WCP5423

[1]

Leyden,

12th Oct. 1870.

Sir¹,

Sincerely admiring the spirited and highly interesting account of your travels and scientific labours in the Indian or, as you may call it, Malay Archipelago, I have tried to render it into my vernacular language, together with such elucidations as I supposed to be required to make it fully understood and thoroughly enjoyed by my countrymen. At the same time I have ventured to point out and to correct a few errors into which you have fallen, probably from untrustworthy information of imperfect acquaintance with our language and the extensive literature, both official and of private origin, which elucidates almost every point of our colonial policy, and the history, geography and administration of our eastern possessions. I am very far from acceding to your favourable judgment on our colonial policy, which, though not so bad as it has often been represented by your countrymen, I have ever believed and still believe to rest on a wrong basis, and most of your assertions on this question have met with almost unqualified obloquy in the notes I have joined to my translation. But through my admiration and approbation of your work is not unmixed, yet I am of opinion that it is one of the best and most readable books that ever have been published on that beautiful string of emerald islands, which I am fond of calling by the harmonious and poetical name of Insulinde², which I have prefixed to my translation. Your pictures of man and nature, your bold and comprehensive view of the geology and natural history of the Archipelago, the entertaining and modest account of your personal adventures were for me so many attractions, which became to me a mighty stimulus to render the Dutch public acquainted with your valuable labours.

From some passages in your work in the various treatises from your hand, I have found in the chief scientific periodicals of Great—Britain, I suppose that you are not totally unacquainted with our native tongue, and perhaps you may be somewhat interested by the fact of the appearance of your work in a Dutch dress and have some desire to become acquainted with the notes and elucidations which have been added to it by a person, who, though he has never enjoyed the happiness of a personal visit to the Archipelago, has past the greater part of his life in the study of its history, geography, languages and political concerns. I therefore take the liberty of offering you a copy of the former volume of my translation, the other now passing through the press and about to follow within a few months. Not well knowing how and where to address you, I have thought fit to commend this letter to the care of Mr. Macmillan³, your publisher. As the existing regulations do not allow the letter [2] [p. —2—] to be joined to the packet containing the book, when it is sent by the railway, I forward the latter separately in the same manner. I will greatly appreciate your kindness when you will favour me with a few lines, acknowledging the receipt of the work and enouncing, if possible, your judgment of my labours.

I remain, Sir | Your obedient servant | (sgd) P.J. Veth | Professor of the geography and ethnology of the Dutch colonial possessions.