Carvalho D'Acosta, Anthony

, a native of Lisbon, where he was born in 1650, addicted himself to the study of mathematics, astronomy, and hydrography, and undertook the topographical description of his native country. He made the tour of Portugal with great care, following the courses of the rivers, climbing the mountains, and examining every thing with his own eyes. This work, by far the best upon the subject, is in 3 vols. folio, published from 1706 to 1712, under the title of “Geographia Portugueza.” It contains the history of the principal places, of the illustrious persons who were born in them, the genealogies of the most considerable families, with the natural curiosities, &c. of every place he visited. There is also by this author a compendium of geography, and a method of studying astronomy. He died in 1715, at the age of 65, and so poor that the parish was obliged to bury him. ²