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Natural History Museum Library

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General Contents

OF T H E

BRITISH MUSE U M

[ PHc$ Two Shillings.]

THE

General Contents

O F T H E

BRITISH MUSEUM:

k

With REMARKS.

Serving as a

DIRECTORY

In viewing that

Noble CABINET.

Cajior gavelet equts ; oaie prognat us eoclem, Fugnis : quot capitum 'vi'vunt, totidem ftudicrum

Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in PaU-maU , Mdcci«xi.

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( V )

PREFACE.

AS I am quite fenfible that fomething will be expected by way of Preface to the following Sheets, I will not, by omitting it, dis¬ appoint any of my Readers.

Curiofity aimed univerfaily prevails : Many therefore will, in all Probability, want to know my Reafons for this Publication ; why I have not been more full in my Defcriptions, and more fydematical in my Manner. Of thefe, as well as many other Particulars, the Reader Shall be informed ; but I muft fird be- fpeak his Patience, till fomething is faid of the Mufeum itfelf.

It is difficult to determine, whether this Ex¬ cellent Foundation reflects more Honour on his late Majefty, who was pleafed to bellow on it a large and valuable Library, collected by his Royal Predecefiors ; on Sir Hans Shane , who with great Knowledge, Expence, and Trouble, procured the moil curious Part of what is here depollted; or on the Briiijh Parliament, who . made it a lading Monument of Glory to the Nation. Certain it is, the Public is greatly in¬ debted to them all, as well as to the Right Honourable and Honourable the Trudees, and the Officers of the Houfe, by whole Superin- A tendance

( vi )

tendance it is conducted under fuch wife Re¬ gulations, that it is as great in Perfedion as it was in Defign. The Officers are remarked for being a fenhble and learned Set of Men, all equal to the Employment, being well verfed in the Bufinefs of their feveral Denartments, and at all Times willing to gratify the Curiofity of the Inquifitive, with any Information that can be required of them.

I am not without Hopes that the time may foon come, when every public-fpirited Colledor of rare Medals, Minerals, Animals, Plants, In- feds, or Stones, and, in fine, of every thing that either Nature or Art produces worthy the Obfervation of the Curious, will depofit the Produce of his Labour in this mod valuable Cabinet. If he is of ample Fortune, the Public will accept of them as a Prefent, and convey his Name to the latefi; Pofterity ; if, on the contrary, he is poor, though ingenious, fuch is the Generofity of this happy Nation, that I dare venture to fay they will, on all fuch Occafions, according to the Merit of the Perfon, remove that great Obftacle to Science, befides affording him a proper Share of Honour,

Learning was for many Ages in a manner buried in Oblivion ; a dark Ignofance fpread it- feif over the Face of the whole Earth j and, what was ftill worfe, did any noble Spirit en¬ deavour to rouze himfelf and others from the general Lethargy, he was prefently charged with publishing new Opinions, and perhaps

branded

( vii )

branded with Infamy, under a Pretence of Ins attaching himfelf to the (lady of the Magick Art. , Indeed, numberlefs were the Obftacles to the Refurre&ion of Learning ; a dark Igno¬ rance, a blind Infatuation, an obfcinate Preju¬ dice : Yet fo hard a Matter is it to fetter the human Mind, that it rofe fuperior to all Diffi¬ culties. Literature is once more recovered from its long Swoon, and now fhines in its priftine Luftre't Nay, there are in thefe our happy Times many Things generally known, of which the Ancients had not the lead No¬ tion ; and many others by them only gueffed at, or known in Theory, which we have re¬ duced to a mathematical Certainty.

Nothing can conduce more to preferve the Learning which this latter Age abounds with, than having Repolitories in every Nation to contain its Antiquities, fuch as is the Mufeum of Britain : But, in order more effectually to prevent our falling back again into a State of Ignorance and Barbarifm, it were to be wiffied that the Plan of it were enlarged, that the Buildings w7ere more extenlive, and* that a Fund were eftablifhed, fufficient to anfwer the Purpofe of encouraging ingenious Men in eve¬ ry ufeful Art, in every Science ; and I know' of nothing that can be done that will tend more to the Honour of our Country, when it ffiall pleafe God to give us the Bleffing of Peace, than to have fuch a large Fund appropriated for the Encouragement of Ingenuity and A 2 Learning.

( via )

Learning. When we read over the Lift of the Names that compofe the Royal Society, the Truftees of this Mufeum, and that nume¬ rous Train of Britons , who wifh fo much to encourage every Art, Science and Manufacture, can we poffibiy be at a lofs for Truftees to manage with Impartiality and Propriety a more general Eftablifhment ? I could mention leve- ral, every way qualified, who would have too much public Spirit to refufe undertaking it, if invited by their Country to the Truft. From the united Labours of fuch a Society, wrhat might we not hope for ? Modeft Merit would once more raife its drooping Head, allured of a did Hearing from fuch able judges ; every Manufacture would foon be brought to the greateft Perfection, Agriculture be held in pro¬ per Efteem, and the Sciences more than fiou- rifti ; for it would even be unfafhionabie to be illiterate. But this is a Point of too great Im¬ portance to be brought to bear without the Interposition of Parliament ; it is fincereiy to be wifhed they may at a proper Time take it under their Conftderation 5 no Age is fo likely as the prefent, in which fo much Encourage¬ ment is given, in moft Things that are worthy ofPraife: Yet, though they are encouraged, a regular Eftabliftiment for the Purpofe is cer¬ tainly much wanted.

Should the Hints I have here given be of any Ufe to the Community, my Pieafure would be compleat > and, were I called upon, I could

fubmit

( Ix )

fubmit a Plan, that would not, I flatter myfelf, be totally imperfedt. But I have dwelt long enough on this Subjedt for the prefent, and now proceed to gratify the Curiofiiy of my Readers, by faying fomething of the following Pages.

.The Purchafers of this little Work muft not expedt too much, it not being meant to give a particular Account of all the Contents of this noble Cabinet : That is referved for other Pens, being, as I am informed, to be published by the Officers of the Houfe at a proper Time, and will confift: of many Volumes in Folio, What I here prefent to the Public, are only a few Remarks on the general Contents, without enlarging too much on any Thing. A Regu¬ larity of Method is obferved ; for my Reader will find himfelf accompanied through all the Rooms in the fame Order they are fiiewn : The general Heads are given j and he is di- redied in his Choice of a few Objedts molt worthy Remark under each Title : So that, upon the whole, I can offer it as a kind of Di¬ rectory to thofe who are inclined to fee the Mufeum ; it will likewife ferve to give a toler¬ able Idea of the Contents to thofe who have no Opportunity of feeing it, and to refrefh the Memory, where perhaps it hath been viewed in a curfory Manner.

Among the Numbers whom Curiofity prompted to get a Sight of this Colledlion, I was of courfe one j but the Time allowed to

view

( x )

View it was fo ffiort, and the Rooms lb nume¬ rous, that it was impoffible, without fome kind of Directory, to form a proper Idea of the Par¬ ticulars : And though I was far from being un¬ acquainted with mod of the Contents before they became the Property of the Public, mult confefs myfelf to have been at fome lofs in this Refped: The Officers, indeed, were always extremely attentive ; but it was dill impoffible for tnem to gratify every particular Perfon’s. Curiofity. Upon mentioning this to fome of my intimate Friends, I found that the] Com¬ plaint was general, and was folicited to write Something that might be of Ufe to remove thefe Difficulties. I rather declined the Un¬ dertaking ; urging that it would come with more Propriety from the Officers of the Houfe : But this Objection, I was told, had little Weight, as it was impoffible for them to do it, becaufe whatever came from that Quarter mud be full and perfect ; that a full and perfect Ac¬ count would be bulky, and of courfe dear ; but that the Public wanted fomething concife and cheap. Convinced thus by Truth, I fuhmitted to the Talk; and the more readily, as I have always had a particular Bent to the Study of Natural Hidory, and conlequently did not look upon myfelf as totally unqualified.

I mud take this Opportunity of acknow¬ ledging what I owe to feveral Gentlemen, who gave me Notes they had taken on viewing it, which enabled me to purfue a more regular

Plan,

( xi )

Plan, than otherwife I could have done : But particularly, my Thanks are due to one, who greatly affifted me ; which he was the more qualified to do, as having been intimately ac¬ quainted with Sir Hans Sloane , to whom he gave many of the curious Matters contained in the Mufeum, colle&ed by himfelf in his Tra¬ vels.

I mu ft not forget a Lady who gave me fome curious Remarks on the recent Shells j and am forry, from the Nature of the Work, it was impoftible for me to make much Ufe of them, as they would have taken up too much Room.

1 know it is impoftible to pleafe every body, confequently have no doubt but much Fault vyiil be found with this little Performance: Some will think I have pafled too flightly over the Frefco Paintings ; or that I might have faid more of the Portraits, than juft giving their Janies. Many will imagine I have not been attentive enough to the Manufcripts or Medals ; and others, perhaps, would have wifhed me to have filled twenty Pages, with a Defcription of the Mole Cricket. Thus every one would have been moft pleafed I fihould have enlarged on that Subject which beft fuited his particular Tafte. I have taken the mean way, having faid fomething of every thing, much of nothing. It was not at all neceftary to be more particular in the Account of the feveral Articles compri- fed under the general Titles : I mean only fo far to lead my Reader, that he may with Eafie

find

( )

find the Matter treated of in viewing the Collec¬ tion, and there make his own Obfervations on the Nature and Properties of it ; and if he has not that Opportunity, hy coniulting the Writers on Natural Hiftory, his Curiofity will perhaps in part be fatisfied. Had I not been flrongly urged to the Undertaking, and was I not fully fenfible that fomething of the kind is much wanting, this Trifle had never been published : If it is ufeful, I am fatisfied : It is a Vanity for any one to think of meeting with univerfal Approbation. The judicious Reader will ob- ferve, that I have endeavoured to be as intelli¬ gible as poffible ; making ufe of very few Words but what are generally underflood : I therefore flatter myfelf, that my Readers among the Ladies will be very numerous ; many of them having, in my Company, lamented the want of fomething of this kind, to diredt their Obfervations, and give them a general Idea of the Contents of this wonderful Colledtion.

REMARKS

[ 1 ]

REMARKS,^,

SECTION I.

ONSCIOUS of the Uprightnefs of my

Intentions, meaning only to oblige the

Public, I (hall attempt to conduct the cu¬ rious Obferver through the feveral Departments of the Briti/h Mufeum , which are three in Number ; the Department of Manulcripts, Medals, and Coins 5 that of Natural and Artificial Productions; and the Department of printed Books; befides ma¬ ny Articles in the Hall, in the fir ft Room above Stairs, and other Places, which are not compre¬ hended in any particular Department.

It is not neceffary, in this fmail Work, to fay much of Montag'ft-Houfe, in which this choice and valuable Collection is depofited ; it was well known before the Death of the late Noble Owner of it, and is fit for the Purpofe tor which it is made ufe of : I fhall therefore omit any particular Defcription, and content myfclf with only taking a flight Notice of the Frefco Paintings in their proper Places.

To begin my Remarks with the Contents of the Hall, I fhall, in honour of our own Iflands, firft take Notice of feven Blocks of very hard Marble of an hexangular Form : They were brought from an amazing Production of Nature^ as fome An-

A

tiquaries

* r 2 ]

tiquaries are of opinion, though others call it a Work of Art, near Coleraine in Ireland , where there are many Thoufands of fuch Pillars angular and contiguous, but not joined. The common People of the Country call them the Giants Caufe- way, from an old Tradition that they were placed in that Order by the ancient Inhabitants of the Ifland, who were of a gigantic Stature. They pro¬ ject a great way into the Sea, and the Stones are of the Nature of thofe called Bafaltes, or the Touch- ftone.

The Romans , as they excelled all other Nations in the Magnificence of their public Buildings, fo did they likewife in the Roads they from time to time made, which were for the moft part paved very regularly with fquare Stones, and often extended for a great Number of Miles. We have the Remains of feveral in England , where they are called Streets, as Ickenild-jireet , Ermin-Jlreet , Watlin-flreet, and others. They are in many Places vifible, and ap¬ pear like a Caufeway.

There is in this Hall to be feen a Stone that was brought from the ( Via Appia) Appian Road, which led from Rome to Brundufmm. Appius had the Honour of making it for the Ufe of the People of Rome.

You alfo fee here two Fragments of Granite Co¬ lumns, (a hard kind of Marble which does not take a good Polifh ; many other Stones have the fame Quality) fome curious Pebbles, and two antique Heads called Termini , being ufed by the Romans as Landmarks.

A large Piece of ferpentine Stone is next to be noticed : It was called Ophites , from its Refemblance to a Serpent’s Skin. This Specimen has a blackifh Ground ftreaked with green and pale yellow. There 4 arc

[ 3 ]

are feveral kinds of this Stone, which differ much one from the other in Colour : They are ranked among the Jafpers.

The Country round Mount Vefuvius abounds with a kind of Stone, which in its Eruptions iffues from it in great Abundance in form of a burning Rivulet, deftroying every thing in its wiy : When the Eruption ceafes, this Subftance as it cools hardens, and is called Lava : it is a very hard Stone, takes a fine Polifh, and is fit for many Ufes, being frequently manufactured into Boxes, Tables, &V. It is fo plentiful, that in Naples the Inhabitants very commonly make ufe of it for pav¬ ing the Streets. There is a fine large cubic Piece of this Lava preferved in the Hall.

In another Part is a painted genealogical Tree of a Noble Venetian Family *, and, befides all I have mentioned, there are a great Number of Epitaphs and Infcriptions (on the original Stones, by Acci¬ dent found) in Latin, Greek , and other Langua- ges.

The Staircafe and fome of the Cielings are orna¬ mented with good Frefco Paintings, of which I fhal 1 enter into no long Defcription. On the Side of the Staircafe, Cafar and his military Retinue are feen, with the Chiefs of the Provinces he had in part fubdued attending on him, and others on their Knees, imploring his Protection or Afliftance.

In a Compartment are the Bacchanalia , or Feafts and Sacrifices of Bacchus.

In another the Rivers Nile and Tiler are repre- fented by gigantic Figures emblematically orna¬ mented : and there are Views of beautiful Land- fcapes at a Diftance, and feveral fine Pieces of Architecture.

A 2

On

[ 4 ]

On the Ceiling the Story of Phaeton prefents it- felf : The Gods are afiembled, and the Youth ap¬ pears afking Phoebus to permit him to drive his Chariot for a Day; he confents, and in another Part is feen conducing him to the Chariot : Diana is near them, and Juno is attended by Iris.

Farther on, Phaeton , with all the Ardour of Youth, is driving the Sun’s Chariot, accompanied by the Hours in the Form of Women. Time is reprefented by Saturn , with a Scythe and an Hour Glafs; and Eternity by a Woman holding a Ser¬ pent, with the Tail in its Mouth. Cybele , or the Goddefs of the Earth, appears alfo, with all her proper Symbols and Ornaments.

As you go up Stairs, the Bufto of Sir Hans Sloane , on a Pedeftal, prefents itfelf immediately to your View.

In the firft Room, the Story of Phaeton is corn- pleated on the Dome. The Gods are afiembled, and whilft Jupiter is calling his Thunderbolts at Phaeton falling from the Chariot, you fee Saturn , Apollo , Mars, Neptune , Juno , Diana, Vi enus, Cupid , Mercury, Minerva, and Bacchus , in various Atti¬ tudes, and agitated by different Pafiions, as they were fcverally interefted in the great Event.

