The Life and Adventures of Bruce, the African TravellerHead, Francis Bond, Sir
History
The Life and Adventures of Bruce, the African Traveller
Head, Francis Bond, Sir
Bruce, James, 1730-1794; Ethiopia -- Description and travel
Coffin, a very intelligent, pleasing, active lad, but of course
illiterate, remained in Abyssinia until the year 1827, when he surprised
his brother, who is now valet to Lord ----, and who had long supposed
him to be dead, by suddenly calling upon him in London. From a
conversation which we have just had with Coffin, we understand that he
is about to return to Abyssinia; the present government having refused
to give him anything for the king of that country beyond a trifling
complimentary present.
As, excepting Lord Valentia, Salt, Pierce, and Coffin, no European
travellers have visited Abyssinia since the days of Bruce, we have
conceived it to be absolutely necessary, in order that the reader may be
enabled to form a correct judgment, to explain the connexion which
exists between Lord Valentia, his secretary, his valet, and Nathaniel
Pierce the English sailor, who, after deserting from his majesty's brig
the Antelope, was patronised by Lord Valentia: for, as the two former,
men of education and distinction, have already most violently attacked
Bruce, and as the two latter are, we believe, about to follow (naturally
enough) the opinions of their masters (we even understand that Pierce's
life has been actually prepared for publication by one or more of Mr.
Salt's friends), we feel it to be a duty which we owe to science, to
truth, and to Bruce's memory, to show that these four individuals,
without any improper intention, support rather than corroborate each
other; and, having made this explanation, we no less unwillingly
proceed to notice a few of the observations which have been made against
Bruce by Lord Valentia and Mr. Salt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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