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76 
MANUAL OE MAP-MAKING 
MECHANICAL GEOGRAPHY. 
. 83 
SECTION I. 
TEEMS DEFINED AND EXPLAINED. 
1. The globular figure of the earth has suggested to Geo 
graphers the construction of a spherical hall or globe upon 
the surface of which they delineate the world. Upon this 
globe certain circles are described, for the purpose of en 
abling us to assign to particular places their latitudes and 
longitudes, and to individual countries their situation and 
boundaries, with the representation of such grand natural 
objects as are most necessary to be known in geographical 
delineations. But how accurate soever the artificial globe 
may represent the general form and the various regions of 
the earth, its bulk confines them to a small scale, and its 
form may be dispensed with in more minute delineations 
of particular regions, since we can by the rules of perspec 
tive transfer to a plane surface the circles of the sphere, 
and all the details of geographical knowledge, which we 
find described on the surface of the terrestrial globe. The 
circles supposed to be drawn on the surface of the globe, 
in order to ascertain the positions of places and countries, 
are analogous to those which are imagined to be drawn in 
the heavens: maps, therefore, which represent the globe, 
or portions of its surface, must be drawn by circles of the 
same name, if we would fix the precise situation of a city 
A