The Hiflories are faid to be painted by La FoJJe ; the Flowers, and fome of the ornamental Parts, by Battijle\ and the Architecture and Landfcapes by Roujfeau, whofe Portrait is feen in this Room.

I cannot take a better Opportunity to mention, that there are many Portraits of illuftrious Perfon- ages, hung up in the feveral Departments of this Mufeum ; they are all Prefents, and continually in-. creafing in Number : I choofe to give my Reader the Names of the chief of them in this Place, that

my

[ 5 ]

my future Remarks may not be interrupted. They are as follows.

Edward the Third.

Henry the Fifth.

Henry the Sixth.

Henry the Eighth.

Charles the Firft.

Charles the Second.

William the Third.

George the Firft.

Queen Elizabeth.

Mary Queen of Scots.

Queen Henrietta Maria.

Peter the Great Czar of Mufcovy.

Cofmo de Medicis, and Bartolo Concini.

Oliver Cromwell.

The Countefs of Richmond.

The Duke of Marlborough.

The Duke of Monmouth.

Robert Earl of Salijbury.

Lord Treafurer Burleigh.

Archbifhop Ujher.

Dr. Turner Bifhop of Ely.

Cardinal Sforza.

Mr. Locke.

Dr. Wallis.

Richard Baxter.

Sir Robert Cotton.

Sir John Cotton.

Mr. Speed. ,

Cambden.

Judge Dodderidge.

Sir William Dugdale.

Sir Anthony More.

Sir Henry Vane.

Sir Henry Spelman.

A 3 Men .

Ben. Johnfon.

Shakefpeare.

Lord Chancellor Bacon.

Ludowick Muggleton.

Sir Francis Draper. j*

Dr. John Ward.

Anna Maria Shurman.

Captain Willis.

Dampitr. •;

Voltaire.

Andreas V off alius.

Ulyjfes Aldrovandus.

There are Bulls of

Homer.

Sir Thomas More.

Dr. Samuel Clarke.

This Room is fet apart for the immediate Re¬ ception of Prefents, and contains feveral very curi¬ ous Articles given by Colonel Lethullier , his Bro¬ thers, and other Benefactors.

I (hall firft mention an Egyptian Mummy, which is depofited in a Glafs Cafe in one Corner of the Room, as its Coffin is in the other.

The Egyptians believed the Exiltence of the hu¬ man Soul after its quitting the Body ; which may fairly be concluded from its being the general re¬ ceived Opinion among them, that the Spirit which animated the Body whilft alive, continually hovered around it after the Difunion *, they thought it af¬ fected by the Injuries the inanimate Corpfe might receive, or by its Corruption •, it was therefore with the great'-ft Care they endeavoured to preftrve the material Man from Decay, that the immaterial Soul which had fo long been its Companion, might thereby be infpired with a kind of pleafing Idea of its former Union.

To

[ 7 3

To accompliffi this End, they had a Set of Men in their Nation whofe peculiar Bufinefs it was to embalm the Dead ; which was performed three fe- veral Ways : The firft was for the common People, and confifted only of faking the vifceratea Body af¬ ter a particular Manner, having firft cleanfed it from all Impurities, drying it either by a natural or artificial Heat, and finally placing it in a plain Sy¬ camore Coffin. It is to be noted, that the Coffins they ufcd on thefe Occafions were never made of any other Wood, that being efteemed moft durable and leaft fubjedt to Decay ; but it was a Species of Sycamore differing from any we have growing in Europe.

The next Method, which was for thofe of a higher Rank, was embalming them with a kind of refinous or bitumenous Subftance, properly mixed with cheap and ordinary Drugs. Some fay that on this Occafion they ufed much of the Afphaltus, a pitchy Subftance which is found fwimming on the Surface of the dead Sea in Judea. Thefe were put in a better kind of Sycamore Coffins, painted with various Colours ; and fame of them ornamented with a Number of curious Hieroglyphics, on which their Superftition prompted them to have great Reliance, imagining that they helped to preferve the Body from Corruption. The Mummy here preferved is of this kind.

The laft and moft expenfive Method by which the Egyptians preferved the dead Bodies of their Friends from Decay, was referved for thofe of a very eminent Station. They too were depofited in Coffins of Sycamore Wood, but ornamented with Gold, and Hieroglyphics of the moft noble Kind.

A 4

The

[ 8 J

The moft probable Account of this laft Method that pan be collected from the Writers who have treated of the Subject, is, that when the Soul was depart¬ ed, the Brains were firft extracted, and the Corpfo vifcerated in a very curious Manner, without in¬ juring the outward Surface of the Body, which was thoroughly well cleanied.- They next proceeded to fill all the Cavities with bitumenous and aromatic Subftances properly prepared and mixed : On this Occafion particularly the moft precious and coftly Gums were ufed ; a Liquid having been in the mean time prepared, in which a great Quantity of the above Subdances had been difl'olved, they next boiled the Body therein, that the moft remote Part of every Mufcle might be ftrongly impregnated with the em¬ balming Quality. Nothing now remained but to dry the Body, (the Method of doing which is not with Certainty known) and wrap it round with Bandages of Linen Cloth, and the Bark Papyrus, filling up the hollow Parts, and fometimes the Ca¬ vity of the Belly, with final! earthen Figures, in the Form of Mummies, but with the Head of Oftris or Ifis , and impreffed with various Hieroglyphics, or having on them the Figures of Beetles, which they fuperflitioufly thought were Protestors of the Dead ( Prophylafferia ). Having thus finifhed their Work, they depofited it in the Coffin, which had before been excavated in the Form of the Mummy to receive it.

The Face of the Mummy here preferved is co¬ vered with a gilded Mafk •, near its Feet is a Skull, and feveral Bones, viz. Feet and Hands, taken from a broken Mummy, which ffiews the State in which thefe embalmed Bodies are preferved from Decay. Over its Head are fome of thofe fmall earthen Idols, which are already mentioned to be

put

[ 9 ]

put by the Embalmers into the Cavities of the Bo¬ dy : Great Numbers of them are dug out of the Ground on the Eaft Side of the River Nile, near Cairo in Egypt , being the Spot where the Mummies were depohted.

On the Breaft of the Coffin (it being of the Shape of a Mummy) is a Figure reprefenting the Goddefs lfis, the Flowers of the Water-lilly (Lotus) round its Ntck; and over the whole Forefide is a very great Variety of Hieroglyphics, Figures, and Egyp¬ tian Charadiers, only underftood by their Priefts and learned Men, but which the Antiquaries of thefe later Times can noways explain. On the Back of the Coffin, (which may be turned at Pleafure) is another Figure of Ifts , having an Ibis on her Head. The Ibis was a Bird of Prey, held in great Veneration by the Egyptians , becaufe it deftroyed the Vermin that were yearly produced by the over¬ flowing of the Nile: When it died, they depo- fited it in an Urn, and cemented a Cover on it. Over the Coffin is a fauare Cafe, in which they placed fome Utenfils belonging to the Decea- fed, and depofited it near the Body •, as alfo two Models of a Mummy, one of which they put near the Coffin at the Head, the other at the Feet.

There is an Urn of the Ibis, and feveral Egyptian Idols in Bronze over the Mummy : I fhall firft mention OJiris. It is the Figure of a Man, the Body in the Shape of a Mummy, with a three-cor- ner’d Cap on its Head, a Whip in one Hand, and a Lituus (a Staff not unlike a Crozier) in the other. Ifis is figured by a Woman, with the Infant Orus in her Lap : They reprefented her varioufly, but for the moft part with a large Veil on her Head. Orus, or Harpocrates , their Son, is the Figure of a young Man holding the Fore-finger of his Left-

hand

[ 1° ]

hand on his Lips, to enforce Silence as the greateft Mark of Prudence, and a reverential Awe for the Divinity.

Ofiris , who was one of the firft Kings of Egypt, and Ifts, his Wife, by their fuperior Talents, as well by Example as Precept, civilized Egypt , and all the neighbouring Nations. Their Fame was fpread far and near, infomuch that when they died. Gratitude, joined to the Ignorance of the Times, prompted their Subjeds to pay them Divine Ho¬ nours, and worfhip them as Deities, and their fu- preme Benefadors ; imagining that they, who in Knowledge and Goodnefs fo much furpaffed the reft of Mankind, could not poflibly be of the fame Na¬ ture with them.

Many have been the Suggeftions with refped: to the Symbols they bear, but they are all arbitrary, and may be varioufly interpreted.

Ofiris, Jfis, and Orus, or Harpocrates, held the firft Rank among the Gods of the Egyptians , but Ifis was in the greateft Efteem ; for the Worfhip they paid her was much more frequent, and her Feafts more folemn than thole of the others. The Greeks and Romans , it is imagined, facrificed to the fame Gods, under different Names.

The Egyptians had the greateft Veneration ima¬ ginable for Cats, infomuch that they inflided moft fevere Punifhments on thofe who were unfortunate enough to kill one of them, whether on Purpofe, or by Accident. They often reprefented Ailurus, one of their Gods, under the Figure of a Cat.

There are alfo in this Room fome natural Pro- dudions *, as feveral large Corals, a Subftance pro¬ duced in the Sea, but in what Manner is not yet determined by the Naturalifts. It was long thought

to

[ ” ]

to be a Species of Vegetable, but is now generally conjectured to be the Cells of fome Sea InfeCts.

j Keratophyta, a Species of Coral : The Specimen here preferved is vulgarly called a Sea Fan.

Sertularia , another Species : This is commonly called a Sea Feather.

Madrepora , a kind of Coral, with fmall ftellated ot radiated Perforations.

Millcpora , the fame, with round Perforations.

In one of the Repofitories is a curious large Brainftone, which is of the Nature of Coral, and fuppofed to be the Neft of the Infedls above-men¬ tioned. It is not neceffary to fay more of the Corals in this Place, as there will be occafion to mention them again, when we come to the Departments.

There is a very fine Wafp’s Neft preferved in one of the Cabinets, well worth obferving with At¬ tention, being a moft curious Structure.

In Spirits you fee a Vultur’s Head, fome Ser¬ pents, Birds, Spiders, Lizards, and other Articles j but what mu ft attract particular Notice, is a fine young Flamingo fluffed. This Bird ps very fre¬ quent in the Weft Indies , and has a remarkable long Neck and Legs, which enables it to reach its Prey, which is Fifh, in deep Water. It is of a gregarious Nature, and generally appears in large Numbers ; they range themfelves fometimes on the Sea Shore in fuch regular Order, as (being of a reddifh Co¬ lour) to have at a Diftance a great Refemblance ro a Brick Wall. After having told my Reader that there is a'fo the Back-bone of an Elephant petrified, I fhall quit this, and lead him to the next Room.

The Saloon is finely ornamented with Frefco Paintings, confiding of Architecture, Stair- cafes. Flowers, Statues, and other Things properly ar¬ ranged.

The

[ *2 3

The Dome is fupported by feveral Atlantes, and on it is reprefented a Council of the Heathen Gods : Minerva appears moft confpicuous ; the others with their Attendants feem varioully employed.

In the different Compartments,

The Giants are turned out of Heaven.

Mercury is feen ready to receive his Orders, as Mefienger of the Gods.

In another appears Ceres and Neptune , Pan and Amphitrite.

Phaeton is reprefented driving the Chariot of Phcebus , preceded by Aurora , and properly attended by the Hours.

In this Room on a Table is a fine Model of Laocoon and his two Sons, encircled with Serpents, as defcribed by Virgil : It is an excellent Copy of a favourite Piece of Sculpture at Belvidere in Rome.

This Saloon is appropriated for the Reception of Company that happen to come before the Hour mentioned in their Tickets ; who, after having viewed the Articles contained in the Hall and firft Room already mentioned, and the Paintings, can¬ not fpend their Time difagreeably here*, as from the Windows you have not only an agreeable View of the Gardens belonging to the Houfe, which are far from being inelegant, but a delightful Profpetft of the Hills and high Grounds of HampSlead , High- gate , and the circumjacent Places.

We now enter upon the Departments ; the firfl of which confifts of a Colle&ion of Manufcripts, Medals, and Coins.

The firft Room contains two feveral Colleftions of Manufcripts.

. JO

B I B L I O-

[ «3 ]

BIBLIOTHECA REGIA MSS.

Thefe Manufcripts are in Number upwards of two thoufand Volumes, and were, till lately, kept in the King’s Library, being a Part of the Prefent his late Majefty made to the Mufeum.

There are in this Colledtion fome very ancient Copies of the holy Scriptures, and Tranflations of them into many different oriental and other Lan¬ guages. Thefe are fcarce, and valuable, confe- quently well worthy the Attention of the learned Antiquary.

Some old and curious Manufcripts, treating on the Subject of Religion, and of the different Con- feffions of Faith, in various Languages, claim our Notice.

I muft next juft mention fome large Volumes of Hiftory, finely wrote, and ornamented in a moft elegant Manner with Paintings, as was the Cuftom before Printing was invented.

There are alfo a great Number of Manufcripts relating to the Hiftory and Government of the Church, and other curious Subjedts ; but it is un- neceffary to be more particular, as a Catalogue of them was published in 173 4, by Cajley .

BIBLIOTHECA COTTONIAN A MSS.

The Cottonian Colledtion of Manufcripts is alfo contained in this Room •, it is ancient and noble, confuting of original Charters, Deeds, and Evi¬ dences of Fadts, and fome Accounts of remarkable Tranfadtions previous to the fettling of our prefenc Civil Rights, and long before the Reformation of Religion.

There

[ 14 ]

There are many ancient Copies of feveral Parts of the Bible, and Originals of fome Works that were formerly held in great Efteem among the Ecclefiaftics.

Bur what is more particularly to be admired, is an Original of that great Bulwark of our Liberties, the Magna Cbarta ; and if fo, how can we fuffi- ciently lament its having been greatly injured by an accidental Fire that damaged the whole Colle&ion. As a Catalogue has alfo been publifhed of thefe Manufcripts, I need not any longer detain my Reader in this Room, but proceed to the next, which contains,

BIBLIOTHECA HARLEIANA MSS.

Thefe are a Part of the Harleian Manufcripts, which are a Collection on which we cannot eafily fet too high a Value. The Room we are now treating of, contains many curious Copies of the Bible, and the different Parts of it, in a Variety of Languages.

Some original Manufcripts, treating of Divinity and Ecclefiaftical Matters, fuch as Paraphrafes, Homilies, Commentaries, Rituals, £sV. written at different Periods of Time, and defcribing the feve¬ ral SeCts of Chrift ianity difperled in all Parts of the World where it has been eflablifhed.

Alcorans, and other 'turkijh Books, with fome hiflorical Accounts of the Rife of M&bometanifm.

A Tborab, the five Books of Mofes, finely wrote in Hebrew on a Vellum Roll, fuch as the Jews ufed to have in every Synagogue, when it was found very correCt. It was not ufuai for them to produce it but on certain folemn Occafions.

In

[ i5 ]

In this Room is a Series of Englijh Medals, be¬ ginning with William Rufus , and reaching down to the prefent Times.

BIBLIOTHECA HARLEIAN A. II.

This Room contains another Part of the Harleian Manufcripts, treating chiefly of philofophical, hi- florical and philological Subjects, in a Variety of Languages, and by many different Authors. The Public has been gratified with a Catalogue of this Colledtion, to which, without enlarging any more on the Subjedt, I refer them, if they Ihould be cu¬ rious to know the particular Contents.

HARLEIAN A. III. CHARTS et ROTULI.

