historicalgeogra00psal

The Second Preface.
my Country at thofe Years, or if I had,
that I could not fo long carry a Scheme of
it in my Head, you do me more Honour
than you are aware of, for then youmuft
think that I forg'd the whole Story out of
my own Brain 5 and if fo, I am fure you
extravagantly magnifie the fertility of my
Invention,
and the ftrength of my Memory
^ for he muft be a Man of prodigious
who can invent the Defcription of a
parts,
Country, contrive a Religion, frame Laws
and Cuftoms, make a Language, and Let*
ters, &c. and thefe different from all other
parts of the World 5 he muft have alfo
more than a humane Memory that is always
ready to vindicate fo many fdgn'd
particulars, and that without ever fo much
as once contradifting himfelf. This (Rea*
der) is my cafe. And hence the vanity of
that Englijh Gentleman, who would needs
perfuade me I was his Countryman, is very
plain, for fince he took it for a For**
gery, he mufl: conclude that no body had
Wit or Judgment enough for fuch a contrivance
but a true born ^tjglijJmian.
3 Anfvp, But ^(^'/y, I don't fee the reafon
why a young Gentleman, who has all the
advantages of Education, fhould not be
able at nineteen Years of Age to give a tolerable
Defcription of his Country. Firjl^ \
am fure the Climate, Diraenfion, Produa:,c^r,
pf forn^fa may eafily be known, 3