GENERAL INTRODUCTION.
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exactness the bays, headlands, and other irregularities of the coast; the appearance of the country, its hills, vallies, mountains, and woods, with the depth of water, and every other particular that might enable future navigators easily to find, and safely to visit every part of it. I was not indeed myself sufficiently apprised of the minuteness that was necessary in this part of the work, so that I was obliged to make many additions to it, after I had prepared my manuscript. It is however hoped, that those who read merely for entertainment will be compensated by the description of countries which no European had before visited, and manners which in many instances exhibit a new picture of human life. In this part, the relation of little circumstances requires no apology, for it is from little circumstances that the relation of great events derives its power over the mind. An account that ten thousand men perished in a battle, that twice the number were swallowed up by an earthquake, or that a whole nation was swept away by a pestilence, is read in the naked brevity of an index, without the least emotion, by those who feel themselves strongly interested even for Pamela, the imaginary heroine of a novel that is remarkable for the enumeration of particulars in themselves so trifling, that we almost wonder how they could occur to the author’s mind.
This work is illustrated and adorned by a great number of cuts, from which every class of readers, whether their object is knowlege or pleasure, will find equal advantage, as they consist not only of maps and charts, drawn with great skill and attention, but of views and figures, designed and executed by the best artists in this country.
The most effectual way to prevent obscurity and confusion in relating events, is to range them in order of time, which
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Voyaging Accounts |  |
© Derived from Volume I of the London 1773 Edition: National Library of Australia call no. FERG 7243, page vii, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/hv01/007.html