Bernier's account: travels in India -> compares India with Europe -> dedicates major writing to his king -> ? -> writings become extremely popular. Which step is missing?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → His works are first published in France
Option (1) His accounts circulate as handwritten manuscripts — Incorrect. Circulating as manuscripts was the fate of accounts in Arabic and Persian, which were generally not published before 1800. Bernier's works were printed, which is why they spread so fast.
Option (2) His works are first published in England — Incorrect. England came later. His account was translated into English within five years and reprinted in English by 1684, but it was not first printed there.
Option (3) His works are first published in France — Correct. Bernier's writings became popular once his works were published. They first came out in France in 1670-71, the country of the king to whom he dedicated his major writing.
Option (4) His works are first published in Portugal — Incorrect. Portugal is linked with earlier writers such as Duarte Barbosa, who came after 1500. Bernier was a Frenchman, and his works were not first printed in Portugal.
NCERT (2026-27): “3.1 Comparing “East” and “West” “Bernier’s works were published in France in 1670-71 and translated into English, Dutch, German and Italian within the next five years. Between 1670 and 1725 his account was reprinted eight times in French, and by 1684 it had been reprinted three times in English. This was in marked contrast to the accounts in Arabic and Persian, which circulated as manuscripts and were generally not published before 1800.” |