A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 18 eBook

Robert Kerr (writer)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 938 pages of information about A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.

A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels - Volume 18 eBook

Robert Kerr (writer)
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 938 pages of information about A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.

762.  Sonnerat, Voyage aux Indes Orientals et a la Chine, 1774. 1781.  Paris, 1806. 4 vols. 8vo.—­This work is particularly full and minute on the theography of the Hindoos:  besides the East Indies and China, it embraces Pegu, the Cape of Good Hope, Ceylon, Malacca, &c.  A translation of part of it into English was printed at Calcutta.

763.  Nouvelles Memoires sur l’Etat present de la Chine.  Par Le Comte.  Paris, 1701, 3 vols. 12mo—­The best account of China previous to Duhalde’s work, though in many particulars extremely partial to the Chinese.

764.  Memoires concernant l’Histoire, les Sciences, et les Arts des Chinois.  Par les Missionaires de Pekin.  Paris, 1775, &c. 15 vols. 4to.—­In this voluminous work is contained a wonderful deal of information on China; the continuation of the work was put a stop to by the French Revolution:  it is by far the best the Jesuits have produced on China; and if there are materials for perfecting it, they ought to be given to the public.

765.  Description Geographique, Historique, Chronologique, Politique, et Physique de la Chine et de Tartarie Chinoise.  Par Duhalde.  Le Hague, 1736, 4 vols. 4to.—­Of this work there is an English translation.  Duhalde has drawn his materials from a variety of sources, especially from the printed and manuscript accounts of the missionaries; but he has failed to exercise a sound judgment, and a scrupulous examination into the truth of many facts and opinions which he has admitted into his work.

But though the public are certainly much indebted to the missionaries for the information they have given respecting this singular country, yet there are obvious circumstances which rendered their accounts suspicious in some points, and defective in others, so that the publication of the accounts of the Dutch and British Embassies added much to our stock of accurate knowledge regarding China.  The following is the title of the French translation of part of the Dutch Embassy: 

766.  Voyage de la Campagne des Indes Orientales vers l’Empire de la Chine, 1794-5.  Tire du Journal de Van Braam.  Philadelphe. 1797, 4to.—­There is also an English translation.

767.  Sir George Staunton’s Account of the Embassy of the Earl of Macartney to China. 2 vols. 4to. 1797.

768.  John Barrow’s Travels to China. 4to. 1804.

These works, especially the latter, together with Lord Macartney’s own journal in the second volume of his life, contain a deal of information, considering the jealousy of the Chinese; some additions, corrections, and different views of the same circumstances, as well as a further insight into the manners of the Chinese, as indicated by their conduct, will be found in the two following works which relate to the Embassy of Lord Amherst.  The first is by the naturalist to the Embassy.

769.  Abel’s Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China. 1816-17. 4to.

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