INTRODUCTION, XXXV 



pulated by M. Misson, who not impossibly may have 

 besn assisted in the Enghsh translation by Ozell. 



An abstract of Leguat's narrative was published 

 by M. Charles Grant, Viscount de Yaux, in his well- 

 known History of Mauritius,^ compiled from the 

 papers of his father, Baron Grant. He writes : — 



" N.B. — As the extract from Le Guat, on the Island of 

 Rodriguez, may perhaps be found long, I think proper to 

 explain my motives on the subject. 



" The residence of Le Guat, and his companions in that 

 island being the sole event which furnishes us a sort of 

 historical description, it was necessary to mention it. By 

 attachment to truth and justice, I could not do better than to 

 let the author speak himself; knowing that this manner, 

 which has been adopted by Anacharsis, &c., offers more 

 interest to the reader. However, it has cost me more labour 

 than if I had written the whole in my own way ; because I 

 have been obliged to correct the style, and to shorten it in 

 every part, which seems to me tedious, prolix, and often 

 of erroneous systems ; besides he places Eodriguez at two 

 hundred leagues from Mauritius, whereas, it is not half, as 



I make him say I wish the knowledge I present 



of this island may be sufficiently convincing of the advan- 

 tages which may be reaped from it, that ii should no longer 

 remain useless to humanity." 



An abbreviated version of Leguat's adventures 

 has lately been published with the annotations of 

 M. Eugene MuUer, the Librarian of tlie Arsenal at 

 Paris, in the series of Voyages brought out by M. 



^ The History of Mauritius, or the Isle of France, and the neigh- 

 bouring Islands. From their first discovery to the present time, 

 composed principally from the papers and memoirs of Baron 

 Grant, who resided twenty years in the island. By his son, Charles 

 Grant, Viscount de Vaux. (London, 1801.) 



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