Travels in the Mogul Empire / ... Translated from the French by Irving Brock.

  • Bernier, François, 1620-1688
Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels in the Mogul Empire / ... Translated from the French by Irving Brock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ae but in what year it is not ascertained.* He was educated for the medical profession, and after taking his degree of doctor of physic at Montpellier, he resolved on gratifying his eager desire for travel. He visited Syria in 1654, proceeded thence to Egypt, and resided above a twelvemonth in Cairo, where he was infected with the plague. Soon after his recovery, he sailed from Suez for the purpose, as he tells us in the commencement of his narrative, of exploring every part | of the Red Sea; but on his arrival at Mokha | finding it unsafe to visit Gonda, he abandoned his first design and embarked on board a vessel bound to Surat, in Hindostan. In that country he remained twelve Kashmire by the road of Jummoo. The following is the letter to which allusion has been made. “* Kashmire, 1783, ‘ I am to express a regret that previously to my route, I had not perused the accurate and candid memoirs of Mr. Bernier, who stands in the first rank of writers on Indian history; yet should this cursory relation throw any light on his description of Kash- mire, as lively as it is just, by marking the changes which have happened since his day, I shall hold it in some estimation, and consider any inconvenience which might have arisen from my journey thither, honourably requited. Mr. Bernier enjoyed ad- vantages which have fallen to the lot of few Asiatic travellers, and happily for the learned world his talents amply improved them. He travelled into Kashmire in the suite of Danechmend Khan, a favourite omrah of Aureng-Zébe, who, having a taste for science and letters, encouraged this ingenious Frenchman to in- vestigate attentively the great variety of its curious produce. He has also described the causes. of that important revolution which raised Aureng-Zébe to the throne of Hindostan. As he of many of the principal events, all which are related in a simple interesting language, I earnestly recommend to you a diligent perusal of his instructive and judicious book. GEORGE ForsTER.” * Voltaire supposes it was in 1625.