PREFACE  OF  THE  EDITOR.
Ir  is  hoped  that  little  apology  is  necessary  for  the  publication  of
a  volume  of  Travels  in  Asia,  by  a  Society,  whose  sole  professed
object  is  the  promotion  of  discoveries  in  the  African  continent.
The  Association  having  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  the
services  of  a  person  of  Mr.  Burckhardt's  education  and  talents,
resolved  to  spare  neitber  time  nor  expense  in  enabling  him  to
acquire  the  language  and  manners  of  an  Arabian  Musulman  in
such  a  degree  of  perfection,  as  should  render  the  detection  of  his
real  character  in  the  interior  of  Africa  extremely  difficult.
It  was  thought  that  a  residence  at  Aleppo  would  afford  him  the
most  convenient  means  of  study,  while  his  intercourse  with  the  natives ¬
  of  that  city,  together  with  his  occasional  tours  in  Syria,  would
supply  him  with  a  view  of  Arabian  life  and  manners  in  every  degree,
from  the  Bedouin  camp  to  the  populous  city.  While  thus  preparing ¬
  himself  for  the  ultimate  object  of  his  mission,  he  was  careful
to  direct  his  journeys  through  those  parts  of  Syria  which  had  been
the  least  frequented  by  European  travellers,  and  thus  he  had  the
opportunity  of  making  some  important  additions  to  our  knowledge
of  one  of  those  countries  of  which  the  geography  is  not  less  interesting ¬
  by  its  connection  with  ancient  history,  than  it  is  imperfect,
in  consequence  of  the  impediments  which  modern  barbarism  has
opposed  to  scientific  researches.  After  consuming  near  three  years
in  Syria,  Mr.  Burckhardt,  on  his  arrival  in  Egypt,  found  himself
prevented  from  pursuing  the  execution  of  his  instructions,  by