PREFACE. I3¿ 



af being in the least acquainted with him*; and that 

 humane and polite patron of every useful branch of li- 

 terature, Earl Stanhope; whose noble quaUties reflect 

 honour on his titles, and who inherits the virtues of 

 his illustrious father, one of the bravest men, and 

 one of the most disinterested ministers, this natioa 

 could ever boast. 



After doingjustice to the authors, let us come to 

 the worli itself. In pieces of this kind, there is, ge- 

 nerally speaking, no part so tedious and unpleasant, at 

 least to the generality of readers, as what regards oc- 

 currences at sea; and yet these are allowed to have their 

 utility. In the following sheets, however, though 

 they are found pretty copiously, we shall see them 

 without those defects. If these writers mention the 

 variation of the compass, they explain the nature, en- 

 quire into the cause, and shew the uses that arise from 

 observing this phasnomenon. In this manner, they 

 treat of calms, winds, currents, and other incidents, 

 in so succinct and scientific a method, as at the same 

 time to be very instructive, and not unentertaining. 

 In this respect, we may look upon their narratives as 

 a sort of practical introduction to the art of navigation, 

 which we not only read without disgust, but which, 

 when read with any tolerable attention, will enable us 

 to understand many passages in other writers of voya- 

 ges, which we should otherwise pass over, as utterly 

 uninteresting and unintelligible. This observation, 

 the reader will find so fully verified, from his own 

 experience, that, I am confident, he will think it no 

 small recommendation to the book ; and the more so, 

 because, though very necessary, and much wanted, 



* Martin Folkes, Esq. ; a gentleman not more conspicuous from 

 his extensive knowledge, tlian amiable for the politeness of his man- 

 -ners, and respectable for bis excellent private character. 



2 the 



