ALBANIA, a country of Asia, bounded on the west by Iberia; on the east by the Caspian Sea; on the north by Sarmatia; on the south by Armenia and the river Cyrus, now Kur, which, springing from the Moschian Mountains, that separate Colchis from Armenia, falls into the Caspian Sea within a small distance from the southern borders of this country. The whole country, formerly called Albania, now goes under the names of Daghestan, Schirvan, and East Georgia, and is extremely fruitful and pleasant. The ancient historians take notice of the Albanians men being tall, strong-bodied, and, generally speaking, of a very graceful appearance; far excelling all other nations in comeliness as well as stature. Modern travellers extol the beauty of the women. The Albanians were anciently an independent and pretty powerful people; but we find no mention made of their kings till the reign of Alexander the Great, to whom the king of Albania is said to have presented a dog of an extraordinary fierceness and size. It does not appear that the Albanians were ever conquered by the Romans, even when their power was at the greatest height; though, when they ventured to engage in war with that powerful empire, they were always defeated, as might naturally be expected.