40 MEMOIR OF PALLAS. 
3 
the character of these “ Travels ;” and whilst some 
have conferred on them the highest eulogiums, more 
perhaps have bestowed only limited praise. As 
exhibiting the sentiments of the former of these 
classes, we shall adduce only the testimony of the 
illustrious De Saussure, a no less competent than an 
unexceptionable judge. “The accounts,” he says, 
“of these long and painful journeys comprehend all 
that can interest the naturalist and the statesman ; 
and they are perhaps the grandest and most beauti- 
ful specimen of this kind of work which we possess.” 
With this we connect the criticism of the judicious 
Cuvier :—“ It may easily be supposed that thus 
working in haste, and in these solitudes, without 
books and every means of reference, the author must 
necessarily have fallen into some errors, insisted 
upon familiar matters as if they were unknown, 
and been guilty of repetition. It must moreover be 
conceded, that he might have infused more life into 
his narrative, and given greater prominency to the 
more interesting objects which he met. It can 
scarcely be questioned that the long and dry enu- 
meration of mines and forges, and the often repeated 
catalogues of common plants and birds he encoun- 
tered, do not supply agreeable reading. He does 
not carry his readers along with him, nor, like more 
fortunate authors, pourtray the features of Nature's 
grandeur to the eye, nor the singular peculiarities 
of those who passed under his review. At the same 
time, however, it must be allowed, that the circum- 
stances in which he wrote were any thing but 
