1 A T O y A G E T O Book I. 



vels obftacles, which otherwife would appear unfur- 

 mountable. Defire and refolution are not, however, 

 always fiifficient to infure fuccefs ; and the beft- con- 

 certed meafures are not always profperous. Divine 

 Providence, whofe over-ruling and incomprehenfible 

 determinations dire6t the courfe of human actions, 

 feems to have prefcribed certain limits, beyond which 

 all our attempts are vain. The caufes his infinite wif- 

 dom has thought proper to conceal from us, and the 

 refuk of fuch a condudt is rather an objed of our re- 

 verence than fpeculation. The knowledge of the 

 bounds of human underftanding, a difcreet amufe- 

 ment and exercife of our talents for the demonitra- 

 tion of truths which are only to be attained by a con- 

 tinual and extenfive ftudy, which rewards the mind 

 with tranquillity and pleafure^ are advantages worthy 

 of our higheil efteem, and obje6ls which cannot be 

 too much recommended. In all times the defire of 

 enlighteningothers,by fome new difcovery, has rouzed 

 the indutlry of man, and engaged him in laborious 

 refearches, and by that means proved the principal 

 fource of the improvement of the fciences. 



Things which have long baffled fagacity and ap- 

 plication, have fometimes been difcovered by chance. 

 The firmeft refolution has often been difcouraged, by 

 the inluperable precipices, which, in appearance, in- 

 circle his invelligation. The reafon is, becaufe the ob- 

 flacks are painted, by the imagination, in the moft live- 

 ly colours buc the methods of furmounting them 

 elcape our attention ; till, fmoothed by labour and 

 application, a more eafy pafTage is difcovered. 



Among the difcoveries mentioned in hiftory, whe- 

 ther owing to accident or refle(5tion, that of the In- 

 dies is not the leail advantageous. Thefe parts were 

 for many ages unknown to the Europeans ; or, at 

 lealf, the remembrance of them was buried in obli- 

 vion. They were loft through a long fucceflion of 

 time, and disfigured by the confufion and darknefs in 



6 ^^^^^ 



