view was not, ultimately, to write an entertaining book to which the
marvellous might be thought not a little to contribute, but sincerely and
conscientiously to add the small portion in my power to the general
knowledge of the age; to throw some glimmering light on the path of the
naturalist; and more especially to furnish those philosophers whose
labours have been directed to the investigation of the history of Man
with facts to serve as data in their reasonings, which are too often
rendered nugatory, and not seldom ridiculous, by assuming as truths the
misconceptions or wilful impositions of travellers. The study of their
own species is doubtless the most interesting and important that can
claim the attention of mankind; and this science, like all others, it is
impossible to improve by abstract speculation merely. A regular series of
authenticated facts is what alone can enable us to rise towards a perfect
knowledge in it. To have added one new and firm step in this arduous
ascent is a merit of which I should be proud to boast.

...

Of this third edition it is necessary to observe that, the former two
having made their appearance so early as the years 1783 and 1784, it
would long since have been prepared for the public eye had not the duties
of an official situation occupied for many years the whole of my
attention. During that period, however, I received from my friends abroad
various useful, and, to me at least, interesting communications which
have enabled me to correct some inaccuracies, to supply deficiencies, and
to augment the general mass of information on the subject of an island
still but imperfectly explored. To incorporate these new materials
requiring that many liberties should be taken with the original
contexture of the work, I became the less scrupulous of making further
alterations wherever I thought they could be introduced with advantage.