Europe, except Greece and Turkey, where nearly half of the inhabitants are Mahometans.

ELIZABETH.

It is, perhaps, in consequence of their being Christians, that Europeans are so much more civilized than the inhabitants of the other quarters of the world.

MOTHER.

I should think so, certainly; for in whatever region Christianity is propagated, the inhabitants improve rapidly in knowledge and industry, and become much more polished and enlightened in every respect.

WILLIAM.

How much of Europe was known to the ancients?

MOTHER.

They had very little knowledge of the countries to the east of Germany and to the north of the Black Sea, which they called Sarmatia, but which is now known by the name of Russia; and they knew scarcely any thing of the regions to the

north of Germany, which they believed to consist of a number of islands, and to which they gave the general name of Scandinavia.

ELIZABETH.

The Scandinavia of the ancient Greeks and Romans consisted, therefore, of the countries now called Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Prussia.

MOTHER.

The ancients were also ignorant of that part of Asia to the north of the Caspian Sea, which is mentioned in ancient history under the name of Scythia; and their knowledge of Africa did not extend much beyond the banks of the river Nile, and the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Russia in Europe resembles Russia in Asia in several respects, particularly in its climate, and in the general appearance of the country. The Wolga and the Don, which form part of the boundary between Europe and Asia—the Nieper, formerly called the Borysthenes-and the Dwina, are the largest rivers in European Russia; and Moscow on the river Moscva, and Petersburgh on the Neva, are the most important Russian cities. Petersburgh is the capital of Russia, and the Em

K

The principal Chinese rivers are, the Hoan-ho, or the Yellow river, which has this name from its muddy waters; and the Kian-ku, or the Blue river, which is perhaps called so from the clearness of its waters. Pekin, or the Northern Court, Nankin, or the Southern Court, and Canton, are the most remarkable cities of China. Canton is the best known to Europeans, on account of the trade carried on there; Nankin is the largest city; and Pekin is the capital. This city is built on a sandy plain, and surrounded by a high wall, covered at the top with yellow tiles. Few of the houses are more than one story high, and none but the great shops have windows towards the street; but most of them have a terrace in front, where flowers are placed, and they are all painted, gilt, and varnished, in a very showy manner. The Chinese emperor lives at Pekin.

In China every thing is regulated by law; even the colour that each person may wear is settled, for these colours mark the different ranks in society. None but the royal family may wear yellow; some of the Mandarins or magistrates may wear satin; children are not allowed silk or furs; and the age when a boy may put on his first cap is also fixed.

WILLIAM.

I can find China on the globe, but not Japan.

ELIZABETH.

Japan is an empire consisting of three large, and several smaller islands, in the North Pacific Ocean, not very distant from the peninsula of Corea, and to the south and east of it. The name of the largest Japanese island is Niphon, which contains Jeddo, the capital of the whole, and the residence of the Emperor of Japan.

MOTHER.

The East India Islands are sometimes divided into six groups or clusters :-the Laccadives and Maldives, Ceylon, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Sunda Islands, the Moluccas or Spice Islands, and the Philippine or Manilla Islands. Beginning at the Malabar coast, you will find, first, the Laccadives and Maldives, two very numerous groups of small islands, some of which are uninhabited.

Ceylon is to the south-east of the coast of Coromandel. On account of the variety of its productions, in animals, birds, trees, spices-particularly cinnamon-precious stones, and pearls, this is the

most valuable of the East India Islands. It be

longs to the English.

ELIZABETH.

The natives of Ceylon are called Cingalese.

MOTHER.

You will find the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.

WILLIAM.

There are a great many of them.

MOTHER.

They are very numerous, but not very valuable. The Sunda Islands, to the south and south-east of the peninsula of Malacca, are much more important. Four of these-Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Celebes or Macassar-are very large, and contain several kingdoms. They belong to the Dutch and English.

The Moluccas are very valuable, on account of the great quantity of spices they produce, particularly cloves and nutmegs. They include all the islands between Celebes and New Guinea.

The Philippines or Manillas form a cluster of large and small islands to the north-west of the