P R E F A C E. 
tlie State of our own Species in every Country, more or lefs diifant, or however fltuated in refpect to 
our own, their Manners, Cuftoms, Religion, Government, Laws, Forces, Revenues, and Trade. Be- 
lides all this, we learn the Progrefs of Art in the Improvement of Nature, which is a Point of higher 
Confequence than is commonly imagined j fince upon a ftricl Review it will be found, that even amongil; 
the moft uncouth and barbarous Nations, there are many ingenious Inventions to be met wkh^ £ome ta- 
ken from Accident, but mofl didated by Neceffity, which in neither Way have ever occurred, even to 
the moft lively Imaginations, amongft People more civilized. As for Inftance, The neat Cloaths of Skins, 
Hunting and Fifliing Tackle without Iron, and Boats that cannot link among the Greenlanders their 
flying Prows amongft the Inhabitants of the Marian Jjlands ; their Feather V/orks amongft the ancient 
Mexicans, &c. By reading as well as feeing thefe Things, the human Mind is vaftly enlarged and impro- 
ved ; we become weaned and eftranged from thofe little, narrow, and childifti Notions v/hich are the Ef- 
fedls of a fordid Education, and by which even the brighteft Genius is held in Chains. Neither is this 
the only Benefit, for the Extenfion of true Science naturally heightens and improves our moral Notions, 
teaches us Affability, Kindnefs and Commiferation for Strangers, and puts us in this refpedt upon execu- 
ting the Fundamental Maxim of the ChriftianLaw, by doing unto others as we would wifh to be done* by 
in their Circumftances. It teaches us Wifdom alfo, enables us to find out Means for meliorating our own 
Soil and Climate, and introducing as well foreign Fruits and Timber, as Animals ; and by Labour pru- 
dently direded, making them our own. In the fame Manner we transfer their Arts alfo, which though 
invented in particular Countries, and indifpenfably neceffary in fome, are, generally fpeaking, ufeful and 
convenient in all. Whatever Books of Travels therefore treat of thefe Matters moft copioufly, cir- 
cumftantially, and corredly, deferve moft to be read, and heft to be preferved ^ which Rule we 
have ftudied to follow for the Reader’s Emolument, as well as in Difcharge of our own Duty, 
In Reference to new Difcoveries, and opening frefti Channels of Trade, we have fpared no Pains^ 
nor have been deterred by any Hazards. We have confidered every Quarter of the Globe, and after 
enquiring how far it is already known and vifited, have pointed cut how much farther .and better it 
might be known, and what Advantages might probably be expeded from thence. We have not ftood 
in Awe, upon thefe ‘Occaftons, either of tlie Cenfures of hafty Criticks, of the Raillery of fuch as de- 
fpife all Projeds but thofe of Pleafure, or of the Refentment of Men who fancy that fuch Difcoveries 
■would be an Intrufion upon their Rights, though they never attempt to turn thefe, fo much, as to their 
own Advantage. What we have offered, has proceeded from a right Intention, from a Defire of em- 
ploying the Poor, of affording fuitable Rewards to enterprizing Minds 5 and in a Word, of contribu- 
ting, Po far as this Opportunity put it in our Power, to the Benefit of Society, which is a Tribute due 
from every Member of it, for the Protedion, and other Bleffings that he enjoys in that Capacity. We 
have in every Inffance had Reafon for our Guide at leaff, and fometimes alfo Experience. We have 
propofed the undertaking of nothing without fhewing that there were probable Grounds of finding 
the Undertaking both beneficial and pradicable. We have ffudied to be as clear in the one, and as 
certain in the other, as it was poffible 5 neither have we pretended to didate, but have contented our- 
felves with propounding fairly what appeared to us feafible. To this we were chiefly encouraged by 
obferving, that the fame noble and generous Spirit, which animated our Anceftors not only to attempt, 
but to perform fo many and fo great Adions, of which we feel the Benefit, began to revive in the 
prefent Age for our own Advantage, as we hope, as well as for that of our Pofterity. What was in 
our Power we have done to cherifh and keep alive this glorious Flame, and to enable it to mount as 
high in prefent as in paft Times ; and if in doing this we have fometimes digreffed with fome degree 
of Acrimony into expofing the oppofite Humour of preferring Indolence and Pleafure to Adivity and 
Induftry, we hope the Warmth of our Zeal will at leaff . excufe that of our Language. It is our 
Comfort however, that if it does not, it can offend only the Idle and Taflelefs, whom, to fay the 
Truth, we never had a Thought to pleafe. They muff look for a Library of this Kind elfewhere, for 
this is confecrated entirely to the Service of ingenious and intelligent Readers, who feek Improvement 
and Inftrudion, and have no Notion of being entertained at the Expence of their Time and their 
Underftandings. 
This we flatter ourfelves will be found a fair Reprefentation of the principal Matters that are to be 
met with within the Compafs of this Volume j- and having faid this, we have nothing farther to add, 
than that we heartily wifh the Perufal of it may, in fome Meafure, anfwer our Aim, and contribute 
to diffufe that publick Spirit which teaches Men not only to wifh well to the World in general, and 
to their own Country in particular, but to exprefs the Sincerity of their Wifhes in their Studies, their 
Difcourfes, and their Adions. We fhall then be amply rewarded for all the Anxiety and Labour 
with which the atchieving fo great a Work has been attended, and fhall chearfully leave it as a 
Monument to Pofterity, that we have not been idle in our Generation, or unworthy of the Examples 
that have been fet us in this Kind of Writing, by the great Men in the laft Age j in our own, and in 
other Countries. 
CONTENTS. 
OS! 
