solem occidere & exsurgere, sed transire adfirmant. Tacit. Vit. Agri|colae Cap. 12 Sect. 5.
* ↑ The Seas indeed in these parts are subject to Storms, but nothing unusual, or uncommon with the rest of Brittain.
* ↑ This is a Poetical Excursion upon the extraordinary Improvement and Perfection which the World has attain'd in the practical part of Navigation.
* ↑ Practicable Seas, made so by the Improvements of Navigation, and particularly the Extraordinary Methods of Building, as well as of Managing great Ships, sitting them to bear the roughest Sea, and to sail to the remotest parts of the World.
* ↑ Fraught with Native Gold, i. e. the Treasure of the Fish, which is Gold efficiently, because an immense Treasure is drawn from it by all those Nations that apply themselves to that Trade.
* ↑ That Cold which by the Ancients was thought intolerable and kept those Seas for so many Ages impracticable, doubtless prevented the Disco|very of the great Treasure of the Fishery, was, not that their taking of them could have lessened the Quantity; but without doubt Foreign Nations might have been prompted not to have fish'd here only, and in time have been too strong to be displac'd, but perhaps have taken Possession of the Land for the sake of the Vast Trade: And so a more powerful Nation have dispossest the Scots both of their Trade and their Country too.
* ↑ Not our Experience only allows the Store to be unexhausted, in that the Quantity is every Year renewed; but Authors tell us that even in their daily Fishing in one and the same place, when great Quantities are taken up, yet those that remain, and may immediately be taken in the same place, seem not to be lessened. Minorum ad littora piscium tanta benignita|te Dei Opt. Max. praeventus est, & quo major frumenti Caritas est, eo etiam uberior; ut cum uno quovis die ingentem vim abstuleris, postridie illius Diei non minor codem in loco appareat. Hect. Boeth. Scot. Reg. Discriptio. p 8.
* ↑ Secret high Command. The wonderful Original and Causes of the Prodi|gious Quantity of Herring which appear in their exact Seasons. Places and Quantities upon all the Coasts of Scotland is the Occasion of this Digres|sion.
* ↑ Ill accepted. It must be owned, Scotland has not given that full welcome to this Gift of Heaven, the Fish that Nature and Providence seem|ed to expect from them, for whose Benefit without Doubt they were ap|pointed.
* ↑ Instinct is here represented as delivering a Message in the Watry Audience, and making a Speech to the Fish, the Image, its hoped is not im|proper, nor is the Liberty taken at all unpoetical; so I make no excuse for it, but think, that what we call Instinct, may serve to represent Nature in all the Creatures obeying their Times and Seasons, exactly according to the great and just Law of Creation, and the Influence of Invisible Providence.
* ↑ Without question they supply very much any Defect of Provisions, which either by the Sterillity of the Countrey, or rather want of Improvement, that People may labour under.
* ↑ Indeed 'tis strange to think they should let such a Wealth pass by them, and at the same time complain of Poverty.
* ↑ Visit no other Port, it is plain they are not found in any conside|rable quantity in any Seas but these, and 'tis supposed they return to the Northward again, where the Prodigious Breed must increase sufficiently to supply for the next Years Voyage.
* ↑ Ganges and Nilus, one a River in India, the other in Egypt; The first famous for its rich Spices and Drugs, and the other for the Prolific Virtue of its Water, on the constant Regular Overflowings whereof, the Fruitfulness of the Land depends. Whence some tell us, The seven Years Famine in that Countrey in the Time of Joseph was occasion'd from the Nile's not over flowing its Banks during that Term.
* ↑ Islands so call'd lying in the Gulph of Mexico, where the Pearl Fi|shing has been worth Immense Sums to the Spaeniard.
* ↑ The Great Ocean on the West-side of America, Vulgarly, Tho I think Improperly, call'd, The South Seas.
* ↑ The Caribbees Islands, which, as now Improv'd by the English, are suppos'd to yield the greatest Produce of any Spot of Ground in the World of equal Extent.
* ↑ Guinea in Africk, and Chili in America, being the two principal places which supply the World with Gold.
* ↑ Silver Mountains. The Mountains of Potosi in the Country of Peru, thought by some to be all Silver, but without Question, is the richest of that kind in the World. Golden Shores: Meaning the Rivers of Guinea, in the Sands of which is taken up the Gold Dust, as it is wash'd out of the Mountains by the Water.
* ↑ Ʋnexhausted Treasure. The Fishery, and therefore very well propos'd to match the Treasures before spoken of, not only in its Value, but in this Peculiar, That 'tis never exhausted. Nor is it all the less for the Prodigious Quantities that are or might be Annually taken. Which some Authors have observ'd, That they were enough to subsist the whole Nation, if there were no other Provision. Tanta Piscium est Exundantia, cum ubique tum quo magis ad Septentrionem accedas, ut vel ii soli sufficere possint ad pastum Insulae totius: Boeth. de Descrip. Reg. Scot
* ↑ The two extreme Parts of America, and almost both uninhabitably Cold, and to which Scotland being compared, may be stiled a hot Climate, as compar'd to Mexico and Peru, she merits the Name of Cold.
* ↑ A most savage People, that go naked, live on raw Flesh, and are the most Brutal of any people in the World.
* ↑ Campeche Indians are some of them the most Barbarous and Inhn|mane of any of the American Race, among whom have been found abso|lute Cannibals, that devour one another
* ↑ The Circassian Boors are a sort of Tartars now under the Domini|on of the Czar of Muscovy, very Cruel and Barbarous, and far worse than the most was ever pretended of the wild Irish or any sort of People in these parts of the World.
* ↑ I take the Highland Plaid, or the Dress of these Highland-men, to be the Remain of the Mantle of the Ancient Goths, and the same thing, applyed to the same Uses of the—of the Moors of Africk, since both People use it to cover them in the Night, and therefore make no Scruple to carry it by Day in the hotest Weather.