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PARE FAC EF
EXPLAINING THE
PLAN AND ARRANGEMENT OF THIS WORK.
= Sane reader of this large and expensive collection, the most volu-
minous of the kind ever published, except the Histoire Generale
des Voyages, (which extends to twenty-four volumes in quarto, including
the Supplements,) is entitled to enquire into the causes of its plan and
arrangement. ‘The varieties of human opinion, even among the Scien-
tific, havelong formed a topic of trivial observation ; and they who have
the least examined the subject, usually decide with the greatest dogma-
tism and celerity. But the present cause being of great importance
to the Publishers, who have embarked a large sum of money in equip-
ing this literary fleet, which, without a strong popular gale, cannot re- ,
turn to port with a freight worthy of their expectation, it is hoped they
will not suffer by the calm of neglect, or the storms of envy and calumny.
Trusting to the usual candour, which they have experienced from the
Public, they believe that an explanation of no great length will suffice
to convince the unprejudiced, of the preference due to the method followed
in the present collection.
s)
With this view alone, they must mention that the defects of the only
other system of this kind, “ The General History of Voyages and Tra-
vels,” in the French language, have been long apparent even to careless
observers. The original plan of that great collection belongs to an
English author, Green, the editor of the four volumes of voyages, commonly
called Astleys, from the name of the proprietor. A man he certainly
was of curious learning and research in this branch of literature ; but
VOL. I. a his
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