Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/330

 286 PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THE lago, the great nations inhabiting Java, Sumatra, and Celebes, from the more favourable circumstan- ces under which they have been placed, have, in all known periods of the history of the Archipela- go, distinguished themselves above the other tribes, — ^by their knowledge of letters, — useful arts,— and arms, — in a word, by their progress in civilization. That civilization has, by various means, been spread throughout the Archipelago, and influenced the manners and character of the neighbouring tribes. Their governments have long assumed a regular form, and records, or consistent traditions, have handed down to us a narrative of their transactions. Their history alone, therefore, is deserving of con- sideration, and forms the first department of this book. To the history of the most civilized of these nations, the Javanese, three chapters are assign- ed ; and one is appropriated for each of the other two, which will comprise all that it is necessary to narrate of their transactions. With regard to the European history, three na- tions only, the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the Spaniards^ have established a dominion of such ex- tent or duration, as to produce a material influence upon the condition of the native inhabitants, and the story of each of the^ is treated of in a distinct chapter. In perusing both the native and European story, the reader will not fail to remark both the pau-