For such works are of course accessible only to very few, and
when obtained, convey little interest or information.
A select catalogue then appears to be the most useful, and of course must
occupy less room. But to this objections start up, which it will be proper
to consider.
In the first place, What is the criterion of good works of voyages and
travels? The antiquarian will not allow merit to such as pass over, or do
not enter, _con amore_, and at great length, into the details of the
antiquities of a country: the natural historian is decidedly of opinion,
that no man ought to travel who is not minutely and accurately acquainted
with every branch of his favourite science, and complains that scarcely a
single work of travels is worthy of purchase or perusal, because natural
history is altogether omitted in them, or treated in a popular and
superficial manner. Even those who regard man as the object to which
travellers ought especially to direct their attention, differ in opinion
regarding the points of view in which he ought to be studied in foreign
countries. To many the travels of Johnson and Moore seem of the highest
merit and interest, because these authors place before their readers an
animated, philosophical, and vivid picture of the human character; whereas
other readers consider such works as trifling, and contend that those
travels alone, which enter into the statistics of a country, convey
substantial information, and are worthy of perusal.
Pages:
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908