ABSTRACT
1. My holy Father St Thomas teaches that only great things are to be written, that they may be continu’d in the Memory of Men. ‘It has not been the Custom to write any but great things which are worthy to be remembered, and ought to be transmitted to Posterity’ (Lect. 2 in I Rom.). These Words have much discourag’d me from writing this Book, nevertheless the Rarity of some things, and the Novelty of others, made me resolve to take Pen in hand, and give an account of what I myself have seen. Our Oleaster says thus ‘Posterity is pleas’d to hear, not only the famous Actions of their Ancestors, but also their Dangers, Sufferings and other things of that nature, tho they be toilsome.’ And I can truly say, that ’I have compass’d the Earth and walk’d over the Sea and dry Land’. But it was not through Curiosity or Covetousness, which usually encourage many to such Undertakings. This Work was much forwarded by the superfluous spare time I had in the Island of Madagascar, where to divert it, and be less sensible of my long stay there, I made my benefit of the Words of Ecclesiastes ‘Write in time of leisure’.
