The Amours of Zeokinizul, King of the Kofirans

The Amours of Zeokinizul, King of the Kofirans

The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Amours of Zeokinizul, King of the
Kofirans, by Claude Prosper Jolyot de Cr��billon
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Title: The Amours of Zeokinizul, King of the Kofirans Translated from the Arabic of the famous Traveller Krinelbol
Author: Claude Prosper Jolyot de Cr��billon

Release Date: May 30, 2006 [eBook #18472]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE AMOURS OF ZEOKINIZUL, KING OF THE KOFIRANS.
Translated from the Arabic of the famous Traveller Krinelbol.
With a Key.

London: Printed for G. Smith, near Temple-Bar. 1749. [Price One Shilling and Sixpence.]

PREFACE.
The Bookseller, who has taken upon him to print this little Work, having absolutely insisted upon my introducing it with a Preface,I was unwilling to refuse him so easy a Matter; and the rather as the Omission might greatly prejudice it. He urged his Request, by saying, that a Preface was no less essential to a Book, than an Exordium to a Sermon. As few read the one, as listen to the other; however, if either be wanting, the Performance is defective, and, is not so much as thought worthy to be read in order to be censured. Nevertheless, what can be said with Regard to a useless Discourse? Why, really, I think, it is best to say nothing at all. This little Work places Truth in so just a Light, that no Characters are wanting to point it out. But perhaps, the real Truth may be amplified in it, and there may be Applications made of it as false as injurious. This is what ought strongly to be guarded against; and to this Purpose I sincerely declare, that I have intermix'd nothing of my own in the Amours of Zeokinizul: But, like a faithful Translator, I have constantly kept close to Krinelbol'sManuscript. I have related the Facts just as he himself says they were told him by the Kofiran Nobility. This sincere Protestation, is all that I can do, In order to remove any Suspicion of Interpolations. The Arabian Manuscript is still in my Possession, and if desired, shall be printed. But I own, with Concern, that it is quite beyond my Power, to procure such a Number of Types as will be requisite to give this Satisfaction; therefore, let those who are willing and equal to such an Expence, set the Printer to work. I promise to deliver him the Manuscript on Demand. I cannot help thinking, but that the Malice of the World is at its highest Pitch. Formerly People were overjoy'd at the Certainty of the Antipodes; and to hear that the Inhabitants of those Climates came nearest to us in Industry, and the Love of Arts and Sciences; and that the Sun approached to, and receded from them, as it does with Regard to us. In fine, that their Temperature, their Seasons, their Manners, and Inclinations, were the same as our own. Yet, in this my Endeavour to verify such a Resemblance, by Proofs extracted from their own History, demonstrating by notorious and certain Facts that they think and act just like ourselves, I shall be branded for an Imposture; or some, who affect to be more sharp-sighted, will suspect that under fictitious Names, I have represented Persons for whom my Heart is filled with the most respectful Sentiments. Let this suffice, as the shorter a Preface is the better it is liked.

THE AMOURS OF ZEOKINIZUL,
King of the Kofirans.
After all the Labours and Attention of our best Academicians to form just Plans, and draw complete Maps of the whole Terraqueous Globe, there are many large Empires and powerful Nations, which their Enquiries have not reached; so that they are not only ignorant of their Position, but even of their Existence. Of this Number are the vast Dominions of the King of the Kofirans, of which hitherto we have had not the least Idea; and which probably would ever have continued unknown to us had not an Arabic Manuscript of the famous Traveller Krinelbol luckily fallen into my Hands.
This illustrious Enquirer, of whom we have several Works, which ostentatious Translators, on Account of their Excellency, have published as their own, that he might not be misled by the various geographical Descriptions of the Globe, determined to ground his Knowledge upon his own Experience. With this rational View he left Arabia Felix, his native Country, and travelled all over both Asia and Africa. Always careful to take an accurate View of