28 



Art. III. Journal of the Proceedings of Mr. Burckhardt 

 in Egi/pt and Nubia. 



[The following article, chiefly extracted from the Calcutta Journal, is pre- 

 faced in tiiat jjublication by a letter from Mr. Salt to Mr. Hamilton, 

 which we have not thought it necessary to reprint, as it appeared ori- 

 ginally in the Quarterly Review, Vol. XVIII. p. 368.] 



Cairo, Oct. 20, 1817. 



The interest which the labours of this distinguished traveller 

 have excited among the literati of Europe, and the degree of 

 eager curiosity with which the publication of his Travels is 

 looked for, from the hands of the African Association, under 

 whose direction they are preparing, induces us to believe that 

 the few notices which we have it in our power to give of their 

 lamented author, will not be unacceptable, more particularly as 

 we are enabled to state these from our own personal knowledge 

 of the excellent individual to whom tliey relate, and as they con- 

 tain many interesting particulars hitherto unknown. 



Mr. Burckhardt was born at Zurich, in Switzerland, about the 

 year 1786. His father was an officer in the military service of 

 the French, and he had a brother in the political service of that 

 country also. He was himself educated chiefly at Berlin, but 

 being disappointed in some promised employment from the 

 French Court, went to England, where he completed his studies 

 during a stay of three years at Cambridge. 



On removing to London, he was deceived into hopes of poli- 

 tical employment by some of the courtiers there ; but being of 

 an active and independent mind, and impatient both of indolent 

 waiting and of humble solicitation, both of which were required 

 of him before he could hope for success, he determined on offer 

 ing his services to the African Association, to explore for them 

 the interior of Africa. 



When he waited on Sir Joseph Banks, the question was na- 

 turally asked him, what assurances he could give of his capacity 

 to execute and to suffer all that could be required of him in so 