This fourth Room of the Department contains the Harleian Colledtion of original (or very ancient and authentic Copies of) Charters, Adts of Parlia¬ ment, Deeds, Warrants, Rolls, and other Inftru- ments in Writing, relative to a great Variety of public Tranfadtions at home and abroad. Thefe are efteemed very valuable, and are carefully depo- fited in Cabinets, and locked up; but there is a large Manufcript Catalogue referring the Curious to the Particulars.

In this Room is a Series of French Medals, be¬ ginning with thofe of Pharamond. It is to be noted, that the Medals may, by turning a Button, be viewed both in Front and Reverfe.

In the fifth Room is carefully preferved in feve- ral fmall Cabinets, Sir Hans Sloane’s Colledtion of Medals. Their Number, as 1 have been credibly informed, is upwards of twenty thoufand ; but, as

they

[ I® ]

they are not yet properly aranged, the Public is not gratified with the Sight of them.

I cannot take a better Opportunity of informing the unlearned Reader, that Medals and Coins are generally fmall round Pieces of fome of the more valuable kind of Metals : On one Side is, for the rooft part, the Head of fome Emperor, King, or other great Man, whofe Memory is meant to be perpetuated ; round the Rim is a Legend giving the Name of the Hero, and fometimes on the fame Side is a Motto (exergum) added : On the Reverfe is generally the Representation or a Symbol of fome remarkable Fa£t or Quality, or elfe it has other In- fcriptions on it.

A Medal to be valuable fhould be fcarce ; fnould point out fome extraordinary Event; or have a great Singularity in the Reverfe ; but above all, it muft be an Original, which very often is not the Cafe with fome that are in high Eftimation. Medals and Coins are of two Kinds, ancient and modern: The ancient Medals are again fubdivided, into thofe of the higher and thofe of the lower Antiquity : The ancient of the higher Antiquity comprehend all thofe that were ftruck before the Beginning of the fourth Century; thofe of the lower Antiquity are what were ftruck from that Period of Time to the Beginning of the tenth Century. All that have been ftruck fince are efteemed modern.

Every Colleftor of Medals is ambitious to get thofe that are moft valuable, fcarce, and rareft to be met with ; confequently the Panic , Hebrew, Go¬ thic and Arabic are univerfally fought, very few of them being preferved.

The Greek Medals are the moft ancient, as well as the moft beautiful, the Figures of them being remarkably neat, and conftantly admired, far ex¬ ceeding

[ 1 7 1

feeding in Workmanfhip any that are to be met with.

Thofe of Rome are of three Periods ; firft, what Were ftruck in the time the City was governed by Confuls, therefore called Confular ; next, the Im¬ perial, or thofe ftruck after Julius C<efar during the Reigns of the feveral Emperors that fticceeded him ; ana^ laftiy, the Pontifical, which have been in late Times ftruck by Order of the Popes. In the firft Ages they were of little Value.

Medallions, called by the Romans MiJJlia-, par¬ take of the Nature of Medals, except that they afe larger and thicker. They were generally intended either to afeertain the JEra of fome memorable Event, or to be given, as a Token of Honour, to fome Perfon, who had deferved well of the Public.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA MSS.

The fixth Room contains Sir Hans Shane's Ma- huferipts. They are a valuable Collection, though not fo ancient as thofe I have already mentioned. Their Subjects are comprehenfive, and confequently may be efteemed of general Ufe. There are many original Treatifes on Philofophy, Phyfie, Natural Hiftory, and, in fine, almoft the whole Circle of Sciences. The curious Reader may here find va¬ rious and good Accounts of the Manners^ Cuftoms, Languages, Civil Government, Trade, Difeafes, natural Productions, Antiquities, &V. of many different Nations. Great Numbers of them are wrote in a very mafterly Manner 5 therefore, as they were never printed, it would be a very meritorious Work, fhould fome Perfon properly qualified feleCt thofe' that are moft worthy of Notice, and publifh them, for the Satisfaction of the learned World.

In

t li 3

In this Room is to be Teen a Table of the Ponti¬ fical Medals, beginning with Martin the Fifth, (who was the firft of the Popes that ftruck them good) and carried on in a chronological Series to the prefent Times.

SECTION II.

HAving accompanied my Reader, I hope in fome fort to his Satisfaction, through the firft Department, and given a fliort Account of the Contents of the feveral Rooms it confifts of, I fhall now enter upon the fecond in Courle, that is, the Department of natural and artificial Produc¬ tions, in which is to be feen, perhaps, the largeft and moft curious Collection that the World has to boaft of ; at leaft, it may be faid, that never was a Mufeum of fuch Confequence formed by any Per- fon under the Degree of i Sovereign Prince before. * There is fcarcely a Country, though ever fo diftant,

that has not greatly contributed to enrich this De-’ partment. We may here fee the Progrefs of Art rn the different Ages of the World, exemplified in a Variety of Utenfiis that each Nation in each Cen¬ tury has produced. Natural Hiftory may in this Place be ftudied from Nature herfelf, fo great is the Variety here contained of the moft curious Produc¬ tions of the Earth, Air, and W ater.

In going through the almoft infinite Number of Curiofities which the Department contains, I (hall, for the greater Eafe of my Readers, obferve a Me¬ thod fomewhat regular ; firft giving the Infcriptions on the feveral Repofitories, and afterwards txplain- i ing

[ *9 1

jrig the Nature of the principal Contents of them. So copious is the Subject, that my chief Endeavour muff be, to give fuch an Account, as may be fatif- fadtory, and anfwer the End propofed, without ex¬ ceeding the Bounds I have let myfelf. It is feme Degree of Merit to mean well : I (hall, therefore, without farther Apology, proceed.

„ \

COLLECTIO SLOANIANA.

There are many Pieces of Antiquity in this Room, confiding of a great Number of Urns, Vef- fcls, &v. ufed of old by different Nations, which after having been long buried in the Ruins of the Temples, and other public and private Buildings, and for many Ages, when by Accident found, efteemed of no Vstorth, are now preferved with the utmoft Care in the feveral Mufeums, as Objedts of Value, and worthy the greateft Attention of the Learned. Many dark Paffages in the ancient Hi- ftorians are explained by them ; and we are by their means made acquainted with fome important Matters relative to the Hiftories of the refpedlive Nations where they were tiled, which their Writers have omitted to mention. Many Things deemed of fmall Value by a vulgar Obferver, when viewed by the Learned, are found to be of abundant Ufe to Science. It is on this Account that the World cannot boaft of fo many Antiquities as it could otherwife have done •, for though Time is a great Deftroyer of human Produdtions, the Iron Hand of Ignorance and Superftition has often done Learning more real Injury in one Year, than Time in many Centuries. What Lengths will not Igno¬ rance run, when animated by a falfe Zeal ?

B 2

The

[ 2° ]

The Collection in this Room does not entirely conf:tc of Pieces of Antiquity ; for vve here find many modern Articles brought from diftant Na¬ tions, particularly from the feveral Parts of the new World of America , which ferve to difeover the Induftry, Genius, and Manners of the Inhabitants. Happy for them were they now content with the little that once fatisfied them*, but the polite Eu¬ ropeans, fince the Difcovery of thofe Parts, have, by encreaflng their Wants, deprived them of their Eafe, convincing them that they have many Things to wifii for.

ANTIQUIT AXES JEGYPTIACiE.

In the Repofitories bearing this Title, are a great Number of Egyptian Antiquities •, and firfk feveral Bronze Figures, feme reprefenting Ifis with the Infant Orus on her Lap ; in others fhe is (landing with a Variety of Symbols. For a farther Account of this Goddefs, the Reader is referred back to Page 9. where ihe is treated of pretty much at large.

There are alfo fome Figures of Ofiris , reprefent- ed by a Man with a large Beard. See what is faid of him, Page 9. and Harpccrates.

Jupiter Serapis: A figure of an old bearded Man, with a kind of Baiket ( Modius ) over his Head.

Siftrum : A mufical Instrument of Metal in Form of Racket traverfed by feveral moveable Bars ; it was conftantiy ufed in Egypt by the Frieds of Ifis in their religious Ceremonies and Sacrifices.

An Urn, with a Cover cemented to it, contain¬ ing an Ibis ; its Form is that of an inverted Cone. See Page 9. A

[ 2-1 ]

A BdTo Relievo in Marble, reprefenting an Idol <©f Mendes in Egypt, where they formerly worship¬ ed a Goat; from whence it is fuppofed the -Greeks borrowed their Gcd Pan.

Canopus. An Alabafter Urn, with a Cover made in Form of a Hawk’s Head, and marked with, feveral Hieroglyphics. When the Canopus was filled with the W ater of the Nile, it was held fa- cred, and kept with great Veneration and Care, being worfhiped as a God. The Canopus was not always made in the fame Form, being fome- times like the Body of a Man on the Back of a Griffin, or other mixed Monfter.

There are a great Number and Variety of final! earthen Figures, Shaped like Mummies, with the Head of Ifis, or Ofiris , home adorned with Hiero¬ glyphics, others plain. They were intended to be Guardians of the Mummies, and are more parti¬ cularly defcribed Page 9. to which I muft refer the Reader.

Several Buftos, and Groups of Figures in earthen Ware, fuppofed to be the Houfehold Gods of the meaner Sort of People.

There is preferved here a Veil'd of white porous Earth, which is laid to have a particular Quality ; for if you fill it with Water, and lay Seeds .of fmall Sallee in the Furrows on cue Outfide, they will grow, and be fit for ufe in a few Days.

At the upper End of the Table are feveral more Figures in Metal of Ofiris , Ifis , Harpocrates , Egyptian Priefts, &c.

Apis. An Egyptian God reprefented by the Fi¬ gure of a Bull. The Egyptians held in great Ve¬ neration a Bull of a certain particular Co!our, with, g Knot under its Tongue ; he was kept and fed in £ magnificent Temple, and with great Ceremony B 3 attended

[ 22 ]

attended by a feleCt Number of Priefts exprefly devoted to his Service. When the old one died, It was ufual for them to fubftitute another of the fame Colour in his Place. Various have been the Conjectures on the Veneration in which the Egyp¬ tians held this Animal; but it is needlefs at this Time to mention them.

There are feveral fmall Amulets with Loops to them, which in Egypt the blind Superftition of the Inhabitants prompted them to wear about their Perfons, as Charms, or Prefervatives againft bad Fortune, unforefeen Accidents, Sicknefs, &c. They left them alfo with the Dead, as Guardians of the Manes (Spirits) ; home of them are of Me¬ tal, others of vitrified Earth, and in Figure refem- ble I/is, with the Head of a Bird, a Dog, or a Bull. Some of the Specimens are fo fmall, that they are fixed on little Cufhions, to prevent their being loft.

The Head of Anubis , or Cynocephalus , a Dog which in Egypt they worlhiped, prompted thereto, as it is fuppofed, on account of his having been a conftant Attendant of the Goddefs Ifis.

Figures of ( Ailurus ) a Cat, a Monkey, &c. Scarabs, Beetles of various Sizes, made of Marble, Agate, Cornelian , &c. They were held facred in the Opinion of the fuperftitious Egyptians , on fome particular Account ; but why, it is at prefent very difficult to form any probable Conjecture.

Periapta. Thefe are fmall oblong Pieces of enamelled Earth, notched, as it is in general con¬ jectured, to mark the rifing and falling of the Wa¬ ter of the Nile. The belt Authors that have wrote on the SubjeCt of the Egyptian Antiquities, call thefe Pieces of Earth Nilometri , or Nilofcopia.

There is alfo a Cylinder, and fome Pebbles cu- fioufly marked with Hieroglyphics and figures 5

but

[ 23 ]

but their Ufe is not eafily determined at this Di- fiance of Time.

The next to be noticed are fome Phoenician Seals, worth Attention on account of their Antiquity.

ANTIQUITATES HRTRUSCiE.

The four Repofitories under this Title, contain Hetrufcan Antiquities. They were a Nation that formerly flourifhed in that Part of Italy now called Tufcany. It is to be noted, that they were the firft People that cultivated the politer Arts in Europe , from whence they fpread even to Rome , which acknowledged itfelf much indebted to the Inhabi¬ tants of that Part of Italy on many Accounts.

Firft to be remarked are fome Bronzes ; as a Figure of Mars , the Grd of War •, a De us Aver. r un¬ cus, the God who prefided over the Common Sew¬ ers ; a Head of Proferpine, &c.

There are a great Number of VefTels of different Forms, made of a kind of fine pale red Earth ; fome of them are plain, but elegantly varnifhed ; others painted with Figures, Letters, and various Ornaments. They are of a better Shape and much handfomer than either the Egyptian , or thofe firft made of the Roman Terra Cotta , or Pot Earth, and were greatly efteemed and valued by the Ro¬ mans after they had fubdued the ancient Hetrufcans, Thefe Veffeis confift of Amphoras, or Vafes with two Handles, and Covers to them very curioufiy paint¬ ed and ornamented. The Ufe of them was to hold the different Kinds of Wine, Oyl, c dc. When full of Wine, the Romans ufed generally to bury them in the Ground for fome Years, in order to give it a higher Flavour; and they were very cu¬ rious and fuperftitious in their Manner of doing it.

B 4 We

[ 24 ]

We next come to forne Betties of a larger Size than the Amphoras, but for che lame Ufe.

There are aifo feme much fmalier, ufed for Li¬ bations, or perhaps as Lacrymatories, to receive the Tears of the Mourners at Funerals.

Jars with triangular Mouths, intended to ppur Water on the Hands of the Priefts, or for Liba¬ tions in their Sacrifices.

Many Pateras, Difhes, of various Shapes and Sizes : Some of them have Pedeftals ^ they have Handles, which are either horizontal or vertical ; pnd were ufed for Perfumes, for burning Incenfe, for keeping Fire, or carrying it from Place to Place.

Cups for containing the great Variety of preci¬ ous Ointments that were formerly in ufe.

Some Pateras very large, and ornamented with Figures and Hetrufcan Letters.

There are alfo fome Urns of plain Alabafter, and fome others very large, and ornamented with the fame Kind of Figures and Infcriptions as the large Pateras juft above mentioned. The Letters do not agree with any Alphabet now in ufe, or known ; for which Keaton our Antiquaries are at great Lofs to underhand the Purport and Meaning of them,

ANTIQUITATES ROMANCE.

The next fix Partitions are filled with Roman Antiquities, and confift of feveral ancie c Figures, Buftos and Bafio Relievos of various Kinds, and other curious Articles.

I fhail firft mention the Copy of an antique Piece oi Sculpture, made to perpetuate the Memory or a

Slave

[ 25 ]

Slave that difcovered a dangerous Confpiracy whilft grinding his Knife.

Some Wreftlers in Stucco.

Lucina the Goddefs of Childbirth, JEfculapius the God of Phyfic, fome Veftals and facrificing Veffels in Marbie, and many Marble Heads, par¬ ticularly of the Emperor Adrian , Hercules , Plata the Philofopher, Juno , and others, fome of which are not eafily diftinguilhed, and the reft it is not neceflary to particularize.

There are next to be obferved feveral Bronze Figures, as of Venus , Cupid , Hercules , Mars , Ro¬ man Soldiers, Bea Fafcinatrix the Goddefs of Spells and Charms •, Veftais, Caftor , Priapus , Terminus the God who prelided over Land-marks ; Griphon , and others.

