that information has most laudably been afforded. The
same enlarged and benevolent spirit, which ordered these several
expeditions to be undertaken, has also taken care that the result of
their various discoveries should be authentically recorded. And the
transactions of these voyages round the world, having, in due time, been
communicated, under the authority of his majesty's naval minister; those
of the present, which, besides revisiting many of the former discoveries
in the southern, carried its operations into untrodden paths in the
northern hemisphere, are, under the same sanction, now submitted to the
public in these volumes.

One great plan of nautical investigation having been pursued throughout,
it is obvious, that the several voyages have a close connection, and
that an exact recollection of what had been aimed at, and effected, in
those that preceded, will throw considerable light on our period. With a
view, therefore, to assist the reader in forming a just estimate of the
additional information conveyed by this publication, it may not be
improper to lay before him a short, though comprehensive, abstract of
the principal objects that had been previously accomplished, arranged in
such a manner, as may serve to unite into one point of view, the various
articles which lie scattered through the voluminous journals already in
the hands of the public; those compiled by Dr Hawkesworth; and that
which was written by Captain Cook himself. By thus shewing what had been
formerly done, how much still remained for subsequent examination will
be more apparent; and it will be better understood on what grounds,
though the ships of his majesty had already circumnavigated the world
five different times, in the course of about ten years, another voyage
should still be thought expedient.

There will be a farther use in giving such an abstract a place in this
introduction. The plan of discovery, carried on in so many successive
expeditions, being now, we may take upon us to say, in a great measure
completed, by summing up the final result, we shall be better able to do
justice to the benevolent purposes it was designed to answer; and a
solid foundation will be laid, on which we may build a satisfactory
answer to a question, sometimes asked by peevish refinement, and
ignorant malevolence, What beneficial consequences, if any, have
followed, or are likely to follow, to the discoverers, or to the
discovered, to the common interests