The PRE^FACE. 
the Languages^ wherein he made great Progrefs, 
and hath given us the Malabar Alphabet^ and Ibme 
Rules of the Syntax of that Language. He had 
an extraordinary aptitude for Languages, for . not 
to mention thofe that are moft known in his own 
Countrey, he fully underftood Turl^, Arabic}^ 
and Terfariy which enabled him to Know and 
Write, as he hath done, of thofe^eople. And 
as his Obfervations, which are in a manner on all 
forts ofSubjeds, require a notion of the moft 
part of Arts and Sciences, fo hath he evidently 
demonftrated, that fo many different Employ- 
ments enough to have bufied lèverai Pcrfons, have 
not at all diverted him from the Study of the moft 
lerious and difficult matters. The truth is, he had 
Parts that could reach and command any thing, 
was ingenious in unravelling Difficulties, laborious 
in Study , and conftant in purfoing what he fet 
about, fo that he attain d to great knowledge in 
Natural Philofophy, Geometry, Aftronomy, and 
all the Mathematicks ; and had elpecially ftudied 
the Philofophy of Defcartes^ rather that he 
might with pleaiure examine Natural EfFeds in 
their Principles , than Magifterially didate and 
decide, as thofe who now a days make a fhew of 
that Philofophy, commonly do. 
However, it is none of the leaft Encomiums of 
Monjieur de Thevenot^ that fo great Parts and fo 
much Learning, no way lelTened his Zeal for 
Religion, wherein he has the univcrfal Approba- 
tion of all who returned from thole Countries, 
or have Written of him to their Friends, who all 
extol 
V 
