J 826.] surveying the Indian Archipelago. 179 



tion unequalled, and of having furnished the groundwork of 

 commerce, and its concomitant blessing, civilization, for genera* 

 tions yet unborn. 



Until the year 1764 every enterprize had been set on foot for 

 private profit, or for predatory or warlike aggression. Unoffend- 

 ing people were frequently invaded, insulted, subdued, and 

 oppressed, and hostile retaliation involved the good with the 

 guilty. It was reserved for Britain to be the first to renounce 

 such debasing motives of conduct, and to set an example which 

 the nations of the world might attempt to emulate, butcovild not 

 hope to excel. The moment we set sail from Spithead with 

 Commodore Byron, in the Dolphin (the very names and asso- 

 ciations are endearingly oceanic) the sea becomes British classic 

 ground, and this without any straining after metaphor ; for one 

 of the most patriotic of our poets, whose muse is identified with 

 our naval glory, has said, with a felicitousness of diction unri- 

 valled — 



" Her march is o'er the mountain wave, 

 Her home is on the deep." 



All the principles of nautical adventure from that hour 

 assumed a new and more dignified character. Objects the most 

 interesting to society were pursued to the sole end that society 

 might reap the advantage. An invaluable accumulation of 

 natural and scientific knowledge has been the result. 



To those who rejoice in the moral, as well as in the physical 

 and political strength of the country, another effect not less 

 important, though, perhaps, not quite so evident, will appear to 

 have sprung out of the enlightened zeal, hberality, and publicity, 

 with which all these expeditions have been conducted. All has 

 been fair and above board ; nothing has been kept back. From, 

 the number and competency of the individuals selected for these 

 enterprizes, and from the permission granted to all to keep jour- 

 nals, the most effectual checks to falsehood, the highest incite- 

 ments to truth, and the fullest guarantee of accuracy, have been 

 thoroughly ensured to the utmost hmit that human knowledge 

 admits of. By this means there has been created a greater 

 demand, or rather a vehement longing after truth, and as a happy 

 consequence, the standard of value of that precious commodity 

 has been greatly enhanced. 



Prior to the brilliant era in our history to which I have alluded, 

 our information respecting distant countries was of a very 

 dubious and defective kind, depending entirely on the honesty 

 and ability of individual travellers, and at best was taken with a 

 large abatement of confidence. Certain general indefinite 

 notions were acquired from the details of the older navigators, 

 hut when it was wished to ascertain positive facts, an intuitive 

 distrust was felt that nothing could overcome. So much of the 

 vague and the marvellous entered into their histories, that it was 



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