In Geography--the easiest of all sciences, and the best adapted to the capacity of children--I suppose you to have made some beginning; to know at least the figure of the earth--the supposed lines--the degrees--how to measure distances--and a few of the common terms: If you do not already know these, two or three lessons will be sufficient to attain them; the rest is the work of memory, and is easily gained by reading with maps; for I do not wish your knowledge to be exact and masterly; but such only as is necessary for the purpose of understanding history, and, without which, even a newspaper would be unintelligible. It may be sufficient for this end, if, with respect to _ancient_ Geography, you have a general idea of the situation of all the great states, without being able precisely to ascertain their limits. But, in the _modern_, you ought to know the bounds and extent of every state in Europe, and its situation with respect to the rest. The other parts of the world will require less accurate knowledge, except with regard to the European settlements. It may be an useful and agreeable method, when you learn the situation of any important country, to join with that knowledge some one or two leading facts or circumstances concerning it, so that its particular property may always put you in mind of the situation, and the situation, in like manner, recal the particular property. When, for instance, you learn in what part of the globe to find Ethiopia, to be told at the same time, that, in that vast unknown tract of country, the Christian religion was once the religion of the state, would be of service; because the geographical and historical knowledge would assist each other. Thus, to join with Egypt, _the nurse and parent of arts and of superstition_--with Persia, _shocking despotism and perpetual revolutions_--with ancient Greece, _freedom and genius_--with Scythia, _hardiness and conquest_, are hints which you may make use of as you please. Perhaps annexing to any country the idea of some familiar form which it most resembles may at first assist you to retain a general notion of it; thus Italy has been called a _boot_, and Europe compared to a _woman sitting_. The difference of the ancient and modern names of places is somewhat perplexing; the most important should be known by both names at the same time, and you must endeavour to fix a few of those which are of most consequence so strongly in your mind, by thinking of them, and being often told of them, that the ancient name should always call up the modern one to your memory, and the modern the ancient: Such as the AEgean Sea, now _The Archipelago_--The Peloponnesus, now _The Morea_--Crete, _Candia_--Gaul, _France_--Babylon, _Bagdat_--Byzantium--to which the Romans transplanted their seat of empire--_Constantinople_, &c.