ICD 13663

HARVARD

COLLEGE LIBRARY 43×240

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, by T. Belknap, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Connecticut.

INTRODUCTION.

THE object of this volume is to give a concise view of the present condition of the principal nations of the earth, embracing their population, strength, resources, forms of government, revenues, religious and moral condition, numbers of different sects, their principal tenets, character of the inhabitants, with anecdotes of distinguished individuals.

To an American, the condition of his own country, and the various steps by which it has progressed to its present state, are deeply interesting. Aside from the consideration, that the affairs of one's own country are of more consequence to him than those of other nations, the events which have taken place on this continent within the last seventy years are of immense interest to the world at large, and have an important bearing on its future destinies.

For these reasons, the United States, both collectively and severally, occupy considerable portions of the volume. It has been one object of the writer to point out the opposition which the Federal constitution met with in its incipient stages; the resistance which has, on several occasions, been made to authorities assuming to act in accordance with its provisions, and the various constructions which have been put upon the instrument, by the several departments of its administrators.

Next to the condition of his own country, the present state of the British empire is the most interesting to an American citizen. More than half of the commerce of the United States is with that nation. With her present navy, compared with that of other nations, she holds the commerce of the world at her command. is one of the principal objects of this volume to present

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the state of this empire to the reader's view, in all its important aspects.

The southern republics, since their emancipation, have undergone so many changes, and are still in such an unsettled state, that little definite information can be given as to their boundaries, or the real character of their governments. The best view of their present condition which is obtainable, is stated in this volume, affording much matter of congratulation to the citizen of the United States, that he has escaped the difficulties with which they have been embarrassed. In relation to other nations, the writer has endeavored to collect the principal facts regarding their present condition, which may be interesting to the American reader, and to place them before him in as concise a view as their relative importance would admit

Without encumbering the work with references to all the authorities by which its statements are established, the writer would observe, that the facts given are taken from the most authentic sources, and that the accounts of travellers have been received with caution, and not fully relied on unless supported by satisfactory testimony.

The principal scenes are illustrated by a number of engravings, the object of which is to present to the reader more distinct views of the subject represented.

In the collection of such a variety of facts, some errors must unavoidably intervene, for which the writer solicits the indulgence of the public.