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 this time supposed to contain five hundred millions of people; and in China, such is the excess of population, that children are destroyed by their parents, with as little ceremony as though they were the offspring of the most worthless domestic animals.

It is to be presumed that the Continent of North America was peopled from the north-east of Asia. In no other way could the Western Continent have, so early, become known. The north is not, even now, known beyond the latitude of eighty-two; and {169} with respect to it thus far there is much doubt. The eastern and western continents may be connected near this latitude; and in this direction the aborigines of North America may have travelled from the former to the latter. Certain it is that the water between the north-east of Asia, and the north-west of America is comparatively shallow. In Bering's Straits, situated in the latitude of sixty-six, there are many islands; the width of the straits is only about fifty miles, and, in winter, the passage across is frozen.

Even here the eastern and western continents, were perhaps, once connected. Such an idea is not inconsistent either with the nature of things, or with analogy. The earth has experienced, from time to time, great revolutions; and Strabo, an ancient and celebrated geographer, speaks of the time when the Mediterranean Sea did not exist. Why may not the two great continents have been or still be united as well as those of Europe and Africa? There is in the north-east of Asia much more evidence of its former connection with the north-west of America, than there is of a similar connection between Europe and Africa, inasmuch as the water between the former is unquestionably shallow; and between the latter it is very deep.

Besides, what adds great weight to the general supposition that the original settlers of the western continent emi