TRAVELS 
INTO THE 
LEVA 
PART I 
^ C H A p. . I. 
^ ' The Travellers Dejign. 
TH E délire of Travelling (which is as old as Human Nature) The defire of 
feems to be at prefent, a more prevailing paffion than ever : Travelling 
In all parts of the World we meet with Travellers, which "^""^^ ardent 
confirm the truth of what I fay ^ and the many Printed Re- ^^^^ l^^^^ 
lations of their Obfervations which have been made Publick 
within thefe 'twenty years, put it out of all doubt. All 
who are curious, delight in the Rarities they fee-, and there 
are but few, who if they were not otherwife engaged, would not willingly be 
themfelvcs the witnefTes ^nd fpedatours of them : Thefe pleafing Relations 
raifed in my mind the firft tljioughts of Travellings and feeing in the Year one 
thoufand fix hundred fifty two, I had no confiderable Affairs that might obftrudt 
my inclination,! eafilyrefolved to follow it. IhQg'â.n with England, proceeded The he^m- 
h"^ Holland znà Germany, afid then vifited /f^/)/ ; but till I have ip^d Naples, I ning of the 
fhall make no particular Obfervation of thefe Countries, fince thofe things ^Y^^'^'^^'^^' 
that recommend them tofl:rangers,are fufficiently known to all my Countrymen: 
having fatisfied my curiofity with all thatRome could afford,! refolved not to flop 
there, but to advance and inform my felf of what was worthy of knowledge in 
other Countries,whereof I had butimperfedConceptions: But then it behoved me 
to confider which way ! (hould dired my Travels,and,that Imight not Travel in 
vain,provide my felf of means and necelTary inftrudtionsto render them ufeful. • 
God Almighty offered me an occafion; for stRome I found a French Gentleman, A very lear. 
who ferioufly applied himfelf to the knowledge of the Affairs of the Levant ; he "'^'^ 
was in fo high reputation among the Learned, that he was courted by all who 
loved folid Learning, becaufe in him alone they found abundantly, what was 
but very rarely to be met with amongfl: all others. Though the great eft part 
of his time was taken up in converfation with the mofl learned Cardinals,andthe 
other moft confiderable Prelates of Rome -, yet I made fo good ufeofhisacquain- The Authors 
tance, that he was pleafed to admit me into his Friendfhip, and ! admir'd Friendfhip 
to find by experience, the truth of what I had been told by others: At firfl I with mouii- 
found him to be a man fo accomplifhed in Liberal Sciences, and in the Greek and-f^'J^'' 
B Ladn 
