Travels, between the years 1765 and 1773, through part of Africa, Syria, Egypt, and Arabia, into Abyssinia, to discover the source of the Nile : comprehending an interesting narrative of the author's adventures in Abyssinia, and a circumstantial account of the manners, customs, government, religion, history &c &c of that country : being the substance of the original work / by the late James Bruce.

  • James Bruce
Date:
[1812]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Travels, between the years 1765 and 1773, through part of Africa, Syria, Egypt, and Arabia, into Abyssinia, to discover the source of the Nile : comprehending an interesting narrative of the author's adventures in Abyssinia, and a circumstantial account of the manners, customs, government, religion, history &c &c of that country : being the substance of the original work / by the late James Bruce. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    This circumstance gave a new direction to the views and pursuits of Mr. Bruce. His attention to business relaxed ; and he applied himself to the study of languages with such assiduity as gave him a habit of acquiring the most difficult idioms and dialects, of which he afterwards availed himself in learning the languages in the east. He also improved himself in drawing, and endeavoured to obtain a correct taste in regard to paintings and works of art in general. In these pursuits he was chiefly engaged till ]7o7, when he visited Portugal and Spain, with the professed object of being present at the vintage of that season, but in reality to view the state of society, art, and science, in those coun- tries. Landing at Corunna, in Galicia, he thence proceeded to Ferrol, Oporto, and Lisbon*. Having seen every thing remarkable in JPortugal, Mr. Bruce traversed Spain, visited Madrid, and entering France by waj' of Bayonne, proceeded * The journal which Mr. Bruce kept of this tour, which has never been mad® public, is filled with shrew'd remarks and amusing observations, of which the following passage may serve as a specimen i There are many particular customs in Portugal, all of wbicli may be known by this rule, that wdiatever is done in the rest of the world in one way, is done in Portugal by the contrary, even to the rocking of the cradle, Avhich, 1 believe, in all the rest of the world is from the side to side, but in Portugal from head to foot. I fancy it is owing to this early contrariety that their brains work so dif- ferent a manner all their lives after. A Portuguese boatman alwa37s rows standing, not with his face but his back to the stern of the boats, and pushes iiS'oar from him. When he lands you, he turns the stern of the boat to the shore, and not the head. If a man and woman ride on the same mule the woman sits before the man with her face the contrary way to what they do in England. When you take leave of any person to whom yon have been pa^dng a visit, tlie master of llic house always goes out of the room, down stairs, and out of the house before you, to leave you as he says in possession of his house, and to shew you how much he and all that are in it are devoted to you. They are indeed very atten- tive to the smallest punctilio, knowing well one another’s temper. The smallest affront is never forgiven. This is the occasion of the many murders which are continually committed here. It is indeed the only country where it can be said that murder is tolerated. Every family has a sou, a brother or a nephew^, who is a priest or friar. These are the instruments. As soorl as the friar has com- mitted the crime, he Hies to his convent ; and in six months the thing is no more talked of.” . L B t©