In Bronze there are alfo the Heads of Juno, Di'dna, Apollo , Mercury , Minotaurus , Faunus, &c.

jWhat come next in courfe, are fome uncommon Malles, various Votaries or Oblations, Models of Circufes, the Places where they exhibited their public Games, and feveral Pieces of Stones, Bricks,, and earthen Pipes, dug out ol the Ruins of the an¬ cient Roman Buildings, AqueduCts, &V. By thefe we are in fome Sort made acquainted with the Nature of thofe Materials that could caufe their Buildings to laft fo many Ages, fome of them re¬ maining tolerably perfect even to this Time.

In England , as well as in many other Parts of Europe , there have been frequently found buried in the Earth, feveral Kinds of Axes, Chiliels, Wedges both with and without Loops to them, and Heads of Spears, all made of Erafs. It is far from being determined by the Antiquaries of the prefent Age, for what Ufe thele feveral Articles were originally intended their Conjectures on the Subject are va¬ rious.

[ ^6 ]

rious, feme imagining they were ufed for killing the Vidtims in their Sacrifices, others aflerting they were merely ornamental, and not a few now ima¬ gine that the Ancients had a fecret Art of harden¬ ing Brafs, fo as to make it proper for forming Edge-tools, or Inftruments of War ; which Qua¬ lity, fay they, the Brafs may have long fince loft by laying in the Earth ; but after all, the rnoft probable Opinion is, that they were the Tops of the Roman Lidtors Fafces. They are often called by the general Name of Celtes, and many of them are here to be feern

Sacrificing Instruments.

Under this Head are a Variety of odd-fancied Metal Lamps : Their Shape differs greatly •, fome being like Animals, others fuch Monfters as have not their Likenefs in Nature : but the Reader will form a much better Idea of them by Infpedtion than he pcffibiy can by any Defcription. They were chiefly ufed in the Temples.

A facrificing Knife, Simpulums, Chalices, La¬ dles, and other Inftruments of Brafs ufed by the Priefts in their Sacrifices.

We next come to a great Number of Roman Pateras, Difhes, various in Form and Size, accord¬ ing to the Ufes for which they were intended ; many of them were for receiving the Blood of the Victims in their Sacrifices ; the reft were appropri¬ ated to other Purpofes, but chiefly the Service of the Priefts in the Temples.

Lacry*

t 27 3

, Lacrvmatoriis.

Thefe were fmall Glafs or earthen Bottles chiefly in the Form of Phials. At the Roman Funerals, the Friends of the deceafed, or the (Pr*fic<e) Wo¬ men hired for that Purpofe, ufed to fill them with their Tears, and depofue them very carefully with the Allies, in Teftimony of their fincere Sorrow •, imagining the Manes of the departed were thereby greatly comforted. There are many Specimens of them preferved in the Cabinets of the Curious, and here in particular.

What now claim our Regard, are many earthen fepulchral Lamps of various Forms ; they are ufually met with in the old Monuments near the Urns, and in the Catacombs at Rome , in Naples

and Sicily.

It has been fometimes afierted, that thefe Lamps have been found burning after having been buried for many Ages ■ but it cannot be fuppofed that they were really burning from the Time they were there depofited till they were found, as it is well known that Fire is foon extinguished by the want of Air-, and if it has Air, the Fuel that fupplies it muft wafte and decreafe in Quantity, let it be of what Nature it will : the molt reafonahle Conjec¬ ture, therefore, is, that the Rufb, Cotton, or Wick of thefe Lamps was impregnated with a kind of Phofphorus that would take fire as foon as the Air had Liberty to operate on it. Some, who maintain they were conftantly burning, conjecture, that the Wick was made of the Filaments of Aibeftos, which Fire would not confume; and that the Oyl or Matter which fupplied it was of

fuch

£ 3

fueh a Nature, as that a trifling Quantity of it would laft an Age.

There are feveral (OJJuaria) fquare Urns, with Covers, and Infcriptions on them.

And others of a more ordinary Kind of Roman and Britijh Urns, wherein the Ancients, after hav¬ ing burnt the Bodies of the deceafed, depoflted their Afhes, and then buried them with the Lamps, Lacrymatories, &c. already defcribed.

ANTIQUITATES V ARIZE.

T. Hollis' Armr. Bono Bedit.

Under this Title are preferved a Colledlion of Antiquities of various Kinds, which T. Hollis Efq. gave to the Mufeum.

I fhall, in giving a ihort Account of them, firft take Notice of an Alabafter round Urn with a Co¬ ver, and another of the fame kind, but fquare : thele were for the Purpofe of depofiting Afhes.

Here are feveral Bronze Figures of Egyptian Idols, Priefts, UV. but, as I have already fufficient- ly enlarged on the Subjedt of them, I need not here be more particular.

A 2 Jphon> Hercules , Mercury , Siknus, &c. at trade our Notice, and fome more Heirufcan VefTels of the fame kind as thofe I have defcribed, Page 23.

Several Figures of Roman Gods, Heroes, Gene¬ rals and Soldiers.

Some Marble Buftos of Janus Bifrons , Hercules Balbinus , Lucina and Biana.

Here are alfo fome Votaries, or Oblations. ' It was ufual among the Heathens of old, when in any imminent Danger, to make a Vow to fome favou- 2 rite

[ 29 I

rite God, to do feme particular Adi, if they efca^ ped from it, as to build a Temple, or perhaps a Thing of lefs Confequence ; and in Commemora¬ tion of their Deliverance they hung up the Votiva Tabula , with a proper Infcription. They fometimes alfo dedicated a Tablet to the Gods in Thankfgiving of fome fortunate Event, though they had made no -Vow to do it.

We next proceed to Lacrymatories, Lamps, and Urns; but, as I have already given my Reader a general Idea of them, I fhall forbear to fay any more on the Subject.

There are fome large earthen Jars ( Gutti ) which the Antients ufed for Philtration of Liquids, parti¬ cularly the Water they drank at their Meals.

American Idols,

Thefe are the chief Contents of the remaining Repofitories. The Idols are made of Earth, and either burnt or hardened in the Sun ; fome of them were worfhiped in Peru, others in Mexico , when the Europeans difeovered that Part of the World : They were placed in the High-ways, to be ready for the Adoration of Pafiengers.

The Indians worfhiped two fupreme Gods ; one of which they efteemed the mofb powerful, and looked upon as the Author of all Good; the other of all Evil : The firft they worfhiped through Love, and thanked him for the Effects of his Good- nefs ; the other through Fear, imploring him not to do them or theirs any Injury.

One of thefe earthen Idols, that I have mentioned above to have been worfhiped in America , bears a vet y great Refemblance to fome of tnofe preferved among the Antiquities of Egypt already deferihed ;

which

C 30 ]

which makes it not improbable that South America was firft peopled from thence ; at leaft, it has been fo conjectured by feveral of the Learned ; imagin¬ ing they might, in fome of their long Voyages, have been driven on that Coaft, without being able to return to their own Country, which is not at all fuprifing, if we refiedt how deftitute they were of all thofe Helps to Navigation which we are fo abundantly fupplied with.

Next to be obferved is a Japonefe Pagod, a Mo¬ del of a Temple with an Idol in it. The People of Japan ufually keep one of them in their Houles, in the fame manner the Romans did their Houfehold Gods.

There are Stone or Earthen Bottles inclofed in Cafes of Wicker-work made of Cane or Rti flies, contrived in fuch a Manner, that they may be fwung with Violence in the Hand. They are ufed in the warmer Eaftern Climates of Afia, particularly in Perjia , where the Inhabitants imagine that by fwinging their Liquor in thefe Bottles, they make it much more pleafant and agreeable to the Palate. The Englijh call them Hubble Bubbles , the French , with much more Propriety, Gargoulettes.

I need but juft mention that feveral kinds of In¬ dian Pots are next in courfe, and a Variety of other Articles by them applied to domeftic Ufes, but which are not of Confequence enough to take up more of our Time.

The Reader will next obferve a Neft of Barkers made of the Bark of a Tree, and edged with Por¬ cupines Quills dyed of various Colours ; and fome large Bafons and Ewers, made of a pale green Jafper with black Spots.

On the Sides of the Room are hung up in Frames feveral Pieces of Stucco Ceilings, &V. fome of them

brought

[ 3* 3

brought from Nero's Bath at Rome , others from Pompeii.

A Bacchus of Alabafter, and two earthen Di flies of Raphael's painting, which are fuppofed to be the firft that were ever enamelled or glazed in that Manner.

Near the Articles juft above mentioned is the Sword of State of Hugh Lupus , firft Earl of Chejler ; and fome Baftinadoes, which are Inftruments of Punilhment ufed by the Lurks to beat the Soles of the Feet of Offenders.

I fhall now go to one of the Repofitories near the Windows, in which are fome Calumets of Peace, large Tobacco Pipes, which the Indians of North America ufe as a Token of Friendfhip.

Some Whifks made of an Indian Cow’s Tail, and Brufhes of fibrous Roots and Feathers.

A Variety of mufical Inftruments from the Eaft and Welt Indies next claim our Attention, fome of which are Wind Inftruments, others have Strings ; and there are likewife Drums of feveral kinds from China and America , but more particularly fome from Lapland , of the fame Sort as thole ufed by their Enchanters, by the Help of which, as many Au¬ thors have afferted, they were enabled to raife mighty Tempefts, and do other Things not lefs wonderful.

In the other Repofitory near the Windows are a great Number and Variety of ancient mathematical Inftruments, by which the learned Gbferver may be enabled to judge how much that particular Branch ot Science is improved.

My Reader will now accompany me to the Ta¬ ble where there are more Pieces of Roman Anti¬ quity preferved ; fome of which rnoft worthy Re¬ mark I fhall mention.

Among

r 32 3

Among them are feveral Heads and Buffos, or which the Head of Mercury , with a Chain fixed txs it, deferves Notice ; it is fuppofed to have been worn by fome Roman as a Charm, to fecu.e him good Fortune, and preferve him from Thieves j- and another of CaUjtus , a Freedman of Claudius Cafar , who grew fo wealthy, that he was generally efteemed the richeftand moft fortunate Man among the Romans of the Age he lived in.

There are here preferved fome Pieces of Bricks and Tiles with Figures and Letters ftamped on them, by which we may be enabled to judge how near the Romans approached to a Difcovery of the noble Art of Printing.

I fhall pafs over diverfe other Heads, fome Fi¬ gures of Animate, and Heads of Canes or Sticks $ and proceed to fome Specimens of the Roman Fi¬ bulas, which were a kind of Buckle or Clafp, ufed; bv them to fatten their upper Garments, and of which we could not have formed any perfedt Idea were it not for the Specimens preferved in the fe- veral Colledtions of the curious.

There are here alfo a Variety of Keys- of different Sorts, particularly the Ring Key,- which for greater Security they wore on their Fingers •, and fome Bracelets and other Ornaments, Cfc. of Metal.

We muft next attend to the Stylus, which is’ a Steel Inftrument ufed by the Romans to write on sheir Tablets of Wax.

Some Roman Weights, and fome Pebbles with Figures- and Infcnptions on them.

Several Kinds of Measures for Oyl, Pulfe, iic. Tejj'ellie , and Parts of ancient Pavements and Mo faic Work; the Dice here p eferved are found in great Quantities in different Parts of the World, and by fome fuppofed to have been droped by the

Soldiers

C 33 ]

Soldiers of the Roman Armies in their March from one Station to another.

Some Com brought from the Ruins of Hercula¬ neum.

There is a Leaf of Silver, or Amalgama, pre- ferved here, on which are plainly perceivable the Lines and Letters that have been impreffed or fcamped on it.

We next fee fome Turkijh Talifmans, or Charms,' with Arabic Infcriptions, being generally a Sentence of the Alcoran. In thefe the Superftitious among the Mahometans have great Faith, and rely much on their Power, imagining there are no Misfor¬ tunes, from which they may not be delivered by them, and particularly that whoever wears them is free from all Danger of being affauked by evil Genii, or Spirits, which they believe are continually hovering about the World, watching Occafions to injure Mankind.

Some Tahbahs or Seals, (infcribed with Arabic Words) which the Turks ufe inftead ol figning their Names.

Further on are fome Talifmans and Abraxas, a Kind of Spells or Charms with which fome fuper- ftitious or artful People in the fir ft Ages of Chri- ftianity pretended they could cure all Difeafes, the Parties affiiCted wearing them about their Perfons : it was Jikewife imagined they were a Protection from Witchcraft and Enchantments. Some of them are marked V/ich the Conftellations ; others have the Figures of Angels, Cfr. on them ; but thefe Cabalifts efpeciaily attributed on all Occafions a particular Power and Virtue in the Word Abraca¬ dabra. , the Letters of it being properly arranged.

My Reader is next to obferve a Snuff-box made of the Lava of Mount Vefuvius , concerning which fome Account has been given Page a,

C

A

[ 5+ ]

A Ring fee with a tranlparent Agate.

Two Pieces of Terpentine Stone for the Lid and Bottom of a Snuff-box, and Tome Pieces of metal¬ lic Cryftal from Mount ALtna.

Among Tome Bronze Figures brought hither with the Cotton Library is one particularly worthy of Remark on account of its Singularity, the naked Body being covered with a rough Subftance, and upon the whole bears a great Refemblance to the Porcupine Man who Tome Years ago fhewed him- felf to the Royal Society, and afterwards to the Public in general : he is, I believe, yet alive, and has a Son of the fame wonderful Appearance.

T. Hollis, Armr. Dono Dedit.

We now come to fome Articles given by A, Hollis , Efq. particularly Thread, Corn, Hinges, and other Matters, brought from the Ruins of Her - eulaneum.

More Brafs Axes, Heads of Spears, Wedges,

c. for an Account of which the Reader is referred to Page 25. and fome Keys, Bracelets, &V.

There are here fome Articles of which the origi¬ nal Ufe is not yet with any Degree of Precifion known by the Learned of the prefent Age.

When we attentively view the Matrices where¬ with the Remans ftamped their earthen Ware, Tiles, idc. (of which there are fome Specimens here pre- ferved) it feems a Matter of great Surprize that human Invention fhould in thefe early Times have gone fo far towards difeovering the Art of Printing, and that it fhould yet fail of being compleated till many Ages afterwards,-

[ is 1

Letheullier Dodo De'diti

Here are Tome Egyptian Idols of a fmaller Size than thofe already deferibed in a former Part of thefe Sheets ; among them is a Figure of Harpo- cratcs adorned with all the Symbols he is ever re- prefented with. The others it is unnecefiary to particularize, as I havfe Paid fo much on the Sub* jed. Page 9.

In this Room, over the Repofitories, are a great Variety of modern (and fome curious ancient) Ar¬ ticles, brought from the feveral diftant Parts of the World. I fhall only take notice of a large Calabafh (a kind of American Vegetable) in the Form of a Globe.

Some Indian Shields made bf Hides of the Rhi¬ noceros or Elephant; they differ in Size, feveral of them being large, others of fmaller Dimenfions.

Many Specimens of Hats of all Sizes, and vari¬ ous Materials ; among them are fome fuch as the Bramins, and Mandarins wear, in the Eaftern Coun¬ tries, and China.

Fans from Japan , China , Eonquin, and other Places; their Shape, Fafhion, and Materials differ, but one of them is of a remarkable large Size, and made of the fingle Leaf of a Taliput Tree, being fifed for cooling a Room.

There are fome Drums larger than thofe men¬ tioned Page 31. Targets, and a great Number of Inftruments of War both ancient and Indian ; a Battle-ax, and fome Spears, Pikes, Swords, Dag¬ gers of various Forms, and Bows and Arrow's, Quivers, &c.

I fhall conclude what I have to fay of this Room by juft mentioning a Variety of American Houfehold C a UtenfiU

[ ]

Uteafils made of Vegetables, chiefly Gourds; and fome Snow Shoes and Sledges ufed in the Northern Nations of Europe.

