Retrofpect of French Literature—V. oyages and Travels. 
‘the magnificent palace called Tcbéchel- 
Minar, or the forty columns, was not 
burnt to the ground, but is indebted to 
the ravages of time, and the effeéts of fre- 
quent earthquakes, for its prefent ruinous 
ftate. It is the opinion of the celebrated 
tranflator, that many valuable remains of 
antiquity might be difcovered here, were 
proper meafures taken for that purpofe. 
“« Voyage pittorefque de la Syrie,” &c. 
A piétuiefque Journey through Syria, 
Pheenicia, Paleftine, and Lower Egypt ; 
“by C. Cassas, No. It. | 
_ This is a periodical work of confiderable 
celebrity, the prefent number of which 
contains the fix following plates, which 
are admirably executed : 
1. A view of the Port of Antioch, 
called Medina, (Bab-el-Medynab,) ftyled 
formerly by the Arabians Axthdhyeh. 
2. The remains of an ancient Sarco- 
phagus, on the road leading from Beryte 
to Sidon. 
3. A general view of Seide, formerly 
termed Svdox, .and which the Arabs at 
prefent call S/erda, 
4. A view of Jerufalem, with the Holy 
Sepulchre, &c. 
5. Two plans of the fepulchral Monu- 
ments of the Kings of Judza. 
And, 6. A third-of the fame, 
‘* Voyage par le Cap de Bonne-Efpé- 
rance a Batavia,” &c. A Voyage to Ba- 
tavia and Bengal by the Cape of Good 
Hope, in 1768—69—70—and 71. By 
J. F. Stavorinus, Commodore of a Squa- 
dron ‘im the Service of the Batavian Re- 
public; with Obfervations on the Navi- 
gation and Commerce of thefe Countries, 
as well as the Charaéters, the Manners, 
and the Religion of the People who in- 
habit them. TYranflated from the Dutch 
by H. J. JANSEN, 8vo. with 3 Plates. 
This is a tranflation of StaVorinus’s firft 
voyage only: the whole of the work has 
already appeared in Englifh. Some parts 
of the narrative are interefting, but in the 
department of natural hiftory he is deemed 
—incorreét. 
“Voyape, a (Canton, \, ac: 
to Canton, the Capital of the Province of 
the fame Name, in China, by Gorée, the 
Cape of Good Hope, and the Ifles of 
France and Re-Union; to which are ad- 
ded, Obfervations on the Vovages to 
China by Lord Macartney and Citizen 
Van-Braam, with a Survey of the Arts 
and Acquifitions of the Indians-and Chi- 
nefe. By Citizen CHARPENTIER Cos- 
SIGNY, Ex-Engineer. 
The author tells us, in his preface, 
_* that every thing relative to the internal 
Mongruty Mac. LXI. 
A Voyage- 
* 
653 
fituation of China, is entitled to the notice 
and attention of the public. “I have been 
eager,” adds he, “ to perufe the accounts 
of the Englifh and Dutch embaffies to the 
Emperor; and much praife ought to be 
beftowed on the original editors as well as 
the tranflators: but I cannot refrain from 
obferving that thefe two works appear to 
me to be incomplete in many particulars, 
deftitute of exaétnefs in fome, and faulty 
in not a few; as their authors have not 
colleéted that degree of information rela- 
tive to the arts and legiflation of the Chi- 
nefe, which circumftances had enabled 
them to obtain. In fhort, they have en- 
tirely neglected to make us acquainted 
with the {pirit of their laws, which are 
entirely oppofite to our cuftoms and our 
principles, 
** {t is thefe confiderations,”’ adds he, 
‘* which have determined me to lay my 
obfervations on the two works quoted 
above, before the public. They are pre- 
ceded by an account of a voyage to China, 
which will coavey an idea of the manners 
of the Chinefe, of their commerce with 
the Europeans, and, in fhort, with all the 
productions of that famous country. | 2 
have alfo noticed the produGtions of the 
Cape of Good Hope, which I vifited 
twice. My idea of this fubjeét is different 
from that of the generality of travellers, 
for that colony does not appear to me of {o 
much confequence as has been. afferted. 
I confider it merely asa place of refreth- 
ment for veffels deftined to the Indies, or 
thofe returning thence: there is urdoubt- 
edly a great deal in this, but it confticutes 
the whole of its importance. 
“‘ {ft is far otherwite with the Ifle of 
France, which unites all the advantages 
attached to a numerous population, a fer- 
tile foil calculated for the culture of ex- 
otic productions, and an admirable firua- 
tion, being placed in the very centre of the 
Indian feas; Jet it not be forgotten alfo, 
thar, in addition to thele benefits. it pof- 
{cffes two good harbours. in re{peét to 
this precious colony, I have indulged freely 
in my remarks, as its importance is not 
fufficiently appreciated. 
‘¢ After this follows my fketch of the 
Indian and Chinefe arts, relative to which 
I have obtamed info: mation in the courfe 
of my various voyages; but it is ftill in- 
complete, as the fubjeét requires further 
inquiry and examination.” 
it will appear from the above extra&, 
that one of the pmrucipal opjects of the 
prefent work, jis to criticife the voyages 
of Lord Macartney and Mynheer Van- 
Braam 5 this ts coupled with the political 
4P alm 
