They have little of Ingenious or Solid Learning among them; their chief Study, next to the _Alcoran_, being metaphysical Niceties about the Attributes of _God_, or else the Maintenance of other odd speculative Notions and Tenets, derived down to them from some of their famed Masters and Holy Men, whom they pretend to follow. Their Knowledge of the motion of the Heavens, for which the _Arabians_ and the other Eastern Nations have been so deservedly famous, as their Astronomical Tables of the Longitude and Latitude of the fixed Stars, and of the appulse of the Moon to them, fully evince, is now very mean, and is chiefly studied for the use of Judiciary Astrology. The great Instrument they make use of is an Astrolabe, with which they make very imperfect Observations, having no such thing as a Quadrant or Sextant, much less a Telescope, or any mechanical Engine, to direct and assist them in their Calculation. Their Skill in _Geography_ is as inconsiderable; I remember I heard the Captain Bassa, whom they stile Admiral of the Black and White Seas, meaning the _Euxine_ and the _Mediterranean_, ask this silly Question; whether _England_ were out of the Streights? and at another time the _Caymican_ or Governour of _Constantinople_, hearing that _England_ was an Island, desired to know, how many Miles it was about, in order, we supposed, to make an estimate of our King's Greatness and Strength by the extent and compass of it. One of the great Astrologers of _Constantinople_, having heard that I had a pair of Globes in my Chamber, made me a Visit on purpose to see their contrivance, being introduced by a worthy Gentleman of our own Nation. After the first Ceremonies were over, I took my Terrestrial Globe, and rectified it to the position of the Place, and pointed to the several Circles both without and upon it, and told him in short the several uses of them: Then shewed him how _Constantinople_ bared from _Candia_ at that time Besieged, _Cair_, _Aleppo_, _Mecca_, and other chief Places of the Empire, with the other Parts of the World: At which he was mightily surprized to see the whole Earth and Sea represented in that Figure and in so narrow a compass, and pleased himself with turning the Globe round several times together. Afterwards I set before him the Celestial Globe, and rectified that, and shewed him how all the noted Constellations were exactly described, and how they moved regularly upon their Poles, as in the Heavens; some rising, and others setting, some always above the Horison, and others always under, in an oblique Sphere, and particularly what Stars would rise that Night with us at such an Hour; the Man seemed to be ravished with the Curiosity of it, turning this Globe also several times together with his Finger, and taking a mighty Pleasure in viewing the motion of it: and yet this silly Animal past for a Conjurer among the _Turks_, and was look'd upon as one that could foretel the events of Battels, the fates of