COLLECTIO SLOANIAN A.

The next Room on which I fhall attempt to make my curfory Remarks, contains a Colle&ion of Minerals and Foffils.

Silices. Achates. Sardi.

In the Cabinet under thefe Titles are Specimens of Flints, Agates, and Cornelians.

At the Top are fome large Pieces of Cryftal brought from the Hartz Foreft in Germany , and ether Mines.

Flints in their natural State are a Kind of femi- tranfparent Stone, found in almoft ail Parts of the World ; they ftrike Fire with Steel, and by intenfe Heat are melted into Glafs : Such of them as are capable of receiving a fine Polifh, and are variega¬ ted in Colour, (which Variety thefe as well as ail other Stones are fuppofed to receive from the influence of fome neighbouring Mine) are ranked among the lower prized Gems.

Agates are cut and polifhed Stones of the fineft Kind of Flints, generally found in the Eaftern and warmer Climates; they vary much in Colour, and were called Achates from a River in Sicily of that Name, on the Banks of which they were, as it is fuppofed, firft found.

A particular Kind of Agates, that have by Na¬ ture delineated on them lively E.eprefentations of Moffes, Shrubs, Trees, Landscapes, or other Fi¬ gures,

t 37 3

gures, are commonly called Moms, and deemed of more Value than the others.

Cornelians are another Species of Flint, for the moil part of a pale red or yellowifh Colour. This kind of Stone is but little tranfparent,yet takes a fine Colour ; it was formerly very much ufed for making Cups, Boxes, &c. and often for Thumb Rings, being then^finely cut and polifhed : it is now in great fi¬ fteen! for engraving, Seals, &c. It is faid thefe Stones were called Sardi from their having been fir it applied to Ufe in the Ifland of Sardinia.

lafpides.

Jafper is another of the lower prized precious Stones •, it is chiefly opake, but fometimes in part tranfparent. It is fofter than Agate, but harder than Marble; ft r ikes Fire with Steel, and yields to Cal¬ cination. Thefe are its general Qualities. There are feveral Species of this Stone, of which I ftiall only mention a few of the moft valuable.

Heliofr opium , the Bloodftone is green fpotted with red ; it has been fuppofed to have a, particular inherent Virtue, viz. that of immediately flopping Bleed¬ ings at the Nofe, or elfewhere. There are fome fine Specimens of this Stone 10 be feen here.

Ophites , the lerpentine Stone -3 of this fome Ac¬ count is given Page 34.

The Nephricic Stone is of a greenifh Colour bor¬ dering on the Olive : this kind of Jafper is in great efteem among the 'Turks, who apply it to feveral curious Ules, particularly they make of it Handles for their Sabres, Knives, Daggers, CsV.

A Plate of this Stone was formerly thought to be an immediate Cure for the Nephritic Colic, on being applied to the Reins 5 aaid it was alio imagi-

C 3 ned

[ 38 J

ned that wearing it would preferve the Party from the Attack of that Diftemper,

There are many Sorts of florid Jafpers, difirin- guifhed by a great Variety of Colours; fome of them have by the Hand of Nature delineated on them Reprefentations of Rivers, Trees, Landfcapes, Ruins of Buildings, &c.

Egyptian pebbles are a particular fine Kind of variegated and figured Stones ; thofe of them that have but one Colour are leaft valuable.

Marmora. Alabaftra.

Under thefe Titles are preferved a great Variety of Specimens of the icverai Kinds of Marble and Alabafter.

Marble is an opake precious Stone, ftrikes Fire with Steel, and yields eafily to Calcination : It is generally found in great Malles under the Ground, and cut out of Quarries, though there are in feveral Fart of the World entire Mountains of Marble; it differs in Colour in almoft every Country, but the Florence Marble for the mo ft part bears a natural Refembiance to the Ruins of Towns, Rocks,

Alabafter is of the fame Nature as Marble, but of one fimple Colour, fofter, and, when cut into thin PIates? femi- transparent.

Spata. Selenites*

In this Repofitory are Spars and Moon-flones. The Spar is a fhining Stone, compofed of cryftaline and earthy Matter ; it does not flrike Fire with Steel, but yields a whitiffi Powder on Calcination. Thefe Stones are frequently found in Caves, Grot¬ tos, Clefts pf Rocks and Mines ; they fhoot like ‘ f w r! 1 • x : Salts

{ 39 J

Salts in Spires and other Figures, and abound in many Parts of England .

Selenites, (thefe Stones have been frequently call¬ ed Lapides Speculates ) the Moon-ftone is of a brighter Colour than the Spar, and is tabulated, or can be feparated into thin Plates ; they are fre¬ quently found in many Parts of the World, in Eng¬ land x in the Clay-pits in Staffordjhire, and particu¬ larly many of them in a blueifh Clay near Harbo- rough in Oxfordfhire. It has been faid that the Chinefc Moon-ftone fuffers Increale and Diminution in Sympathy with the Increafe and Decreafe of the Moon.

Gypfum is a Stone of this Kind, but lefs tranfpa.- rent, and more eafiiy calcined, yielding a fine white Powder, of which is made Plaifter of Paris, a Commodity well known : it abounds in Dorfetjhire? and fame other Parts of England .

Cryftalla.

Cryftals are clear tranfparent colcurlefs Stones, generally found on high Mountains, Rocks, and in Mines ; by a chemical Diffolution they yield Chalk and Sait. The Perfection of Cryftal confifts in its Luftre, Tranfparency, and Hardnefs. It is applied to various Ufes, being often manufactured into Boxes, Cups, and other Toys. Thole that have Straws, Duft, &c. encloled in them, are molt curious and rare, but leaft fit for Ufe. Naturaiifts deem the purely Cryftal ro be the original Matter of ail the precious Stones of the higher Gaffes, which being in a certain Degree influenced by diffe¬ rent mineral and metalline Qualities, thence affume their Variety of Colour and Hardnefs, and are called by their feveral diftinCt Names, as will be

C 4 fhewn

r 40 ]

fhewn when we come to the Value.

precious Stones cf

Apyri. Sulphura.

In this Repofitory are many Specimens of thofe Stones that refill Fire, and of the different Kinds of Sulphurs, or inflammable Minerals.

Apyri are cpake rough Stones, fo called from their refilling an intenfe Heat, and yielding neither Smoke nor Sparkles in the Fire. 1 lhall mention feme pf the Kinds : and firft— .

Lapis Ollaris. This is a foft Stone, and may be Cut or turned into Vefifeis of different Forms.

Mica is a brittle Stone, on which, when broke, are to be feen fmall white pelifhed Lamina, as in Talc. The Mica Aurea is frequently found in Ara¬ bia, Egypt, and other Saltern Parts of the World ^ the Mica Argent ea in Silejia and Bohemia , and both of them fometimes in England.

Talc is a fhining Stone, eafily feparated into thin tranfparent Scales cr Leaves, commonly called Mufcovy Glafs. The Romans ufed it in their Win¬ dows •, and it now often ferves to cover miniature Paintings in Water Colours, or Crayons.

Amianthus. This is of the Clafs of the Fihraria ; it is an opake brownilh Stone, compofed of fnort and abrupt Filaments, flexile and elaftic, and eafily Separable into Plates, or other irregular Pieces. There are feveral Kinds of it ; and it is chiefly found in Germany, France, and Egypt, and one Kind often in Torkjhire.

Afbefios , the Cotton-ftone, is naturally of a white or Silver Colour, and confifts of fmall Fibres, of which may be made fine Threads, brittle, yet lomewhat tra&able : the Ancients had a Method

•■'■■■■■• . - ■ . , i

C 41 3

of manufacturing it into Cloth or Paper, which would for a confiderable Time remain unconfumed in a common Fire : it is found either enclofed in other Stones, or on the Surfaces of them. It has been fuppofed that this Kind of Cloth was made ufe of among the Romans at their Funerals, to pre¬ serve the Allies of the Deceafed unmixed, in order to their being depofited in the Urn. On fome late Experiments made, a Napkin cf this Cloth has been found to fuffer a very fenfible Diminution of its Weight every Time it was put into the Fire.

Under the Title Sulphura are comprehended all the inflammable -Minerals.

Ambers of various Kinds : This is a yellow Sub- fiance, more or lefs tranfparent, of a gummous Confiftence, a refinous Tafte, and a Smell like Turpentine ; when rubbed fo as to be warm, it at¬ tracts light Bodies, as Straws, &c. and yields a Kind of' Light in the Dark : it ferves for many Ufes, being often manufactured into Heads of Canes, Toys, Cups, &c. It is found in the great- eft Plenty on the Baltick Sea along the Coafts cf P ruff a.

Bitumens, Jets, and Coals, flnooth pitchy black Stones, muft here be noticed ; and the Afphaltus, or Jews pitch.

Sulphurs, or Brirrsftones, an unCtious Subftance, of various Colours, according to its Purity ; when moft fo, it is eafily inflammable and fufible in Fire, and calls a ftrong fuffbeating Smell : ..It is very frequently mixed with Arfenic y and fome- times with metalline Particles, when it is called IvLarcafite and Pyrites. The Pyrites Aureus is often met with in great Plenty near Banbury in Oxford- Jhire ■, but a liner Sort are found at Cleydon , a Village juft by. Thefe were formerly ufed inftead of Flints

[ 4* ]

for Carbines and Piftols. The Pyrites Argenteus , or Silver Marcafite, was found in great Plenty on digging a Well at Dedington in Oxford/hire, and fometimes it is taken out of the Belemnites found in that Neighbourhood. A particular Sort of Mar¬ cafite, called by the Inhabitants thereabout Crow Iron, within of a golden, but without of a darkifh rufly Colour, is very frequently met with at AJion Rozvant in Oxford {hire, and another Kind at Henley upon Thames. The Pyrites is alfo often found in Staffordshire.

Mineralia. Metallica.

Here are to be feen a large Collection of Ores from almoft all the known Mines in the World. I fhall not detain my Reader long on this SubjeCt, but refer him for farther Satisfaction to the Speci¬ mens here prefer ved.

Thofe on the upper Shelves on the Left-hand confift of Lead Ore ; the next under them are the Silver and Gold Ores, and the Bottom Shelves con¬ tain Tin Ores.

On the Shelves on the Right-hand are firft the Iron, then the Copper Ores, where the azure Stone, or Lapis Lazuli , and the Turcois, are very rare Specimens, and are to be ranked among the preci¬ ous Stones.

The next Shelf contains Quickfilver and Cinna¬ bar Ores. The others are Antimony, Bifmuth, Cobalt, and Calamin, ( Lapis Calaminaris ) called Semimetals •, for thefe yield a very fmall Regulus, pr liquid Metal, which, though it can be melted again, is not by itfelf duCtile, or fo far malleable as to be of any Ufe to Manufacture. The Lapis Calaminaris is found in great Plenty on the Men-

C 43 1

dippe Hills in Somerfetjhire, lying near the Surface of the Earth.

In one of the Tables near the Windows on the Right-hand are a great Number and Variety of Agates, Onyxes, and Sardonyxes, rough and po- lifhed ; fome of them are fmall like Seeds, which in the Beds where they are found, meeting with proper Particles, by a natural Coalition, and affifted by the Heat of the Sun in thofe warmer Climates, ericreafe in Bulk. The Eaft India Agats are much finer than thofe of Bohemia , America , or any other Part of the World. Among the moft curious of the Specimens are two Pendants fee in Form of q Heart, each having by Nature delineated on it a tolerable Reprefentation of an Eclipfe, one of the Sun, the other of the Moon : their Drops are Onyxes.

The Onyx is a femi-tranfparent Stone of the Agate kind, (often imitated by the Lapidaries with Agate) it has various coloured Zones, but none fed ; and is compofed either of a Number of flat Plates, or of a Series of Coats round a central Nu¬ cleus : the Lapidaries fliew their Ingenuity in con¬ triving to cut them in fuch a Manner, as to have Figures or Hiftories on them in Bafifo Relievo with the Ground of a different Colour : thefe Pieces of Sculpture are called Cameos. The Onyx is found in fcveral Parts of the Eaft Indies , in Mexico , Italy , Bohemia , and many Places in Germany : ir is formed of Cryftal debafed with a fmall Admixture of Earth.

The Sardonyx is of the Onyx kind, and is either zoned or tabulated •, it is compofed of the true Matter of the Onyx, but variegated with Zones or Plates or that of the red or yellow Cornelian, whence its Name : it is by the Lapidaries divided into fe-

vera!

r 44 ]

veral diftin£l Species ; and for the mod part found in thofe Farts of the World that produce the Onyx, particularly the warmer and Eaftern Climates.

In this Table alfo are many Specimens of the different Kinds of Jafper, of which fome Account has been given Page 37.

And there is a rough Egyptian Pebble, which is broke ; on each Piece of it is a perfeft Refemblance of the Head of Chaucer , as he is ufually painted : this is quite the Work of Nature, not having been at all affifted by Art-

Some Pieces of Lapis Lazuli , or azure Stone, by the Ancients called Cyaneus and Cceruleum. It is of a blue Colour, veined and (potted with white and yellow : it is not difficult to imitate it by Art ; but the genuine good Stone Ihould be able to refift Fire and Smoke, and come forth with new Luflre •, of this is made Ultramarine. • It is found in Mines of Gold, Silver, and Copper, and more frequently in Pits of Marble, which lafl is that generally ufed.

We next come to a great number of Specimens of precious Stones of all Kinds, opake and tranfpa- rent, rough and polifhed, fome loofe, others fet. I fhall give rhy Reader a few Remarks on the Nature of fome of them '; and begin with the

Opal, fuppofed to be the Pyropus of Ovid ; this is the fofteft of all Gems, generally from the Size of a fmall Pea to a Horfe-bean, but fometimes larger than the Bean, and often fmailer than the Pea : its Colour is whitifh, or rather that of the finefl Mother of Pearl, but fo tranfparent that one may fee deep into the Stone : it is net eafy by De- feriptien to give an Idea of it ; for, as it is turned about, it fhews almoft all Colours, as yellow, red, blue, green, purple, and a milky grey. It is pro¬ duced in Egypt, in Arabia, feverai Parts of the

Eafi

[ 45 ]

Eaft Indies , and fometimes in Europe : the Oriental are the fineft ; but the Bohemian , neverthelefs, very- beautiful. It is often found among the Earth of Mountains, on the Banks of Rivers, and bedded in Jafper.

O cuius Cati , the Cat’s Eye, by fome called Afte- ria, is of the Nature of an Opal, but harder, and Thews only two Colours, brown and white, the brown Teeming to be the Ground, and the white playing about it in the fame Manner the Fire Co¬ lour does in the Opal. This Stone takes a fine Polifh, but is ufually worn in its natural State : its Form is for the moft part that of the half of a fmall bifedted Globe, being fiattifh on one Side, round on the other. It is found in the Eafi and JVeJi In¬ dies, and fometimes in Europe , and has been often ranked among the Sapphires.

Eurcois. This was long thought to be a natural Gem-, but it has fince been difcovered to be in reality the Bone of an Animal by Accident fallen into a Cop¬ per Mine, whence it derives its ftony and mineral Qualities : it has not that fine blue Colour when firft found, requiring fome Art to bring it to Per- fedtion, and when done it does not for any length of time continue, but becomes gradually green ; which is the Reafon of its not being fo valuable as it would otherwife be : whilft it holds its Colour it is indeed a moft beautiful Stone.

