| 
CLARKE’S MARITIME DISCOVERIES. ] 
room could be found for the extracts 
from the admirable work of Glas? 
Beyond a doubt the Canaries were the 
first discoveries of naval enterprize, and 
yet ina history of maritime discoveries 
they are past over! We have to charge 
Mr, Clarke with a far worse omission: 
he has made no mention whatever of the 
state of naval architecture or of nautical 
science. 
In the second section begins a sketch 
of the history of Portugal, compiled 
from compilations; this also is a work 
of supererogation, if that name can be 
applied to works which are not good. 
€ can excuse no superfluous matter in 
a quarto volume, price three pounds 
eight shillings, which is to be the first 
of seven. ‘This section is interlarded 
with the travels of Benjamin of Tudela, 
John de Plano Carpini, and William de 
Rubruquis: these travels are thus in- 
troduced as events which ‘ as they in- 
terested the whole attention of modern Eu- 
rope, could not fail to produce a considerable 
effect on the minds of the most enterprising and 
est informed among the Portuguese.’’ ‘This 
is a curious passage ; the journal of a 
Jew’s travels in the year 1173 interested 
the whole attention of modern Europe! 
* The marvellous narrative of a tra- 
veller of Navarre must have soon exetted 
the curiosity of Alphonso.”’ By an easy 
alteration of mood and tense the con- 
jectures of the historian pass into the 
perfect indicative affirmation of history ; 
he naturally sought and obtained a copy 
of the curious manuscript, and Al- 
phonso thus received a new fund of geo- 
aphical information, which had been 
itherto concealed from the general at- 
tention of the western world, and the 
wanderings of a Jew, notwithstanding 
their eccentricities, may be considered as 
aving opened a path for the enterpris- 
ing spirit of a2 more distant age. Mr. 
Clarke indeed has through the whole 
section made vigorous deductions from 
the potential mood; “ the manuscripts 
of learned travellers must have been a 
principal object of research to such a 
monarch as king Dennis,” for so after 
his French authorities he misnames 
Diniz; “ the expedition of count Henry 
“to the Holy Land is a point of much im- 
‘portance in the progress of maritime dis- 
covery: if he a@ually made such a voyage, 
he probably obtained some account of the 
eas and of the 
geography of India, 
and might thus have contributed to awaken 
“a spirit of commercial enterprize armong 
os 
his countrymen, which at length efi fed 
the developement, of the Indian ocean by 
the Cape of Good Hope:” the fact is, 
that count Henry’s crusade is a mere 
fiction, of which we could eff? the de~ 
velopement if this were the ft place, ur 
if the developement had not been sucici- 
ently effected. ‘To the end of this section 
is subjoined what the author calls a con- 
cise account of the most distinguished 
Portugueze writers; in this catalogue 
there is scarcely a Portugueze name spelt’ 
aright, or 2 Portugueze title printed 
intelligibly. 
The second chapter commences with 
the reign of John 1. the father of prince 
Henry, whom Mr. Clarke every where 
calls duke of Visee: duke of Visew he 
was, as the prince of Wales is duke of 
Cornwall, and it is equally absurd to 
call either by his inferior title. By the 
duke of Viseu every Portugueze would 
understand dom Diogo, who was stabbed 
by John II. We proceed to the com- 
mencement of the discoveries, without 
dwelling longer upon the blunders which 
precede it: Mr. Clarke may correct 
them from Neufoille, or La Clede, or the 
Universal History. 
*¢ John the first, of Portugal, was emi- 
nently happy in the abilities and amiable 
disposition of children, who supported and 
adorned his throne: the spirit which ani- 
mated their valour, never encroached on 
either the honour, or the affection, that was 
due unto a parent. The liberal education 
enjoyed by their father, rendered him anxi- 
ous, that his sons should not alone depend 
on their rank for respect; and they repaid 
this solicitude by a generous emulation of 
his fame. Edward, prince of Portugal, was 
deeply versed in the laws and constitution of 
his country, under the immediate eye of his 
pareut ; the history of the different kingdoms 
of Europe, taught him at an early age the 
difficult, though glorious duty of governing 
a free peopie. John distinguished himself 
both in the camp and cabinet, and united in 
an uncommon degree the talents of the mi- 
litary character, with the keenness or versa- 
tility of the statesman. The fatal expedition 
to Tangier, which ended in the perpetual 
captivity of his noble brother Fredinand, 
never received his suifrage, but from the first 
was opposed by every argument he could 
devise. Pedro, duke of Coimbra, was en- 
dowed by nature with a quick, yet solid un- 
derstanding ; in whatever light his character 
is beheld, its brilliancy attracts and gratifies 
the beholder. His eloquence, the voyages 
which he had made, and his travels both in 
Asia and Africa, induced the historian Ca- 
stera, with others, to style him the Ulysses 
of his age. Pedro was admired in ail the 
