DU PERIER, LA HARPE, WALCKENAER, BERNARD.
The size and cost of Prévost's popular work induced the well known litterateur and academician La Harpe to issue an Abrégé de l'Histoire Générale des Voyages, Paris, 1780-1801, 32 vols, 8vo, the last eleven by Comeyras. La Harpe was moved to this also by the numerous faults of the original, in prolixity, dryness, and confusion, as he takes pains to explain. His plan, while taking Prévost as a base, was to give a clear, attractive review of voyages in all that is of interest to the majority of readers, eliminating matter not to the point, as navigation notes, accounts covered by preceding narratives, and superfluous details on physical and other features. This plan is carried out by dividing the set into four parts, on Africa, Asia, America, and circumnavigations, arranged chronologically, and interspersed or prefaced with reviews of natural geography, and by giving prominence to adventures, social features, and whatsoever may prove attractive to the ordinary reader, even at the risk of tampering with credulity. It is to be regretted that La Harpe should have confined himself so much to a collection declared incomplete and inexact, instead of expending a little more time and trouble to provide a work of greater value. As it is he achieved his declared object, a series of sprightly narratives, full of striking incidents and graphic details, traits to which Irving among others have paid the tribute of a borrower. The part by Comeyras exhibits far less skill. To this edition has been added twelve volumes of a Histoire des Voyages en Europe poorly prepared. La Harpe's set passed through several editions, one of 1816 being in 24 vols, 8vo. The similar set of 1820 was revised by Eyriès, and subsequently enlarged to 30 volumes. Eyriès in 1822-24 issued a continuation under the title of Abrégé des Voyages Modernes depuis 1780, 14 volumes, 8vo.
About this time C. A. Walckenaer, the well known writer on Africa, arranged with publisher Lefèvre to prepare the Histoire Générale des Voyages, ou Nouvelle Collection de Relations des Voyages, Paris, 1826-31, which according to the prospectus was to excel Prévost's in completeness and reliability, and to comprise not over sixty volumes. But so badly did Walckenaer manage his material that twenty-one octavo volumes had been printed long before the first division of African voyages had been exhausted, and the publisher thereupon abandoned the work.
Among less noted collections is Recueil de divers Voyages faits en Afrique et en l'Amérique, Paris, 1674, 4to, which presents a few select pieces, such as the history of Barbadoes Islands; de la Borde's account of Carib customs and mission work; and a description of the Antilles, besides African narratives.
Recueil de Voiages au Nord, Amsterdam, 1715-27, 9 vols, 12mo, is a collection of entire and abridged narratives of voyages to northern countries, including searches for the north-east and north-west passages, and with the main object of displaying the resources of those regions, with the routes of approach, so as to promote trade. This laudable purpose is indicated by the dedication in which Bernard, the bookseller, places the work under the patronage of the emperor of Russia. The earlier volumes contain a number of valuable pieces on America, extending as far south as Louisiana and the gulf of California, among them the memoirs of De Lisle and Piccolo on Lower California. The later volumes are confined to Asia and Europe, embracing respectively Corea and the Scandinavian peninsula. The arrangement is not quite satisfactory; but this was improved somewhat in a later edition, increased to ten volumes. In one of the division prefaces the editor enters a protest against the predilection shown by travellers for describing the marvellous, and against the prevalent bigotry and prejudice. Some able observations are also made on the character of the narrative to follow, which are quite refreshing in face of the inane remarks to be found in the introductions of this period.
Within the brief compass of three duodecimo volumes entitled A New Universal Collection of Voyages and Travels, London, 1755, an effort is made to present a synopsis of all celebrated voyages to different parts of the world; but the result is a rather unequal medley of individual narratives and compiled reviews, chiefly relating to Englishmen. America is more or less referred to in the series of circumnavigations covered by the first volume. In the second is given the history of trade with the East India region, followed by the discovery and settlement of American countries, New Spain being described in chapter vii. The last volume relates almost wholly to Europe. The mappemonde outlines California as an island.
Of wider scope is The World Displayed; or, A Curious Collection of Voyages and Travels, London, 1760-1, 20 vols, 16mo, which devotes the first seven volumes to America and to circumnavigation, leaving the remainder to the other three continents. The material has been selected apparently from one of the larger collections, with no attempt at critical investigation or completeness, but mainly for its interesting features. In the first volume are given the voyages of Columbus and contemporary events, and in the second, the expeditions of Cortés. In the appended map of North America "the supposed Str. of Annian" is still retained in about 42° lat. Volume iii. opens with the conquest of Panamá and passes into South America, while iv. and v. relate to English and French discoveries, including Drake's voyage. Dampier and Rogers share volume vi., leaving the whole of volume vii. to Anson's circumnavigation.
A Curious Collection of Travels, London, 1761, 8 vols, 16mo, maps and illustrations, treats of the different parts of the world, partly in the form of voyages, partly in historical reviews of countries, including discovery, explorations, and settlement. Of the three volumes devoted to America, iv. and v. relate to English, Dutch, and French colonies, and vi. to the Spanish and Portuguese.
Disgusted with bulky collections and their profuse 'rubbish' on winds, currents, and log-book records, the editor of A Compendium of Authentic and Entertaining Voyages, London, 1766, 7 vols. 12mo, resolves to present only the useful and attractive, and further to carry on the narratives, beginning with Columbus, in a chronologic order, so as to give his readers the annals of navigation. The authorities consulted are probably one of the larger collections, from which are culled the interesting voyages. Thus volume i., the only one referring to my field, presents simply those of Columbus, Cortés, Gama, and Cabral.
Another refuge from verbose and credulous collections is thrust before the public in A New Collection of Voyages, Discoveries, and Travels, London, 1767, 7 vols, 8vo, with maps and engravings, wherein the editor promises to show none of the bad judgment and neglect to be found in other compilations destined only for the vulgar. Whatever improvements may have been introduced they are more than counterbalanced by incompleteness, and want of proportion. Of the three volumes on America for instance, vol. i. refers chiefly to Columbus and Cortés, with minor accounts of Pizarro and Ulloa, and the regions touched by them. Volume ii. contains extracts from Wafer, and descriptions of British and Portuguese colonies, while iii. covers the circumnavigations of Drake, Dampier, Rogers, and, chiefly, Anson; iv. v. and vii. concern Europe, the last treating of England's navy and constitution, and in vi. are collected odd travels in Asia, Egypt, and the Levant.