Oculus Mundi is of a pale and uniform Colour, a whitilh grey, noways varied ; it is almoft entirely opake, and does not take a good Polifh : when put into Water for a fmall Space of Time, it becomes confiderably tranfparent, and takes the Colour of the yellow Cornelian, or rather Amber, that is, a very fine bright pale yellow ; but it retains this Beauty only whilft in the Water, taking when dry

[ 4« ]

Its natural Appearance. This furprizing Stone is not yet known to be produced in any Country but China.

We now proceed to make a few Remarks or Obfervations on the Nature of the tranfparenc Gems : Thefe are not improbably fuppofed to take their feveral Tinges or Colours from the predomi¬ nant Influence of fome neighbouring Mine, com¬ municated in the fame Manner, that beautiful blue is to the Turcois in a Copper Mine. Thefe Gems are by the Naturalifts, according to their Qualities and Hardnefs, difpoled in the following Order.

Aqua Marina , Aque Marine. This is, in all Probability, the Beryl of the Ancients ; it took its modern Name from its Colour, which is a fine Sea green inclined to biuifh, refembling Sea Water j which it receives from the Influence of Copper and Iron Ore. When this Stone is in Perfection, it approaches to the Hardnefs of a Grenate or Garnet, but is often much fofter : a very fmall Degree of Heat deprives it of its Colour. It is found in the Eaji Indies , particularly in the Ifland of Ceylon , and fometimes in Europe., as in Silefia , &c. Thofe froni the warmer Eaftern Climates are much the.hardeft and fineft.

Hyacinth, or Jacinth, is of a pale Vermilion Colour, or red with a fmall Admixture of yellow,; which Appearance it probably receives from Lead and Iron. This Stone is not near fo hard as the Ruby or Sapphire, but much more fo than any Sort of Cryftal : it takes a fine Polifh ; and is brought us in the greateft Perfection from the Eafl Indies : it is alfo found in the Well Indies , and in fome Parts of Europe , as Silejia and Bohemia ; thofe from: the Eaji are by much the hardeft,

Granatej

[ 47 ]

Granate, or Garnet, as it is generally called, » a very beautiful Gem ; the Colour is a fine bright full red with a fmall Tinge of blue : the Influence of Gold* or Iron and Tin Ores may poflibly be the Caufe of its beautiful Appearance. This Stone is of a middle Degree of Hardnefs between the Sapphire and common Cryftal : the Ladies are well acquainted with it, having of late been much worn by them in a Variety of Ornaments. It is brought from the Eajl Indies , where moft of the fineft of our Gems are produced, and found in Italy, Hungary , and Bohemia.

Amethyft is always of a purple Colour, but of many Shades, having fometimes a bluer, at others a redder Call, and reaching from very near a Rofe Colour to a Violet, according as it has been influ¬ enced by Gold or Iron and Tin Ores. In the fineft Specimens, it is of equal Value and Hardnefs with the Ruby ; but this is not common. When depri¬ ved of its Colour by Fire, it wants nothing but Hardnefs to make it a perfedt Imitation of the Dia¬ mond, fo beautiful is its Luftre.

Topaz. This is the Chryfolite of the Ancientsi it is always of a pure yellow or finefl: Gold Colour, but of different Shades or Degrees, from the deepeft Saffron down to the paleft Amber or Straw Colour: Lead is fuppofed to influence it in this refpe<ft. The moft valuable is equal in Hardnefs to the Ruby or Sapphire : they are feldom found very large ; but the Great Mogul has one that weighs near 1 60 Ca¬ rats, which is of very great Value. They are found in the Eajl and Wefi Indies , and fometimes in Europe.

Emerald is of a fine green Colour, of all the different Shades from the deepeft to the paleft, oc- cafioned by fome neighbouring Iron and Copper 2. Mines,

r 4s j

Mines, This Stone lofes its Colour in Fire. The moffc beautiful and valuable are brought from the Eafi Indies ; but they are alfo found in Peru , and other Parts of South America , and fometimes in Europe.

Sapphire is a tnoft beautiful Gem of a fine blue Colour of all Shades from the deepeft to a pale fky blue : it owes its Colour to Copper, and may by Fire be made to have a near Refembiance to the Diamond : the fineft, which comes to us from the East Indies , are equal in Bardnefs to the Ruby ; they are now and then found in Europe * but not very frequently, or very good.

Ruby is of a very fine red Colour, with a fmall Admixture of purple, which increafes its Beauty : its Colour it receives from Gold and Tin. This Stone is only found genuine in the Eafi Indies , and is always before it is polifhed of a Pebble-like Form : when in a perfect State, it is of great Beau¬ ty and Value, inferior to none but the Diamond.

The Diamond is colourlefs, the hardeft and molt valuable of all precious Stones : it is brought Tom the East Indies, and fome from Brazil , but not fo fine.

There are in the Table we are now treating of, a great Variety of Pearls, particularly one of a purple Colour, and another in the Form of a Bunch of Grapes ; both of which are very rare and valuable Specimens.

In the Table near the other Window, among the Models of Diamonds, is that of Pitt's Brilliant, which was fold to the King of France for 120,000 /. The prefent King wears it on his Hat infiead of a Button •, its Weight is 136 4. Carats.

A Model of a fine Rofe Diamond, weighing 1 39 4 Carats, being 2 \ Carats more than Pitt's Brilliant juft above mentioned j but5 not having fo

fine

C 49 ~J

fine a Luftre, it is not fo valuable. This Rofc Diamond formerly belonged to Charles the Bold , the laft Duke of Burgundy $ and when he was killed and his Army defeated in the Battle of Nan¬ cy, it fell into the Hands of a common Soldier, who by Accident found it on the Field of Battle ; but, being ignorant of its Value, fold it for lefs than a Crown. One of the Grand Dukes of cTuf- cany afterwards by Purchafe became poflefied of it, and it was preferved in the Family of Medicis for a long time ; but at length came into the Hands of the prefent Emperor of Germany , who carried it to Vienna.

There are more Models of Diamonds in this Table ; but as none of them are near fo large as the two already mentioned, it is not at all material to be more particular on the Subjedt, or to inform tHe Reader who are the refpedtive Pofieftbrs of them.

Among a great Variety of Cryftals manufactured into Vafes, Cups, Boxes, &V. are fome Beads of Cryftal, which are not without Probability fuppo- fed to have been worn by the ancient Druids iu this Eland as Ornaments for their Perfons.

Some Cryftal Balls, which are faid to be ufed in cold Countries for warming the Flands, and (after being fometime kept in a Cellar) for cooling them in hotter Climates ; but this is not certain, many imagining they were defigned for other Ufes.

Marchafites, bright glittering Stones with a Mix¬ ture of Sulphur or Arfenic, to which they owe their Luftre. Some Account is given of them Page 41. The Indians of South America give it the Rank of a precious Stone, and wear it in Orna¬ ments about their Perfons. There are fome Drops and Rings made of it.

Some

[ SO ]

Some Pieces of Coral finely cut in various Shapes*

In this Table is a great deal of Amber manufac¬ tured, particularly a fine Cabinet, a curious Crab, fome Bells, Beetles, Handles for Inftruments, (Ac, and fome Pieces of Amber, in the Subftance of which InfeCts are inclofed.

We mull next take Notice of a Peftle, Mortar, and Plate of Egyptian Porphyry : It is to be re¬ marked, that this is the hardeft Stone of the opake Kind that has yet been found.

I fhall conclude my Obfervations on the Contents of this Table, by informing the Reader, that there are a Variety of Utenfils of Agat, Jafper, (Ac, fuch as Spoons, Necklaces, Pendants, Rings, Boxes, Buttons, (Ac. Thefe Matters are in very great Efteem and Ufe among the Turks, Arabians , Greeks , Perfians , CircaJJians , and others. Inhabitants of the Eaftern Parts of the World.

There remains nothing more to mention in this Room, except the Collection of Gujlavus Brander, Efq. which he has generoufly given to the Public. It is very curious i but confifts chiefly of fuch Spe¬ cimens as are likewife to be feen in the Sloanian Collection : I (hall, therefore, not enlarge much on the Particulars.

In the Cabinet between the Windows are a great Variety of Specimens of Incruftations and Petrifac¬ tions, as Shells, Corals, and other Things ; in the Petrifactions the original Subftance is entirely chan¬ ged to a Stone ; in the others it is only compleatly covered with a ftony Matter, the Subftance ftill re¬ taining its priftine Qualities. There are many Springs in England and elfewhere which incruft: whatever is lefc in them, for any length of time, with a ftony Surface •, and others have a Power of making an entire Change in the Subftance of Wood,

'(Ac,

t 51 3

t£c. giving it all the Properties of Stone : In fome Places the Earth effects the fame Thing, on what¬ ever is buried in it.

In the two large Tables are a very curious Col- lettion of foffil Shells, figured Foffils, natural and fimple Foffils, and particularly of Minerals : I fhall not take up much of the Reader’s Time in mak;ng any long Remarks on thefe Articles. With refpecb to the figured Foffils and foffil Shells, I fhall treat of them more at large, when I come to that Part of the Sloanian Colledion, as the foffil Shells may there be compared with thofe that are recent ; with refpeft to the Minerals and fimple Foffils, they have already been noticed Page 36.

In the firft Table I fhall begin with a few Re¬ marks on the foffil Shells and figured Foffils with which it is filled.

Anomte. Thefe are a Kind of foffil Shell, very frequently found in that State, but feldom recent, and fcarely ever perfect. They referable a Cockle, but are beaked.

Oftracites , petrified Oyflers of difterent'Kinds.

PeEHnites. Under this Title are various foffii fcollop Shells.

Ammonite, Snake-ftones, frequently found in England and elfewhere, in the petrified State ; but the recent is not yet known, fome fuppofe it to be the Nautilus.

Nautiliti , Petrefaftions refembling the Nautilus. There is one very curious Specimen in this Collec¬ tion. Thefe kind of Petrefadtions are frequently found in the Mines in Derbyjhire .

Belemnites , commonly called Thunderbolts in the Parts of England where they are found.

Echiniles, Sea Hedgehogs or Sea Eggs, the Ca¬ vities of which are entirely filled with Stone.

D 2 Eebinorum

i 52 ]

Echinomm Radioli , the Spines of the Sea Hedge¬ hog petrified, generally found near them in the Earth.

Attend, Star-ftones, are of "an angular Figure refembling a Star, having more or lefs Points or Rays.

Coralloides , fome Specimens of foffil Coral.

Fojfilia Univalva , foffil Shells confifting of one Piece or Part.

FcJJtlia Bivalva, Oyflers, &V. where the Fifh lodges in a Pair of Shells.

Conchites , foffil Cockle Shells.

Cochlitesy foffil Shells of a fpiral Form, as Snails,

Fojfilia Multivalva , Shells where the Fifh. extends itfelf into many different Cells.

Entomolithiy a Variety of Specimens of petrified Infedts.

Ichtyolithi , Impreffions of Fiffi oh Stone, or pe¬ trified Parts of them.

Zoolithf Bones either preferred in the Stone or petrified.

We muff now proceed to the other Table, which will ne t cake up much of our Time.

Fhytolitbi , Figures of Leaves and' other Parts of Plants very naturally reprefented on Pebbles, and feme Pieces of petrified Wood.

Colchyl. Gdllica , a Collection of Shells picked up on the South Coaft of trance ; they are of various Kinds.

Graptolithiy fome Specimens of figured Marble, Slates, &c.

Concbyl.Hanton. A Collection of foffil Shells found in Flampfhire , where they abound on the Hills.

Sialaffites, Drop-ftones, formed by Incrultation, particularly in the Peak in Derbyjhire.

C 53 3

Gipfat feveral Specimens of the Gipfum, a Kind of Stone of which is made Plaifter of Paris.

Spata , Spars of various Kinds.

Cryjlalla , Cryftalls.

Ajhejli.l Under thefe Titles are depofited the Apyri. 3 Afbeftus or Cotton-ftone, of which was formerly made the incombufHble Linen, and other Stones which can, without vifible Alteration, bear an intenfe Heat.

Maunor. ) gome Specimens of Marble, Jafper, and Mai. V"g”C-

Sal, n Several Kinds of Salts and Brimftones, Sulphur. I together with Jet, Kennel Coal, and Bitumen. J fome Ambers,

Pyrit. Mundick or Marchafite.

Semimetalla. Antimony, Bifmuth, Cobalt. Miner# Auri et \ Gold and Silver Ores. Among Argenti. j them is one Piece of pure Gold in

a white Stone or Spar : the others are Silver mixed with Lead.

Min. Plumhi. Specimens of Lead Ore without Mixture of Silver.

Cupri. Copper Ores, and the Flores Veneris . Stanni. Tin Ores, with fome Pieces of Block Tin; Plumhi. Lead Ores and Flores Saturni.

Brafs is made by mixing a certain Quantity of the Lapis Caliminaris with Copper in the melting.

COLLECTIO SLOAN I AN A.

The Room we are now about to make our Re¬ marks on contains a fine Collection of fofii! Shells, figured Foffils, recent Shells, and fome other Ar¬ ticles. This is not the leaft curious Part of the Mufeum ; and the recent Shells here preferved par- D 3 ticuiarir

L 54 ]

dcularly claim the Attention of the Ladies : Many of them are very icarce and valuable, others re¬ markably beautiful.

To proceed with fome Degree of Regularity, i fhall tirft take Notice of the Contents of the Repo- fitories or Cabinets round the Room, beginning with hat on which is inferibed

Stalactites. Thefe are a Kind of Stones formed by Droppings of Water, which being impregnated with certain ftony Particles, by Degrees petrifies, and grows to the Hardnefs ot a Spar, and confifts of fcveral Coats. Under this Head are compre¬ hended all the various Kinds of Incruftatipns, petri¬ fied Ificles, Peas-ftones, and other Kinds ot Spars, that do not fh >ot trom the Subftance of the Rock, bur infenfibly encreale in Bulk, preferving always a fmooth and curious Surface. They are tor tfie mo ft part found in iubrerranean Caverns, in Grpt- tos on the Appenine and Pyrenean Mountains, in . t)erby(l:ire , and many other fuch like Places ; fome of them referable Sugar Plumbs, and are called Confetti di Tivoli. Thefe are of the Kind of Spars called Stalagmodiaugia.

We muft here add the Ludus Helmontii , or Wax¬ en Veins, as they are often called. This Stone confifts of feveral Pebbles bedded in a Mafsof pure Earth which is grown to the Hardnefs of a Stone. It is to be obferved, that the Matter which forms the Bed, and by which the Pebbles are fo ftrongly joined and cemented together, is of a purer Nature than the Pebbles themfelves are. This is not un- frequently found in many Parts of England , and is of confiderable Value.

Under this Title are depofited a human Skull and a Sword, botn of which are compleatly covered over and mcrufted with the fame ftony Subftance to

a con-

d -■

[ 55 ]

a confiderable Thicknefs, yet without lofing their Form. They were found in the Tyber at Rome.

JEtites, Eagles Stones. Pliny the Naturalift fays, that Eagles cannot hatch their young without hav¬ ing one of thefe Stones in their Neft ; but, it is to be looked upon as a mere idle Eifbon, the Ex¬ perience of many fucceeding Ages being far from warranting the Afiertion.

Under this Title are ciaffed all the hollow Pebbles ; thofe which particularly bear this Name have another enclofed in theCavity of them, which may be known by their Rattling. In others is very plainly heard a Liquid, which on opening them is only found to be foul Water ; this Kind is called Enhydres. When they have an earthy Matter inclining to the Cryftal- line in them, they take the Name of Geodes ; and when there are in one Stone two or three Cavities, they have of late been fometimes called Lithozomi.

