"Often as I read in the books of histories and cosmography the marvellous things whereof they make " mention, especially in the East parts of the world, there was nothing that could pacify my unquiet mind, " until I had with mine eyes seen the truth thereof, and in my own person beheld the situation of lands "and regions, with the manners and customs of men; and variable forms, shapes, natures, and proprieties of "beasts, fruits, and trees; especially such as are among the Arabians, Persians, and Indians. And whereas, "in the searching of these things, we have, thanked be GoD, satisfied our desire, we think nevertheless that we have done little, except we should communicate to other such things as we have seen and had ex"perience of; that they likewise, by the reading thereof, may take pleasure; for whose sakes we have "written this long and dangerous discourse of things which we have seen in divers regions and sects of men; "desiring nothing more than that the truth may be known to them that desire the same. But what in "commodities and troubles chanced to me in these voyages, as hunger, thirst, cold, heat, wars, captivity, terrors, and divers other such dangers, I will declare in their due place." Travels of VERTOMANNUS in 1503. * * "The eastern front was glorious to behold, "With diamond flaring, and Barbaric gold. "There Ninus shone, who spread th' Assyrian fame, "And the great founder of the Persian name: "There, in long robes, the royal magi stand; "Grave Zoroaster waves the circling wand; "The sage Chaldæans rob'd in white appear'd, "And Brachmans, deep in desert woods rever'd. "These stopp'd the moon, and call'd th' unbodied shades "To midnight banquets in the glimmering glades; "Made visionary fabrics round them rise, "And airy spectres skim before their eyes; "And careful watch'd the planetary hour; POPE. ORIENTAL MEMOIRS: SELECTED AND ABRIDGED FROM A SERIES OF FAMILIAR LETTERS WRITTEN DURING SEVENTEEN YEARS RESIDENCE IN INDIA: INCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ON PARTS OF AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA, AND A NARRATIVE OF OCCURRENCES IN FOUR INDIA VOYAGES. Illustrated by Engravings from Original Drawings. BY JAMES FORBES, F.R.S. &c. IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. III. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR BY T. BENSLEY, BOLT COURT. PUBLISHED BY WHITE, COCHRANE, AND CO. HORACE'S HEAD, FLEET-STREET. 1813. 175803 C |