lification; for
even so late as the beginning of the nineteenth century, the distance from
the South Foreland to the Lands-end was laid down, in all the maps of
England, half a degree more than it actually is. We may here remark, that
Nicholson represents Thomas Sulmo, a Guernsey man, who died in 1545, as our
oldest general geographer.

In some of the MSS. of Harding's Chronicle, written in the reign of Edward
IV., there is a rude map of Scotland. In 1539, Alexander Lindsey, an
excellent navigator and hydrographer, published a chart of Scotland and its
isles, drawn up from his own observations, which were made when he
accompanied James V. in 1539, on his voyage to the highlands and islands.
This chart is very accurate for the age; and is much superior to that
published by Bishop Lesley, with his history, in 1578.

The first map of Russia, known to the other nations of Europe, was
published in 1558 by Mr. Anthony Jenkinson, agent to the English Russia
Company, from the result of his enquiries and observations during his long
residence in that kingdom.

These are the most important maps, either general or of particular
countries, with which the sixteenth century supplies us.

The seventeenth century continued the impulse which was given to the
science of geography by Mercator. As new discoveries were constantly in
progress, errors in maps were corrected, vacant spaces filled up, more
accurate positions assigned, and greater attention paid to the actual and
relative sizes of different countries. Malte Brun justly reckons Cluverius,
Riccioli, and Varenius, as amongst the most celebrated geographers of this
century. Cluverius was a man of extensive and accurate erudition, which he
applied to the illustration of ancient geography. Riccioli, an Italian
Jesuit, devoted his abilities and leisure to the study of mathematics, and
the sciences dependent upon it, particularly astronomy; and was thus
enabled to render important service to the higher parts of geography.
Varenius is a still more celebrated name in geographical science: he
excelled in mathematical geography; and such was his fame and merit in the
higher branches of physics, and his ingenuity in applying them to
geography, that a system of universal geography, which he published in
Latin, was deemed worthy by Newton, to be republished and commented upon.
Cellarius bestowed much pains on ancient geography. That branch of the
science which pays more especial regard to t