Thefe Stones have had many other Names •, as, Eutccium , Echites , Erodialis , Aquileius , and Lapis pregnans. Great Virtue has been by Women afcri- bcd to the Eagle-fione, it being thought by many, that, if it is worn above the Girdle, it prevents Abortion ; if about the Knee, it helps Delivery : But this Virtue is ideal, and only a Conjecture formed from its being pregnant, as it were, of ano¬ ther Stone. Credulity and Superftition often pro¬ duce Fancies, which one i-s furprifed to find People of Senle and Reafon fometimes give way to ; but fuch is the Frailty of human Nature.

Helmintholithi. In this Oafs Linnaus ranks all the fofTil Shells. The Stones under this Tide are fuppofed to have been originally a Kind of Coral, which, by being buried in the Earth for fome con- Bderable Space of Time, has at length arrived to a jState of Petrifaftion > but the Name imports Earth D 4 Worm

[ 5« ]

Worm Stones, upon a Suppolition that thefe fofTi! Honeycombs, and all the other Kinds of Stones having regular fmall Cavities both round and ftel- lated like the fubmarine Corals, might be formed hy Earth Worms, which working many Paflages through the Matter whereof the Stone was afterwards formed, occations thore Di verifications in the Stru¬ cture of them : But this is far from the Truth ; for, was it fo, all the Perforations would be round, og at leaft approaching to a circular Figure ; whereas many of them are ftellated ; and there could not be that Regularity in the Pofition of the Cavities, as is to be obferved in thefe Stones, fince it is not to be fbppofed that Earth Worms make their Paf- fages in the Earth at any fixed Diftance one from the other, Thefe Kind of Stones are generally found in the Clay Pits both here and abroad.

Our next Attention is claimed by a great Num¬ ber of foffil Shells which are preferved in this Room ; we muft make a few Remarks on thofe contained under each Title,

Shells, as Foffils, are divided into three Clafies, i ft, Thofe that are found in their natural State without the Addition of -any other Matter, or the Change of their Subftance.

2diy, Thofe that are petrified having the Shell full preferved.

gdly, Stones in the Form of Shells, but without any Remains of the Pattern Shell which occafioned their having that Form.

The feveral Kinds ot foffil Shells are as numerous as thofe that are recent, and are found in the Earth in moft Countries of the World, and in many Parts of England , particularly in the Mines in Eerbyjbire, in the Rocks at Beresford in Staffcrdjhire , at Aftonfield , in the fame County, and in great Abundance in Lm-

cclnjhire

t 57 ]

coinjhire and Glocejlerfhire , befides many other Places.' They are fuppofed to have been either left at the uni- verfal Deluge, orelfe that the Sea, wh.ch was formerly more exten five than it is how, left thole Relifts be¬ hind it, on its being confined to narrower Bounds.

The foffil Shells are ranked under the following Titles.

Cochlites , Spiral or Snail Shells of various Kinds ; fome of the Specimens have the Shell entire, whbft others are encrufted with a ftony Subftance, or quite petrified ; and among them are fome tails of Stone formed in the Shell of a large Nautilus which has fince perifhed, no Remains being left.

Ammonite, Cornua Ammonis , the Horns of Jupi¬ ter Ammon. They are generally calltd Snake-flones, and are found in moft Parts of the Earth, but in England fined and moft perfeft. The Size of them is various, from a Quarter of an Inch to more than twoFeetin Diameter, but rarely fo large. It is a Mat¬ ter of Surprize, that fo great a Number and Variety of them fhould be conftantly met with in the Strata of the Earth, in Mines and other fubterranean Places, when no fuch Shells are to be found in their recent State ; this cannot eafily be accounted for, unlefs it be conjeftured, that the Fifh which occupies the recent Shell is an Inhabitant of the deepeft Parts of the Ocean, and that nothing lefs than the Agitation occafioned by the univerfal Deluge could remove it from its favourite Concealment : If that be the Cafe, it is no Wonder we find not this Shell in its recent State.

OJlracites , petrified Sea Shells of the bivalve Kind, being plain and common Oyfters of various Sizes ; fome are found fiogle, or only a Pair of Shells •, others in Clufters, being a great Number of Shells firmly united and cemented together. A

particular

[ 58 ]

particular Kind of Ofiracites , with longitudinal Stri^y are found in the Rocks at Beresford in Staf¬ fer djhire.

Anomic. Thefe fofiil Shells referable thofe of the Cockle, excepting that they are beaked. No Name has been given to the Filh that inhabits it; for the recent Shells of this Kind are fo very rare that there is fcarcely one to be found perfedt, They are perhaps, as well as that which has given its Form1 to the Cornu Ammonis , Inhabitants of the deepeft Parts of the Ocean ; confequently it mull be fome extraordinary Agitation of that great Body of Wa¬ ter that can bring them at all to our Knowledge in their recent State.

Thofe of the fofiil Kind are numerous enough in many Parts of England , and are particularly found in great Plenty in fome Places in Glocejlerfhire . Many of thefe Shells have the outward Surface fmooth, and fome of them have Ridges and Fur¬ rows, or are otherwife irregular on the Outfide.

Conchitest fome Specimens of bivalve Shells, be¬ ing fofiil Oyfters and Mufcles with circular Lines on the Outfide of the Shell. Thefe Kind of fofiil Shells are often found in the Mines in Derbyshire , and in the Rocks at Beresford in Staffordshire.

PeSlinites , Fofiil Shells of the fcoiiop Oyfter Kind : they have longitudinal Lines or Furrows on the exterior Surface of the Shell ; they are alfo ge¬ nerally auriculated.

Echinites , petrified Sea Urchins or Hedgehogs. There are a great Variety of Specimens of this Kind of fofiil Shell ; fome of them are filled with . Spar or Flint formed within the Shell ; others have their Cavities taken up by various Kinds of earthy or ftony Subftances ; this is for the molt part go¬ verned by the Nature of the Place or Bed in which

£ 59 3

they are found. Some of the Specimens have their Surface fmooth and even, whilft in others it is co¬ vered with a Mixture of Excrefcences and Cavities, or diverfified with beautiful and regularly difpofed Lines : their Size and Form is various, according to their different Kinds. The Spines of thefe foflil Shells tire generally found near them, and of the fame Subftance : They abound moft in Chalk Pits. The Lapis Judaic us, found in Judea , is of this Clafs : They are often called Olive Stones, from their bearing in Figure fome Refemblance to an Olive ; they are very elegantly marked, and the Surface of them with Regularity covered by a great Number of Tubercles.

Belemnites , vulgarly called Thunderbolts. They are compofed of feveral Crufts of Stone encircling each other, of a conical Form, and various Sizes. They are fuppofed to be originally either a Part of fome Sea Production, or a Stone formed in the Cavity of fome Worm Shell, which being of a ten¬ der and brittle Nature, has perifhed, after giving its Form to the Stone. They are very frequently found in many Parts of England j and the common People have a Notion that they are always to be ipet with after a Thunder Scorm. They are often enclofed in, or adhere to other Stones, and are moft frequently amonglt Gravel, or in Clay ; they abound in Glocefierjhire , and are frequently found near De~ dington in Oxfordshire , where they fometim.s contain the Silver Marchafice.

Aiieria^ Star (tones. Thefe are fmall (hort an¬ gular or ftilca^ed Columns, between one and two Inches long, and feldom above fa third of an Inch in Diameter: they are compofed of feveral regular Joints ; when feparated, each refembles a radiated 'Star i fume have four, others five Rays or Points,

either

[ 6o ]

either fharp or rounded. They are, not without Reafon, fuppofed to be a Part of fome Sea Produc¬ tion petrified. They are very frequently met with in many Parts of England : at Cleydon in Oxfordshire they are found rather larger than common, but of a fofter Subftance; for, on being left a fmall Space of Time in a ftrong Acid, they may eafily be fepa- rated at the Joints in fmall Plates.

: The Irochites and Entrochi are nearly of the Subftance and Size of the JJleri<e, but not fulcated ; they are compofed of a Number of round radiated Joints, refembling in fome meafure fo many fmall Wheels. They are generally found in Strata of Clay here and abroad.

The Ajlr cites when put into Vinegar have a Mo¬ tion. They are often picked up at Cutworth in Northamptcnfhire , at Shugbury in Warwickshire , and about Belvoir Caftle in Lincolnfhire ; a fmall Kind are found near Lajfington in Glocejlerjhire.

Ichtyolithi , petrified Parts of Fifh. Among the Specimens are Slaces of various Colours, with na¬ tural and diftind Marks in them reprefenting the Skeleton of fome Fifh, or the Parts thereof.

In the Mines in Derbyshire are found the petrified Bones of many Kinds of Fifh ; fome of them bear an exad Refemblance to the Vertebrae of a Floun¬ der.

Under this Title we take notice of the Glojfopetra , formerly fo called, becaufe it was imagined they were petrified Tongues; but they are in truth the Teeth of Sharks and other Fifh, fcmetimes adhering ftrongly and partly buried in a ftony Subftance, at others loofe ; our more modem Naturalifts have very properly called them Icbtyvdontes.

Here are alfo depofited the Bufonites , Toadftones. There is nothing in Nature refembles them fo much

[ 6> ]

as a Bone Found in the Mouth of the Porcupine Fife.

Siliquafira , many Specimens of the Palates of various Kinds of Fife— Petrified Crabs, found in great Plenty in the Ifland of Malta.

Zoolithl, petrified Parts of Land Animals. Among other Specimens are the Grinders of an Elephant, &c. In the Mines in Derbyjhire are found Petrifactions refembling the Feathers of Birds.

Phytolithi, petrified Plants. Here are a Number of Pieces of Wood turned into Stone. Though this Kind of Petrifaction ft il 1 preferves the Appearance of the original Wood, it fo far acquires the Hard- nefs and Confiftency of Stone that it may be polife- ed like Jafper.

Under this Title are many Specimens of Slates and Pebbles having on them the perfeCt Figure of Fern and other Leaves-, in fome of them the Plant is immerfed, but projects from others of the Stones. Thefe Kind of Slates and Pebbles are frequently found at the Top of Coal Mines. Some of the Mines in Somerfetjhire have the Vein covered by a brittle kind of foft Slate, which they call there Wark ; It is eafily feparable into thin Plates, and, when divided, there is found on one of the Plates a protuberant Refemblance of a Fern Leaf.

At Stamfop in Staff ordjhire are frequently found Stones in the Form of Vegetables of various Kinds * and fome have the exaCt Figure of different Sorts of Fruit, as Pears, &V. and many of them refemble the Stone of an Almond.

Graptolithi , figured Slates. They are a foft Kind of Marble, and have by Nature delineated on them very lively Reprefentations of Shrubs, Trees, Land- fcapes, Ruins, and are found in great Quantities

in

[ 62 ]

an feveral Parts of Germany. It is the Opinion of a great Natural iff, and there is a great Probability of its being the Truth, that thefe Figures are occafioned by mineral Exhalations, which ftaining the original foft Matter of which the Slate is afterwards formed, the Traces remain and continue vifible after the Slate has attained its ftony Confidence, whence that Variety of natural Pidtures to be feen in thefe Specimens.

Terr#, Earths. Thefe are of many different Kinds, and are divided into fimpie and compound. The fimpie and fine Earth is eafily friable, and dif- lolves in a Liquid. When ufed in Medicine, the different Kinds have various Names, as Bolus Ar- menat Armenian Bole, vulgarly called Bole Armo - Tiiac ; the beft is of a palifh red, fbft and fattifh to the Palate, and adheres ftrongly to the Tongue: It is ufed as an Aftringent and a Vulnerary. Terra Lemnia , Terra Sarnia^ Terra Sigillata — Thefe are all Aftringents and Abforbents, but have not the Virtue of the Bolus Armena firft mentioned. We muff now add to thefe the common vegetable Earth, Boles, Clay, Marie, Ochre, and Tripoli, and they will nearly comprehend all the fimpie Earths. The compound Sorts are more or lefs impregnated with faline, fulphurous, or other mineral Qualities, and have fometimes other Mixtures.

Calculi , Stones or Bails found in the Stomach or other Parts of the Inteftines of Animals. The lar- geft are found in Horfes, and fome of an oval Shape in the Stomachs of Camels : The Rhinoceros likewife fometimes has them ; and hairy Balls are often found in the Maws of Oxen. This is the Cafe of thofe that are flailed to fat for the Market j the Beafl will fometimes, when almoft fit for Slaugh¬ ter, fuddenly pine and lofe its Flefh, continually licking its Hide, by which Means the Balls of Hair

gather

t 63 }

gather in the Maw. The beft Remedy is to turn him loofe for fome Hours every Day in a good Pa- fture, by which Means he will foon return to his thriving Condition, and fat apace.

Under this Head are depofited the Bezoars j they are found in the Inteftines of an Indian Goat, and have been deemed of great Ufe in Medicine, but are not now fo much in Efleem ; they are ranked among the Alexipharmics. The oriental Bezoar is molt valuable ; and of them thofe are to be preferred that {trike a deep green upon a chalked Paper. It is Very dear, and fhould be a chief In¬ gredient in the Gafcoign’s Powder, to which it gives its Colour ; but the exprefled Juice of Violets has been often ufed for that Purpofe, inflead of the Be¬ zoar. Nay, a certain Profeffor of Phyfic told me fome Years ago, that the Gafcoign' s Powder has been imitated by only making Balls of Pipe- makers Clay mixed with Animal Gall -, and many were by this Means impofed on. When Medicines are fo dear, they are very liable to be counterfeited.

The Stone found in the Chamoife, Porcupine and Monkey, are alfo fuppofed to have the fame Virtues, being deemed a Kind of Bezoar j and moreover, there is attributed to them a much greater medicinal Power by many credulous Peo¬ ple ; for they have been often worn as Charms, or Prefervatives againft Difeafes.

The largeft Stone of this Kind the Author of , thefe Sheets ever faw, or indeed heard of, to have been taken out of the Body of any Animal, is now in the PolTeffion of a Miller who lives at a lit¬ tle Village near Bures in Suffolk it was found in the Body of a Mare which died foon after drop- ing a Foal. The Beall expired in fuch Agonies, that the Owner had the Curiofity to have her open-

{ 64 3

ed, and by that Means difcovered this wonderful Stone. It is nearly of a globular Figure, of a brownifh Colour, and would but juft lay in the Crown of my Hat •, the Weight of it I do not re¬ coiled! ; its Diameter might, at a Medium, be eight or nine Inches : It was not, however, fo heavy, as from its Size one would imagine it to be, or as a natural Stone of that Size.

What we have laft to take notice of under this Title, are the feveral Specimens of Stones extradled from human Bodies, the larger from the Urine Bladder, the fmail from the Gall Bladder, and the others were formed in the Kidneys. There are fome which w’ere occafioned by the Party's (wal¬ lowing the Stones of Cherries and other Fruits, a Cruft of ftony Matter firft gathering on them, they afterwards encreafe in Bulk, and caufe the moft violent Pains, not unfrequently Death itfelf. Many Remedies have been offered- to the Public for this dreadful Dilordef, but none of them are to be de¬ pended on ; fome not anfwering the Purpofe in¬ tended, others being too rough in their Operation, A proper Stone Diffolvent would be a great Acqui- lition to Medicine.

