greatest part of Brazil; and
were so considerable that the great Count Maurice of Nassau did not
think it beneath him to accept a commission from this Company as
Governor-General of Brazil; which country, however, after it had cost
them immense sums to defend, they at length lost. The term of their
charter, originally limited to twenty-four years, expired in 1647,
and was then renewed for other twenty-five years. During this second
period, their affairs became so perplexed, so that the Company was
dissolved towards the close of that term, with its own consent.

In 1674, a new company was erected, by letters patent from the
States-General, with nearly the same powers and privileges, which has
subsisted ever since with great reputation.[2] The capital of this
new company consisted of six millions of florins, which are equal
to 545,454l. 10s. 10d. 10-11ths sterling. And the limits of their
authority are the western coast of Africa and both coasts of America,
all the establishments of the Dutch in these countries being under
their authority, so that any one who proposes a new scheme of commerce
in those parts, must necessarily apply himself to that company. Under
these circumstances, a Mr Roggewein, a person of parts and enterprize,
formed a project for the discovery of the vast continent and numerous
islands, supposed to be in the southern part of the globe, under the
name of _Terra Australis Incognita_, of which the world had hitherto
only very imperfect notices from others; which project, with a plan
for carrying the discovery into execution, they presented to the Dutch
_East_ India Company[3] in 1696, by which it was favourably received,
and he was assured of receiving all the assistance and support he
could desire or expect, as soon as the affairs of the Company would
permit. But the disturbances which soon afterwards followed put a stop
to the good intentions of the Company; and Mr Roggewein died before
any thing could be done. Mr Roggewein was a gentleman of the province
of Zealand, who had addicted himself from his youth to mathematical
studies, and we have reason to suppose recommended his projected
discovery on his death-bed to his son.

[Footnote 2: This refers to the year 1743, when Harris wrote: It
is hardly necessary to say, that Holland and its great commercial
companies are now merely matters of history.--E.]

[Footnote 3: From what goes both before and after, this seems a
mistake for the _West_ India Com