Question

"Small islands not capable of protecting themselves are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island"
What island is the author referring to at the end of the quotation?

Answer 1

At the end of the quotation, when the author says “Island” he refers to England. This excerpt refers to the fact that the English people took a great amount of land as its colonies between the 16th and 18th centuries. The British Empire and its Colonial Department was settled in England, which is and Island.

And the author states that it is absurd that a quite smaller island would govern a continent as big as Africa.