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THE

FOREIGN

QUARTERLY REVIEW.

ART. I.-Reise um die Erde, ausgeführt auf dem Königlich Preussischen Seehandlungs-Schiffe, Prinzess- Louise, commandirt von Capitain W. Wendt, in den Jahren 1830, 1831, 1832. (Voyage round the World in the Prussian Ship the Princess Louise, by Dr. F. J. F. Meyen.) 2 vols. 4to. Berlin. 1834. NOTWITHSTANDING the numerous narratives of Voyages round the World, the successful accomplishment of which, instead of being matter of wonder, is now an every-day occurrence, such accounts are still looked for with impatience if they are known to have been conducted by men from whose labours new information may be expected, and are read with interest if they afford any real addition to our stock of knowledge. It might, indeed, be supposed that preceding adventurers had left little to be told respecting most of the countries which navigators, not bound on a voyage of discovery, but on a commercial enterprise, had occasion to visit. Thus, for instance, with regard to the work before us, it may be asked, what novelty can we expect from Brazil, Chili, Peru, or China? We have not only accounts of voyages to all these countries, but numerous and authentic narratives of travels in the interior, which must have anticipated all, and more than all, that a transient visiter of the coast can hope to learn. May we not almost say of such a voyager in the words which Schiller puts into the mouth of Max Piccolomini:

"We have been

But voyaging along the barren coasts,

Like some poor ever-roaming horde of pirates,
That, crowded in the rank and narrow ship,

House on the wild sea, with wild usages,

Nor know aught of the main land, but the bays.--
Whate'er in th' inland dales the land conceals
Of fair and exquisite-O! nothing, nothing,
Do we behold of that in our rude voyage.*

Facts, however, do not justify this view of the subject. The

* Wallenstein: translated by S. T. Coleridge.

VOL. XV. NO. XXIX,

B

very frequency of such communications has made us so familiar with remote countries, not only in general, but in detail-not merely with the outlines of national character, but even with individuals that we are interested in them as old acquaintance and are desirous of knowing what has happened to them since we last heard of them. Thus, for instance, ever since the death of Cook, the Sandwich Islands have become as interesting to us as many of our own distant possessions-to which, in fact, they now in some measure belong. The celebrated Tameameah and his introduction of European civilization, the labours and conduct of the Missionaries, the establishment of Christianity, the visit of King Rhio to England, and his death among us, all serve to render any real and authentic intelligence welcome. Besides, in the present state of the navigation, commerce, and manufactures of Great Britain, it is indispensably necessary to have recent information from every part of the world. It is above all desirable that this information should be authentic, and on this account it must be important in many instances to confront the accounts given by our own countrymen with those of foreigners. It is possible that the speculators in mining operations in Mexico or Brazil may hold out fairer prospects than facts would justify; that Missionaries may describe in too glowing colours the results of their labours, and that without intentional misrepresentation in either case.

But further, in reply to those who would object that little novelty can be looked for, we must be allowed to observe, that the old proverb, "there is nothing new under the sun," is in a certain point of view wholly exploded. The immensely extended sphere of modern education embraces an infinity of objects which were formerly the exclusive domain of the learned; and every branch of natural history, botany, zoology, mineralogy, has now become a popular and favourite pursuit. In this field new discoveries are daily made, which are not merely interesting in themselves, but of the utmost importance to the arts, commerce, and manufactures. Numerous instances of this kind will doubtless occur to our readers, but we may mention an important one of the most recent date. The British government, having received satisfactory information of the fitness of the timber of the Cowdie tree of New Zealand for spars for the navy, sent the Buffalo to that country for specimens. That vessel has just returned, and brought a cargo far exceeding all expectation. Before the return of the Buffalo, an enterprising and experienced naval officer, who has formed an establishment of his own in New Zealand, had offered, and, we believe, contracted with the government, to furnish spars of this kind from that island, at a lower price and of better quality than those from the Baltic-a

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