essors will
certainly adopt. "Van Diemen" is a name affixed to the north coast of
New Holland; and this country is the first known discovery of Tasman.

The name of Tasman is recognised by the royal patent constituting the
diocese; by several literary societies and periodical works: it forms
the term by which we distinguish our Tasmanian from our European youth.

Tasmania is preferred, because "Van Diemen's Land" is associated among
all nations with the idea of bondage and guilt; and, finally, because
while Tasmania is a melodious and simple sound, "Van Diemen" is harsh,
complex, and infernal.

* * * * *

During the reign of Charles I. (Frederick Henry, grandfather of William
III. being Stadtholder of Holland) the Dutch discovered this island. The
enterprise of that people had raised them to the zenith of their power:
unless by England, they were unrivalled in nautical science and
commercial opulence. More for the purposes of trade than the acquisition
of knowledge, they were anxious to discover unknown countries, and to
conceal the information they possessed from the rest of the world.

At this time, Anthony Van Diemen was governor-general of Batavia: by
him, Abel Jans Tasman was commissioned to explore the "Great South
Land," the name by which New Holland was known until 1665, when, by the
authority of the Netherland government, it received its present
designation. A fragment of the journal of Tasman, containing an account
of his discovery, was first published by Dirk Rembrant, and afterwards
translated into most European tongues. In this abstract nautical details
respecting Van Diemen's Land were omitted, but were described in the
journal itself, and by thirty-eight charts, views, and figures. These
were purchased by Sir Joseph Banks, on his return from his voyage to
these seas. Tasman's journal was translated by a Netherland clergyman:
he considered the age of the manuscript confirmed by the spelling: that
it was genuine he had no doubt, although he questioned whether written
by Tasman, or transcribed at his command. Sir Joseph Banks acquired at
the same time a copy of instructions to Tasman, given by the Governor of
Batavia in 1644, for a second expedition, and which recapitulated the
various voyages of his predecessors. These, however, have no connection
with Van Diemen's Land.

To adorn the new stadthouse of Amsterdam, erected in 1665, three
hemispheres were wrought in stone, of twent