Queis tamen autem ferre medelam Sat lætitiâ, sine subsidiis, 1 Τοιος Αρης βροτολοιγος εν πολεμοισι μέμηνε SEPTEM ÆTATES. PRIMA parit terras ætas, siccatque secunda, 2 His Templemanni numeris descripseris orbem. I The above is a version of a Latin epigram on the famous John, Duke of Marlborough, by the Abbe Salvini, which is as follows: Haud alio vultu, fremuit Mars acer in armis ; Hand alio, Cypriam perculit ore Deum. The Duke was, it seems, remarkably handsome in his person, to which the second line has reference. To the above lines (which are unfinished, and can, therefore, be only offered as a fragment,) in Johnson's manuscript, are prefixed the words Geographica Metrica.' As we are referred, in the first of the verses, to Templeman, Myrias Ægypto cessit bis septima pingui. 6 Pelopis tellus quæ nomine gaudet. Myriades decies septem numerare jubebit Pastor Arabs: decies octo sibi Persa requirit. Myriades sibi pulcra duas, duo millia poscit Parthenope. Novies vult tellus mille Sicana". Papa suo regit imperio ter millia quinque. 8 for having furnished the numerical computations that are the subject of them, his work has been accordingly consulted, the title of which is, A new Survey of the Globe,' and which professes to give an accurate mensuration of all the empires, kingdoms, and other divisions thereof, in the square miles that they respectively contain. On comparison of the several numbers in these verses, with those set down by Templeman, it appears that nearly half of them are precisely the same; the rest are not so exactly done. For the convenience of the reader it has been thought right to subjoin each number, as it stands in Templeman's work, to that in Johnson's verses which refers to it. 3 In this first article that is versified, there is an accurate conformity in Johnson's number to Templeman's; who sets down the square miles of Palestine at 7,600. 4 The square miles of Egypt are, in Templeman, 140,700. 5 The whole Turkish empire, in Templeman, is computed at 960,057 square miles. In the four following articles, the numbers in Templeman and in Johnson's verses are alike. We find, accordingly, the Morea, in Templeman, to be set down at 7,220 square miles; Arabia, at 700,000; Persia, at 800,000; and Naples, at 22,000. 7 Sicily, in Templeman, is put down at 9,400. • The Pope's dominions, at 14,868. 10 Cum sex centuriis numerat sex millia Tuscus ?. 16 Et quadragenis decades quinque addit Ierne 20, 9 Tuscany, at 6,640. 10 Genoa in Templeman, as in Johnson likewise, is set down at 2,400. II Lucca, at 286. 12 The Russian empire, in the 29th plate of Templeman, is set down at 3,303,485 square miles. 13 Sardinia, in Templeman, as likewise in Johnson, 6,600. 14 The habitable world, in Templeman, is computed, in square miles, at 30,666,806. 15 Asia, at 10,257,487. 16 Africa, at 8,506,208. 17 Europe, at 2,749,349. 18 The British dominions, at 105,631. 19 England, as likewise in Johnson's expression of the numher, at 49,450. 20 Ireland, at 27,457. Quingentis quadragenis socialis adauget Millia Belga11 novem. Ter sex centurias Hollandia " jactat opima Undecimum Camber 21 vult septem millibus addi, 21 In the three remaining instances, which make the whole that Johnson appears to have rendered into Latin verse, we find the numbers exactly agreeing with those of Templeman; who makes the square miles of the United Provinces, 9,540; of the Province of Holland, 1,800; and of Wales, 7,011. |