THE 
INTRODUCTION. 
HERE are very few Points as to which the wife Men of Antiquity, and the bed: 
Judges among the Moderns, are fo clearly agreed as in the Advantages that refult from 
Travel, and the Benefits that arife from feeing the World. It is very evident from an- 
cient Writers, that the greateft and mod: celebrated Philofophers thought it requifite to 
vifit diftant Nations, in Search of Wifdom. The Defign of one of thofe excellent 
Poems, compofed by Homer , whofe Reputation is, at once, the mod: extenfive, and the 
bed-founded of any Poet’s, was to {hew that ufeful and univerfal Science was bed attained in this 
Way, of which he gives us an illudrious Example in the Character of Ulyjjes , who is the Hero of 
that Work. In later Times, travelling is become a Part of Education, or rather a Thing neceffary 
to polifh and perfect Education, by indrudting thofe in Men who have already acquired as much as 
can be acquired from Books. But thefe Advantages are confined to a very few, by which I mean, 
fuch as have it in their Power, either to indulge their Inclinations in vifiting foreign Countries, or 
who, moved by the Advices of their Friends, take this Method of improving their Talents, by add- 
ing Experience to what they have learned in Schools. But, as to the Bulk of Mankind, though 
they dand as much in Need of the Benefits drawn from Travel, as thofe who move in the fub- 
limer Spheres of Life 5 yet, by their Circumdances, they are difabled from this Manner of accom- 
plifhing themfelves, or of obtaining the Knowledge they want. 
But, becaufe thus precluded one Way, does it follow that they fhall attempt it no other, or becaufe 
they cannot travel themfelves, mud they derive no Advantage from the Travels of others ? That would 
be a hard Thing indeed, fince Men reap the Benefits of Hidory, and thereby gain the Benefit; of Expe- 
rience from Ages far beyond thofe in which they live. If unconfined by Time, why fhould they 
be confined by Space j if we may improve from the Knowledge of what was done by Men before us, 
why may we not inform ourfelves, by enquiring into what thofe Nations do who live far from us ? 
One is. as rational, and not at all more difficult than the other ; and there is this Advantage attends 
travelling upon Paper, that we may go whither, and in what Company we pleafe. This is a very 
lingular and a very ufeful Circumftance ; for, very frequently, even great Travellers do not fee what 
they feek. Their Inclinations would carry them one Way, but, perhaps their Fortune and Con- 
dition in. the World will carry them another; but this can never happen in Books. We may 
add. to this another Confiaeration ; that there are many Voyages, which however a Man may be 
Inclined to make, yet, in his whole Life-Time, he may never meet with any Opportunity of 
making: I will indance only in two. The firff is a Voyage round the World; of which, in 
the fird Book of this Collection, we have given a complete and particular Account from whence 
it appears how few of thofe Voyages have been made in a long Courfe of Time : Yet, I prefume to 
fay, that there are none, either of fo great Ufe, or fo entertaining. It is from thefe Voyages, that 
the greateft Difcoveries have been made, and, which is more, the Poffibility difclofed of making dill 
greater Difcoveries that hitherto have been made, as the Reader will be convinced, by perufing that 
Part of this Collection. My fecond Indance is in Voyages to Japon , which is now out of the 
Power of almod any Man to make, who is not a Native of a particular Country ; and even thofe 
make them with far lets Advantage now than they did formerly. 
But this is not the only Benefit that refults from reading beyond adtual Sailing or Travelling ; for 
In the latter, we are bound to one particular Courfe, and confined to the Fruits of a fingle Ex- 
curfion, whereas, by tne Help of a Collection of Voyages, we reap all the Advantages that refult 
Lorn the Experience of diiterent Men, who have lived in different Countries, and in different Ages. 
We can, in this Way, fail with Columbus and Magellan, with Drake and Le Maire, as well as with 
Rogers or Acjdral Anjou. In like Manner we can, in this Method, go to Japon with the Portuguese, 
.and the Enghfk, as well as with the Dutch , and thereby derive to ourfelves that Experience which 
was reaped, in pair - Ages, and from which we are abfolutely precluded in the prefent. To us, in 
this Way, it is the lame Thing, whether good or ill Fortune attend the Voyages, fince, to an intel- 
" 'V LiL " Reamr, as to an abie Philofopher, it is much the fame with refbeCt to InftruCtion, whether 
Npmb. 68. b ' t u 
