TO HIS MAJESTY

PHRA BARD SOMDETCH PHRA PARAMENDR MAHA MONGKUT PHRA CHOM KLAU CHAU YU HUA,

BY ONE WHO HAS WITNESSED IN HIS MAJESTY THE RARE AND

ILLUSTRIOUS EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL DEVOTION OF THE TIME AND TALENT

OF A GREAT ORIENTAL SOVEREIGN

TO THE CULTIVATION OF THE LITERATURE AND THE STUDY OF

THE PHILOSOPHY OF WESTERN NATIONS;

BY ONE WHO FEELS HONOURED BY HIS MAJESTY'S CONFIDENCE AND KINDNESS,

AND WHO REJOICES IN THE HOPE THAT THE EXTENSION OF

COMMERCIAL AND SOCIAL RELATIONS

WILL ASSOCIATE THE GROWING ADVANCEMENT OF SIAM WITH THE

PROSPERITY AND CORDIAL FRIENDSHIP OF THE

CIVILIZED WORLD.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE, HONG KONG,

August, 1856.

VOL. I.

PREFACE.

IN submitting these volumes to the indulgent con

sideration of the public, the Author feels assured that the peculiar circumstances under which they are necessarily published (he being many thousand miles away from England, and therefore unable himself to correct the press) will not be forgotten by the reader, and that he will not appeal in vain for a lenient judgment on such errors as may be in consequence found in the Work. At the same time, he has taken every precaution in his power to ensure correctness.

The Author cannot omit this opportunity of returning his thanks to Bishop PALLEGOIX, for the permission kindly given by him to make use of the contents of his interesting work (published in 1854) entitled Description du Royaume Thai ou Siam. He has not failed to take advantage of this permission to a considerable extent.

The majority of the Illustrations contained in these volumes are taken from original photographs, made on the spot expressly for the Work. In this category is the portrait of the First King of Siam, the original of which his Majesty has done the Author the honour to send him.

HONGKONG,

August, 1856.