therefore, both in the translation of Jarvis and in that of Smollet, which is lit-tle
less editions, and is therefore, I presume, the best; perhaps indeed the only one, except a very old version, which is mentioned in the preface, as being quite literal, and very antiquated in its style. It is therefore to be presumed, that when Jarvis accuses Motteux of having taken his version entirely from the French, he refers to that translation above mentioned to which Le Sage has given a supplement. If this be the case, we may confidently affirm, that Jarvis has done Motteux the greatest injustice. On comparing his translation with the French, there is a discrepancy so absolute and universal, that there does not arise the smallest suspicion that he had ever seen that version. Let any passage be compared ad apperturam libri; as, for example, the following:
"De simples huttes tenoient lieu de maisons, et de palais aux habitants de la terre; les arbres se defaisant d'eax-memes de leurs écorces, leur fournissoient de quoi couvrir leurs cabanes, et se garantir de l'intempérie des saisons."
"The tough and strenuous cork-trees did of themselves, and without other art than their native liberality, dismiss and impart their broad, light bark, which served to cover those lowly huts, propped up with
"rough"
