<p>In "Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat," Edmund Roberts offers a captivating account of his diplomatic journey through Southeast Asia during the early 19th century. Written with keen observational acuity, the narrative blends travelogue and political commentary, providing rich descriptions of the landscapes, cultures, and customs he encountered. Roberts's prose is marked by a sense of both wonder and pragmatic anal...