BURNEY’S DISCOVERIES IN THE SOUTH SEA. 8 
s* Walks about the Cape of Good Hope” give, in a short compass, many interest- 
ing pictures of the immediate vicinity of that settlement, and of the manners of its 
inhabitants. 
The Pelew Islands, so advantageously introduced to notice by the narrative of 
the late Mr. Keate, have been again visited, and have experienced the munificent 
gratitude of the East India Company, the particulars of which are subjoined as an 
appendix to a new edition of Mr. Keate’s work. 
But the most valuable publication, in this department of literature, which the 
last year can boast of, is Mr. Percival’s account of the Island of Ceylon. We 
have seldom seen a book so uniformly excellent ; every page is pregnant with in- 
formation: the judicious selection of facts, the plain and unaffected language in 
which they are communicated, and the humane and generous spirit which breathes 
through the whole, are truly honourable to the abilities and principles of the 
author. 
; No modern voyages of discovery have been recorded during the last year, but 
two historiographers of former expeditions have offered themselves as candidates 
for public approbation. 
Mr. Clarke has undertaken, with dubious success, to illustrate the expeditions of 
the Portugueze on the coast of Africa and the East Indies ; and Captain Burney 
has commenced, with more favourable auspices, a History of the Discoveries in the 
South Sea. 
eS 
Art.I. A Chronological History of the Discoveries, in the South Sea or Pacific Ocean. 
Part I. Commencing with an Account of the earliest Discovery of that Sea by Europeans, 
and terminating with the Voyage of Six Francis Draxe, in 1579. Illustrated with 
Charts. By James Bugney, Captain in the Royal Navy. 4to. pages about 400. 
THE plan and object of this work are 
explained by the author in a dedication 
to Sir Joseph Banks: « it is intended as 
a contribution towards the advancement 
of a plan for the digest of maritime geo- 
peri discovery ; a work which has 
ong been wanted, and which every ad- 
dition to the general stock, renders more 
necessary.” ° 
« The utility of method and compres- 
sion, to prevent irregular exuberance in so 
important a branch of science, 1s evident 
beyond contradiction. ‘The manner in which 
‘the attempt may be made with the best pro- 
“spect of success, seems the only object of 
nquiry. Various modes of reducing the 
ovages into methodical order present them- 
geelves ; and probably each so far eligible as 
to possess some peculiar advantage. 
“To place the whole in the order of 
gtime, would be attended with this great in- 
convenience, that to obtain a satisfactory 
‘account of any otie subject, it might be re- 
quisite to consult every volume in the col- 
lection, however extensive. 
« To distinguish the discoveries of differ- 
ent nations, making a distinct class of the 
voyages of each, is liable to the same objec- 
tion. 
‘« A third method, which seems to me to 
possess'many, if not the greatest advantages, 
is that of classing the voyages according to 
some hydrographical division of the globe. 
This has been attempted, but in few instances 
with any tolerable degree of success. If 
the divisions have been judiciously allotted, 
they have not been strictly preserved. The 
same irregularity has prevailed in collections 
which consist “wholly of republications, 
where it is difficult to imagine that any good 
reason could exist against an adherence to 
correct arrangement. 
«© It isnot to be supposed that any mode 
of arranging the subject could be devised, 
which would obviate every inconvenience. 
The following division is proposed as one 
which appears capable of preserving its 
classes in a great measure distinct from each 
other. 
«* The first class may contain the voyages 
to the north of Europe; those in the North 
Seas, and towards the North Pole. 4 
<¢ The second, those along the West coast 
of Africa to the Cape of Good Hope ; and 
' the discoveries of the Atlantic islands. 
« The third, Fast from the Cape of Good 
BZ 
