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Astronomical Dialogues.
Use are the Polar Circles and Tropicks.Polar Circles? for I see they are drawn on both Globes, as well as the Tropicks, and just as far from the Poles as the Tropicks are from the Equinoctial.
Of no very necessary Use, Madam, said I, but only to help to distinguish the Terrestrial Globe into the five Parts, which the Ancients called Zones.Zones, and which they fancied to be like so many Girdles or Belts (as the Word Zone signifies) encompassing the Earth.
O Pray, said she, let me have some true Knowledge about these Zones, for I have heard and read a good deal of them, without being a Jot the wiser.
The great Space on the Earth, said I, Madam, which lies between the two Tropicks, having the Equator passing thro' the middle of it, the Ancients called the Torrid.Torrid, the Fiery or Roasted Zone; for they fancied the Sun, keeping always over it, had such a Power here, as to have burnt all things up; and because they had no Knowledge of it, concluded it not inhabitable; whereas 'tis now known to be very comfortably so: Tho' no doubt warm enough to those Inhabitants of it to whomthe
