But In Matters Regarding Religion, He Often
Discovers A Surprising Reverse Of Character, Full Of Weak And Puerile
Credulity, The Never-Failing Consequence Of Education And Publication
Under The Influence Of That Eternal And Abominable Stain Of The
Peninsula, The Inquisition.
[Footnote 64:
Astley, I. 87.]
This work of De Faria has gone through various impressions in Portugal,
where it is esteemed a curious and accurate performance, though on some
occasions it is alleged that he has placed too much reliance on Mendez
Pinto, a dealer in bare-faced fiction. The first impression of the
Portuguese Asia was printed at Lisbon in 1666, in 3 vols. small folio,
and it has been often reprinted, and translated into Spanish, Italian,
French, and English.
The English translation used on the present occasion, and we know of no
other or later edition, was made by Captain John Stevens, and
published at London in 1695, in 3 vols. 8vo. dedicated to Catherine of
Portugal, Queen Dowager of England. In his Preface, Mr Stevens informs
the reader, that he had reduced the work to considerably less size than
the Spanish original, yet without omitting any part of the history, or
even abridging any material circumstances; having cut off long speeches,
which were only added by the author as rhetorical flourishes, and
omitted many tedious lists of the names of officers who were present at
the principal actions, and extended reflections of the author which
were only useful to increase the size of the work. In this account of
the work by the translator, the Spanish is mentioned as the original.
Indeed the Portuguese and Spanish original editions appear to have both
appeared contemporaneously in 1666.[65]
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