Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-03-17


ess, becaufe it cannot alter the face of na-
,ure, Sod often blamsble, as by fuppof,ions
or knowledge, 1t impedcs the progrels of
genuine obServation, aud patien, difcovery..
IN order TO delinea,c the ancient aate Of a
couotry, it is Indispensable that the belt
modern maps be previously irve:iss,eds
by which procclu alone can the (ites he
| accurately determined: and innumersb.econ
lectures of Cluveriua, Celsrips. and ever
d'Anville, have been overturned nv ,h-
preciion of recent knowledgc We, ri. SD
elements of ancient Geography are oG.n
initlled into he minds OF youth from ohCn-
lete maps, in which the moi important DO
li'ions of Na,ura! Geography, and Tome.
times even the very points OF the cannaC,.
are perverted; and from au,hors wbofr
moi radical opinions have been overturned
bali century ago! The proper proyrefs
IS therefore to begin with the audy of Mo-
dsrn Geography, which may aflerward, b.
followed With the greateh ADVANTAGE. NV
thai or the ancient The cppoite courie
ieeme rlmci as riaiculous "a is would b..t,,
commence the 9udy of Botany bv the ne
rulai OF Dioicorides and the Geek and
Latin names of plaut,, without any &C
qusintasce with their genuine ehsraAeris-
,'cs and Antiques. In genersl. genius msv
be cultivated by the Rudy of aneien, an.
tho's; but the grounds OF any braucb az
tcence sre TO oe fought 10 modern preoi6on.
Amldh Other advsn age. already iod;ca-
ted, che regular references 10 ,he authorities
! here oblerVedfor the 6rt ;ime liz any oeo-
j graphical iyRem, will be admitted n he .
conhderaoiel improvement, not only as Impair
ting authenticity to the tezt, bus as epsblinor
the reader 20 recur to the b-R original
works, when he 10 deGrsus OF more minnie
information, Yet this Improvement, ia r.,
tmp'e ,ha, the omifiou rnizh, fsen uat,.r
OF iarprze, were it not that former works
OF this nature will generally be found 10 be
bhndly copied from preceding .Yasms, with
the tole claim OF iuperiority IL error, az
muh hsPpen 10 fucb cafes. where uia,kes
multiply, * an old halluc;nation becones,b-
father OF numsroua progeny. The ftri6
qoo'ation OF authorities might also be ra-
ther dangerous IN erroneous de,ails and
the on'i!ion IS ss copveeieo,, as it 10 10 osfs
IN hience geographical doubts of great
! importance, which might prove oer;lcns ore.
deals OF Icience. Accufomed to rhe l,bo-,
aud pleasures OF learning merely for his
own mental improvement, as the delph, of
HE eaie, the Fciicf Of care, the rolace Of
misfortune, The author never hsfi,a,es 10
a7oH ms doubts, or his irnorsnce nor
acruP'es TO iacrifce The LITTLE eaoity Of the
'ndIVidus! to his grand oSiea, the ADVANCE
meat or fcience Az carphstic Arabian
proVerb declares that the esiors of the learn.
ara learned ard even the MAX IF n
patient and unoiahed inquirer may often ex--
cite dIeuiiion, and a copftquent elrcida;ion
os the truth. Many blemia,es will, So
doubt, be found in work OF fuch an cx-
tenliVe and muitifarioua nature; but thof.
who are chi fly ensbed 70 deteA than Willie
the ira TO psrdcn The author can Gnlemn-
~ declare that, in the few centuries which
may be here found OF (ome tniRskes in D.
Their works, he has in 20 inllance been IN.
hnenced by any motive, except the pure
win Of preienting cxs{t information; inch
detection of preceding errors being inIif.
peniaoe IN work of infIucfion, But (uch
PALACES will be fouod extremely rare. 90 he
has generally left to The reader 20 aete4 he
nlitske. OF his prcdeceaors, many Of which
ave srois aud radical even beyond concsp,i-
on, by mere collation. of their defcrio,i.
oo' with 'hole contained in the present
work.
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