Bruce’s travels are as well worth reading to-day as they were in 1790. A somewhat conveniently abridged edition was published in the same year (1790) as the five volumes appeared, but all who are taking up the subject of Abyssinia seriously are advised to work their way through the original five volumes. A sumptuously illustrated edition in eight volumes appeared after the author’s death, in 1805. Bruce was received with some honour at court on his return, but was awarded no special distinction. Dr. Johnson, amongst others, denounced the brilliant young Scotch traveller as an unscrupulous romancer; Horace Walpole pronounced his volumes “dull and dear.” Just as the African Association sprang into being and directed its efforts toward the rehabilitating of Bruce’s character as a truthful writer, Bruce himself died in the most disappointing manner by falling down the stairs at his house and breaking his neck. His death was occasioned by over-politeness. He was rushing from his study to the hall in order to be able to escort a lady to her carriage. Bruce was really a great traveller, an accurate observer, a splendid sportsman,[32] and a far-sighted “Imperialist.” In 1775 he conceived the need of the English rulers of India controlling the Egyptian route, and actually obtained from the Turkish authorities in Egypt a concession for the English on the shores of the Red Sea. [Illustration: PORTRAIT OF JAMES BRUCE.] As has been already mentioned, Bruce had been accorded a magnificent reception by the scientific men of France. Buffon especially was incited by Bruce’s stories to urge the French government in the direction of Nile exploration. Buffon had become interested in a young man native to Alsace, Sonnini de Manoncourt. Sonnini was born at Lunéville in 1751. He was the son of a Roman court official who had followed King Stanislas of Poland to his residence in Lorraine. Sonnini, the younger, who had travelled in French South America, had conceived the idea of a journey through Africa from north to south, from the Gulf of Sidra in Tripoli to the Cape of Good Hope. This scheme, however, when recommended to the French Foreign Office official who then had charge of the French establishments in the Levant, was deemed impracticable, and Sonnini was invited to restrict his attempts to a careful exploration of the Nile from Rosetta southward to the limits of Egyptian rule. His travels did not extend much beyond Assuan, but he brought back a great deal of detailed information about Upper Egypt, its fauna, flora, and the habits and customs of its population along the banks of the Nile. Sonnini’s work will always remain a useful book of reference. For the period at which he wrote he took a great interest in the question of the geographical distribution of mammals. He attempted to collect information regarding the gradual disappearance from civilised Egypt of the great fauna. In this he followed the inspiration of Buffon.