It was justly observed by Mr. Matra, our late consul at Marocco, that “there are more books written on Barbary than on any other country, and yet there is no country with which we are so little acquainted.” The cause of this is to be found in the superficial knowledge which the authors of such books possessed respecting this part of the world; having been generally men who came suddenly into the country, and travelled through it without knowing any thing either of the manners, character, customs, or language of the people. Indeed, the greater part of the compositions respecting North Africa, are narratives of journies of Ambassadors, &c. to the Emperor’s court, generally for the purpose of redeeming captives, compiled by some person attached to the embassy, who, however faithfully he may relate what passes under his own eye, is, nevertheless from his situation, and usual short stay, unable to collect any satisfactory information respecting the country in general, and what he does collect, is too often from some illiterate interpreter, ever jealous of affording information to Europeans even on the most trifling subjects. Leo Africanus is, with very few exceptions, perhaps the only author who has depicted the country in its true light; and although he has committed some errors, chiefly geographical, yet Marmol, as well as many moderns, have servilely copied him. There is some original matter contained in a book, entitled, “A Journey to Mequinez, on the occasion of Commodore Stuart’s Embassy, &c. &c.” London, 1725. Lemprière’s Marocco contains an interesting description of the Horem, or the Seraglio; but the rest of his account has many errors; the map appears to be copied chiefly from Chenier, some of whose orthographical errors he has adopted. The work of the last mentioned author is the best I have seen,[4] and this is to be attributed to his having resided in the country several years; and though his ridiculous pride did not allow him to associate generally with the Moors, yet a partial knowledge of their language, and his natural penetration and judgment, enabled him to make many useful observations derived from experience.[5]