RICHARD HAKLUYT 



At Oxford, in the time he could save from prescribed fH^ ^ork at 

 studies, he set himself to read and master all the Travels ^^' 

 and Voyages extant in Greek, Latin, Italian, French, 

 English, Spanish, or Portuguese. The first five of these 

 languages he acquired ; Spanish remained long unknown to 

 him, if we may judge from his habit of quoting Spanish 

 treatises in Italian, French or English translations. 

 Having taken his Master's degree, he lectured, ' in the 

 common schools,' on the subject nearest to his heart, and 

 was the first, he says, to demonstrate the advance of geo- 

 graphy by comparing the new * lately reformed maps, 

 globes, and spheres ' with the old inaccurate representa- 

 tions. He mentions these lectures but slightly, and we 

 do not know who were his audience. Thomas Lodge, the 

 dramatist, whose father was interested in navigation, and 

 who voyaged with Cavendish, may possibly have attended 

 them. In 1582 the first-fruits of the Preacher's study 

 appeared, with a dedication to Sir Philip Sidney. The title 

 of this book (which has been reprinted by the Hakluyt 

 Society) gives a clue to the patriotic ambitions of its 

 author. It is called Divers voyages touching the discoverie His first booi 

 of America and the Hands adjacent unto the same^ made first 

 of all by our Englishmen and afterwards by the Frenchmen 

 and Britons, It is in effect a pamphlet and collection of 

 documents in support of England's prior claim to possess 

 and settle the coast of America. In the dedication the 

 main idea is expounded. ' The time approacheth,' says 

 Hakluyt, ' and now is, that we of England may share 

 and part stakes (if we will ourselves), both with the 

 Spaniard and the Portingale, in part of America and other 

 regions as yet undiscovered.' There is good hope, he 

 says, that, besides possessing America, we may find out a 



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