Sir,
London, Feb. 1818.
You have certainly rendered to your country a service, in the
publication of "The Travels and Discoveries in Africa, of the late
John Leyden," the perusal of which has been to me a fund of
instruction and entertainment; it is a most valuable work, and such
a one as was wanted by the literary world, inasmuch as the
judicious collection of the matter forms a most valuable epitome of
African knowledge, collecting what was before distributed into many
folios.
I anticipate that the information in this work, communicated to the
public, will soon be circulated, and you will be called upon to
supply a second edition. In the mean time, I take the liberty of
submitting to your perusal a few cursory observations which I have
509 made during the perusal of it, on the accuracy of which you may
assuredly rely. These apply for the most part to Arabian words,
which have been by the moderns, as well as the ancients variously
corrupted and mutilated. Desirous (for the information of those who
really seek after African knowledge) that this book will pass
through many editions. I am, &c.