ded by the ocean, Thina was placed in the map of Eratosthenes, in
the parallel of Rhodes; a parallel which passes through the empire of
China, within the Great Wall. Eratosthenes, according to Strabo, (to whom
we are indebted for nearly all we know respecting this philosopher,)
asserts that Thina had been, previously to the construction of his map,
incorrectly placed in the more ancient maps. His information respecting
Meroe or Abyssinia, is most probably derived from Dalion, Aristocreon, and
Bion, who had been sent by Ptolemy Philadelphus and his successors into
that country, or from Timosthenes, who sailed down the coast of Africa as
low as Cerne. His information on the subject of India (which, however, as
far as regards oriental commerce, is very confused) must have been derived
from the Macedonians. There is little doubt that the library of Alexandria
afforded him access to all the knowledge which then existed respecting the
various countries of the globe; but the turn of his mind led him rather to
astronomical than geographical studies; or rather, perhaps, he directed his
labours and his talents to the discovery of the figure and circumference of
the earth, thinking, that till this was effected, the delineation of the
habitable world, and the relative position of different countries, must be
very inaccurate as well as incomplete. This opinion regarding Eratosthenes,
that he was more of a geometrician than a geographer, seems to be confirmed
by the testimony of Marcian of Heraclia, who informs us, that Eratosthenes
took the whole work of Timosthenes, preface and all, as it stood, and in
the very same words. If this account be accurate, it is probable that
Eratosthenes' knowledge of Thina, and his being able to correct the
erroneous position of this country in more ancient maps, was derived from
Timosthenes, who had commanded the fleet of Ptolemy Philadelphus on the
Indian Ocean.

If we reflect on the rude and imperfect state of science at this period,
the paucity and inadequacy of the instruments by means of which it might be
improved, and the superstitions and prejudices which opposed the removal of
error or the establishment of truth, we shall not be disposed to question
the justice of the panegyric pronounced by Pliny on Eratosthenes. This
author, after detailing all that was then known on the subject of the
circumference of the earth, and on the distances which had been ascertained
by actual admeasurement, or appr