The Britsh Critic (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1817. Excerpt: ... any blame either to the author before us, or to his predecessors, on account of the very imperfect knowledge which their respective woris convey, of the country, and of the people, whom they describe; the fault lies in the circumstances iu which they were placed, and not in any negligence of theirs; on the contrary, we are rather surprized, (considering the difficulties which they had to encounter, and the many obstructions which were thrown in the way of their gaining any more information thau could be helped, ) at the quantity of facts and observations which they have contrived to bring together. Not that we mean to place the publication before us, in the same rank with those of Sir G. Staunton, and of the present Under Secretary to the Admiralty. This production of Mr. Ellis seems to be the result of much less care, of much les.s pains and trouble, and we may add, of somewhat less ability than those of his predecessors. It is written in a very indifferent taste; he has none of the peculiar qualifications and accomplishments of a traveller; being not only ignorant of the language of the country which he describes, but apparently, unacquainted both with mineralogy and botany. Moreover, he seems to be more under the influence of prejudices and prepossessions, than a traveller ought to be. He commences his journey with a predisposition to be displeased at every thing Chinese; if he is assailed with an offensive smell, it is a national fault; if the people happen to be noisy, it is the character of the nation; if on any occasion he is cheated or deceived, or in any way incommoded, it is by a fate peculiar to travellers in China. Now, we can easily believe the Chinese not to be the most agreeable people in the woild, but really as far as may be inferred from ..