334 Geography. 



instruction with which his narrative abounds shows 

 him to have been a man of an enUghtened and 

 liberal mind. In firmness, resolution, and talents 

 for observation, he was probably little if at all in- 

 ferior to the celebrated Cook; and although the 

 list of his achievements is by no means so large, 

 or so brilliant as those of the British commander, 

 yet his voyage will long be accounted honourable 

 to himself, to his sovereign, and to his country. 

 To Bougainville succeeded Messrs. Pages and 

 SuRviLLE, who also made a number of valuable 

 discoveries and observations, especially in the 

 Southern Ocean, which have secured for their 

 names an honourable place in the history of modern 

 voyages. In 1771 Kerguelen, Marion, and Du 

 Clesmur, were successively busied in exploring 

 the same seas, in quest of a southern continent. 

 And though the additions which they made to 

 our knowledge of the globe were by no means 

 great, yet they were such as to entitle them to re- 

 spectful mention in the present sketch. 



Soon after the peace of Paris, in 1783, a new 

 voyage of discovery was projected by the French 

 government, and preparation made for carrying it 

 into effect. The objects of this expedition were 

 to improve geography, astronomy, natural history, 

 and philosophy in general; to collect accounts of 

 the customs and manners of different nations; and . 

 to open new fields of commercial enterprise. Never, 

 probably, was the plan of a voyage more enlightened 

 and extensive, the instructions given to its conduc- 

 tors more scientific and precise, or the provision made 

 for its execution more liberal and perfect.' The 

 immediate direction of it was committed to Messrs. 

 de la Perouse and de Langle, accompanied by 

 a number of learned men, who, in 1785, sailed 



i See the voyage of i.A Pcro'Jse, particularly yol. i. 