We are now come to a Part of the Mufeum which will, I imagine, particularly attrafl the At¬ tention or the Ladies •, I mean, the recent Shells preftrved in this Colledlion : But it will not be pofT'ble in the Compafs of this ftp all Work, to make fuen accurate Remarks on them as is due to the Sh gulariiy and Beauty of many that are here deuofiteo. I muft recommend to my Reader to attend to the specimens, which are very numerous, as we fhJI here only nodee a few of the moft cu¬ rious under each 1 itle. The Virtuofi may find almoft every Species that is now known among the

Uni-

/ [ 65 ]

Univalves and Bivalves, the Multivalves not be^ ing yet exhibited to public View in their order ; but the particularly curious may fee many fpecimens of them if they requeft it of the Officers of the Houfe.

In the Remarks on this Colledtion of recent Shells, they will be taken in the order in which they are now depofited under their feveral Titles : A fmall defcription of each Kind, and the Names of a few of the molt remarkable Shells will be fufficient to anfwer our prefent Purpofe.

One of the large Tables contains a Part of the Univalves, or Shells confifting of one Piece or Part.

Echini Marini . Thefe are fometimes called Centronix and Cidares. The Sea Hedge-hog or Urchin, the Sea Egg, or the Sea Cake are the Names of the different Kinds of it in Englijh ; moftof them are of a globular Figure, fometimes with, at other Times without, fpines, befet with a great Number of regularly ranged Tubercles, and with Apertures more or lefs in Number, as far as fix or leven. Many of them are of a flat de- preffed Figure, when they are called Placentae or Sea Cakes, and they are not unfrequently inclined to an Oval Form, when they bear the Name of Sea Eggs. When the Fifh that inhabits this Shell is alive, it is generally armed with a great Number of Spines or Prongs, which are moveable at the Animal’s Pleafure, by means of Mufcles that com¬ municate with the Spines through the Papillae of the Shell : The Animal ufes thefe Spines both for its Defence and inftead of Legs to enable it to move from Place to Place. When the Fiffi dies, thefe Spines are very apt to fall off, which difco- vers the Papillae to which they were joined, and a great Number of regularly difpofed excrefcences on the outward Surface of the Shell, wherever there

E was

[ 66 ]

was a Spine, one may perceive the Shell perfo= rated.

Among the Specimens of the Echini are the round Sea Eggs with beautiful Ranges of Tuber¬ cles ; the rounded flattifh Sea Eggs, with large Papillse, each fet round with fmall Tubercles ; the oval, fiat, radiated, and undulated Sea Eggs with¬ out Spines •, many flat Placentae or Sea Cakts ; and fome few of the Specimens yet retain their Spines,* by which may be feen the Manner of their Difpo- fition.

Echinorum Radioli. Many Specimens of the Spines of the different Kinds of Echini preferved in their recent State as they drop from the Shell •, they differ in Length and Thicknefs, fome of them being* very fmall and fharp, others large and ob- tufe.

Patella Limpet Shells ; thefe are of a gibbous Shape, the Apex or Summit of the Shell is fome- times whole, at others perforated ; not unfre- quently fharp pointed, often obtufe : The .Fifh adheres very firmly to the Rocks, and is covered by one of thefe Shells : Some of the Specimens here preferved are very curious 5 many have cir¬ cular Ridges, others are radiated, and in fome half the Circumference is dentated, not unlike the Wheel of a Watch. They are chiefly found in the warmer Climates, particularly the Eajl Indies and South America.

Awes Marina Sea Ears, commonly called the Ear Shell : This is of a broad and flattifh Figure inclining to oval, almoft fpiral at one Extremity, and has an Aperture almoft as large as the Shell, round the Edge of which are more or lei's perfora¬ tions, and the Marks of -others that do not go quite through the Shell \ the Fifh that inhabits it is a

Limax :

[ *7 3

Limax: This is no uncommon Shell; it is there¬ fore needlefs to enlarge on it, the Specimens ex¬ hibited will give the Reader a fufficient Idea of it.

Cochlea Sea, Land, and frefh Water Snails; thcfe are a fpiral Shell, with a depreffed Clavicle, are umbilicated and have a Surface fometimes fmooth, but more frequently furrowed or covered with Tubercles ; the Mouth of this Kind of Shell is circular. Among the Specimens under this Ti¬ tle are, the Belted Snail, the Ribbon Snail, the Cornu Ammonis Cochlea, fome very curious Snails, whole fpiral Turns are reverfed, and others are dentated ; and in a few the fpiral Turns of the Shell are in Part covered by the laft Volu ion.

Nerita are a Kind of femicircular mouthed (fe- milunaris) Cochlea, often dentated ; fame have exerted Apices, others depreffed, and many of them are umbilicated ; they generally inhabit Caverns on the Sides of Rocks where the Fifh flick fail to the Stone. Of the Specimens fome are fafciaied, others reticulated, and in Colour various, as white, green, black, and yellow : Among them are many that are called Bead Shells, and others Pea Shells.

Trochi , Top Shells, fo called from fome fmall Refemblance they bear to a Boy’s Top. They are a Kind of Cochlea, fomewhat approaching to the Form of a Cone, but the Summit fometimes more depreffed, and they are not unfrequently dentated ; the Infide of the Shell is of a molt beautiful Mo¬ ther of Pearl Colour ; fome are rough, others fmooth, fafciated, or wavy ; of all which there are Specimens, as well as of the prickly Trochus or Spur Shell from the Eaft Indies , and many others.

Buecina , Trumpet Shells. This Kind of Shell refembles in Form the Trumpet, as it is reprefent- ed in old Sculptures and Paintings : It is a fpiral

E 2 Shell

f 68 ]

Shell with a wide Belly, and a large, broad, arrtf elongated Mouth, of an oval Figure, with a crooked Beak; the fpiral Volutions of this Shell differ in Number, being fometimes fix, at others ten or twelve, and one Kind has the Volutions re- verfed.

Strombi. Thefe are a Kind of Turbines, the Tower of Babel, the Mitre Shell, the Sp ndle, and fome others are ranked under this Title •, but they - are feldom by the Naturalifts mentioned as a di- ftindt Kind.

Turbines , Screw Shells: This kind has; along, wide, and deprefied Mouth, often approaching to a circular Form, fometimes dentated, at others not ; it grows narrow towards the Bafe, is auriculated, and terminates in a very long and fharp Point ; but the Form of the different Kinds of Turbo differs in fome Refpedts. The mofl curious Specimens under this Title, and worthy Obfervation, are the Needle She!l, the Screw Shell particularly fo caiic-d, the Ribbon Turbo, the narrow ipmed Turbo, and others that are variegated with T ubercles, and ftri- ated Lines of different Colours ; but what more efpeciaily merits Attention among thefe Shells, is the Wendel Trap, fo named by the Dutch , who find it in their Spice Iflands ; it is often fold for fixteen and twenty Guineas, arid fometimes more: In England it is called the Royal Stair Cafe.

. Murices . The Murex is a fificated Shell, befet with fmall Spines and Taberc’es, with a rough Clavicle, exerted near the Summit in moft Kinds, in others deprefied ; the Mouth is long and always expanded, fometimes dentated ; in many the Lip is digitated, in others elated, folded, or jagged ; the Columella is fometimes rough, at others fmooth : Under this Title are to be feen the Mufick Shell,

the

[ % ]

the ribbed Mufick Shell, the brown Murex with many Spines, the Turban, the Helmet, a Variety of yellow Shells, and many Spider Shells : The Filli that inhabits this Kind of Shell, furnilhed the ancient Greeks and Romans with that curious Dye, which was in fuch high Eftimation among them. We muft now conduct the Reader to the other Table, which contains the Remainder of the Shells.

Purpura. This Kind of Shell is jagged, and befet all over with Tubercles, Spines, Umbo’s or Stride •, the Mouth or Aperture is fmall, and ap¬ proaching to a circular Figure ; the Tail is fnort, and the Bafe ufually runs out into a long Beak : This is a very beautiful Species. Among the Spe¬ cimens are the Woodcock Shell, the thorny or prickly Woodcock, the bindive Shell, the Caltrop Shell, and many others. The Spines of the Pur- purse differ, being more or lefs lharp, and in Num¬ ber various ; both this Kind and the Murex are found in great Plenty in the Gulph of Parentum.

Doha, Tun Shells. Thefe have a glohofe or round Belly, a lax Aperture, or Mouth fometimes fmooth, at others dencated ; the Clavicle is either very little umbonated or deprefled* the Columella in fome Species fmooth, in others wrinkled ; and the outward Surface is always variously falcated, therein differing from the Bulla. Among the Spe¬ cimens, thofe moft worthy Notice are the Ethio¬ pian Crown, the feveral Kinds of harp Shells, the variegated ribbed Tun Shell, fome Perfian Shells, and many others, which it would take up too much Room particularly to mention.

Bulla , Boat Shells. They are a Kind of Dalia, but differ from them in that their Surface is fmooth, whereas the Delia are always fulcgted; the fpiral E 3 Volution^

[ 7o ]

Volutions of this Shell in fume Kinds are not con¬ tiguous nea> the Clavicle, and are not unfrequently armed there w,th Spines. The Gondola Shells, the Perfian Crowns, and many Shells that referable Fig and other Fruit, are depofited under this Title. The Bulla are not always by the Natural fts ranked as diftinht Species ot Shells, being not unfrequently confounded with the Delia.

Rhcmbi , Oiive Shells. This Shell is often rank¬ ed among the Volutae ; but it differs from it, in that the Voiuta is of a conic Figure, whereas this Kind is nearly of an equal Size at both Ends : It is of an oblong cylindric Figure, an oblong Mouth, or Aperture, and the Clavicle is not unfrequently fep rated from the Body of the Shell by a Circle; the Columella in feme fmootb, in others rough. Some of the Shells of this Kind are called Stam¬ pers.

Volute, Volutes. This and the kind laft men¬ tioned are often ranked under the fame Title. The Voiuta is of a conic Figure, has an oblong Mouth or Aperture, the Clavicle fometimes eredt, often deprdied, in feme Specimens coronated at the Top. One of the Extremities of this Shell is of a pyramidical Figure, the other formed into high Ribs which conflitute a depreffed Clavicle, or a dentated Crown ; the Head is feparaced from the Body of the Shell by a high Rib. Among the Specimens, are the Admiral, Vice Admiral, Tyger Shells, Hebrew Letters, the Onyx Shell, many coronated Volutes, and feveral kind of Leopard Shells.

Porcellana , Porcellain Shells. The Porcellana is of a conglogaied oblong g.bbofe or umbonated Form, and has for a Mouth, or Aperture, a long gad narrow Slit, dentated on each Side. A tew of .2 . the

t 71 ]

the moft curious or this Kind are, the Arabian Let¬ ter Shell, the Map Shell, the Argus, and Falfe Argus, the Tortoife Porcellain, the Beetle, the Chinefe and Boat Porcellains. The common Cow¬ ries, or Guinea Money, come under this Title,

Nautili , Sailor Shells. The French call this Kind Le Voilier. It has been conjedtured that Men firit learned the Ufe of Sails from the little Filh that inhabits it. It often fwims on the Surface of the Sea, throwing ouc a Membrane that ferves it inftead of a Sail ; and it has other Parts whir h it ufes as Oars and a Rudder. It is a fpiral Shell, with a large and roundifh Aperture ; the laft Vo¬ lution is remarkably large in proportion to the reft, otherwife not unlike lome Kind of Snails that have deprefled Clavicles. The whole Shell is by Parti¬ tions divided into feveral Chambers, which com¬ municate one with the other by Means of a Imali Pipe in each Partition. Among the Specimens, one of the Shells is cut vertically in fuch a Manner as to difeover the different Concamerations. Worth obferving are the fma'1 thin Nautilus, the Paper Nautilus from the Mediterranean , and feme from the Eaft Indies in Size various, many in their na¬ tural State, others polilhed. It has been conjectu¬ red that the Cornu Ammonis , deferibed among the foflil Shells, takes its Shape from fome Species of the Nautilus ; but this is far from being afeertained.

Dentalia , Tooth Shells. Th s is a Ihelly Tube refembhng the Tulle of an Elephant, or the Horn of fome Animal which is a lirtJe bent: fome of them are fmooth, others ftricated ; the fmooth Kind are white, and not unfrequently tipped with red ; the others lome white, others green. The common Tooth Shell, the Dog Tooth Shell, and others are to be feen among the Specimens.

Fermi •

[ 72 ]

Vermicular ia, Worm-fhells. Thefe are of a very irregular Shape, and are nothing but a kind of tefl act oas Covering the Sea Worms inhabit. They are generally found in Clufters, often kicking to the Bottom of Ships after a long Voyage.

We are now come to a Conclufion of our fmall Remarks on the Univalves, and muft in a regular Progrefiion proceed to take Notice of the Bivalves, with which the Remainder of this Table is filled: As to the Multivalves, we fhall pafs them over, as they are not yet exhibited.

Oftrea , Oyfters. This Shell confifts of two Parts joined together by a Hinge, being a ftrong Membrane ; one of the Parts of the Shell is raoft frequently fiat, the other moderately globular, and have circular Striae; but their general Form is va¬ rious, in the feveral Kinds. There are here pre¬ fer ved a great Variety of the fcarcer Sorts ; among the reft, the Thorny Oyfter, the Prickly Oyfter, the Hammer and Saddle Oyfters, of which fome have ;he Valves jo:ned in a Manner more particu¬ larly refembling a Hinge. There are alfo fome Specimens of tranfparent round fiat Oyfters, ufed in fome Part of, the Eaft Indies inftead of Glafs.

Pe5lir.es , Scollop Shells. They are of a flatted Shape, and the Valve fhut clofe in all Parts. They differ from the Oyfter in that they are auriculated, and are ftriated in the Manner of a Comb, longi¬ tudinally. The moft curious of this Kind are the Mantle Scollops of various Colours, particularly the Ducal Mantle, the Marbled Scollop, the Coral Scollop, and others.

Cardia , Heart- {hells. Both the Valves of this Shell are convex, and they are not auriculated, often confounded with the Peftines. Venus’s Heart, the Noah’s Ark, the Ox Heart, Human Hear?,

thorny

[ n 1

fhorny Hearts and fpeckled Heart Shells, are the moft curious among them.

Chama. This Kind is for the moft Part fmooth, though in fome Places a little rugofe ; the Valves are equal, elate and convex, and the Mouth gapes, being clofed in fome Places, not in others ; it has longitudinal Furrows, and very deep, fometimes is armed with Spines ; it is of a rounder Figure than the Tellina, and thicker. The Concha Veneris, jafed by the Ancients to form BafTo Relievos with different coloured Grounds, in the fame Manner our Lapidaries exercife their Ingenuity on Onyxes, was of this Kind. The Roman Mantle, the Ara¬ bian Shell, the yellow Chama, the Bafket Shell, and the reticulated white Chama, are curious.

Beilina. Thefe are a Kind of beautiful Mufcles, common enough in Italy, particularly about Rome ; their Form inclines to an Oval, and the Shell thin. For the moft part when they are feen in Mufeums, the outer Coat is taken off, which occafions their having that fplendid Appearance •, fome fuch arp to be feen in this Collection, and others in their natural State. The flat Tellina with white Fafcise, the broad flat Tellina from the Weft Indies , the narrow Tellina, and others, are worthy to be pre- ferved.

Mufculi , Mufcles of the fmaller Sizes. Some of the Specimens have Pearls fixed to the Infide of the Shell, occafioned by its having been by fome Means or other accidentally injured.

We have now done with the Tables of Shells ; if the Remarks that are made on them are thought too concife, it muft be confidered that they could not be treated of more at iarge without fwelling thefe Sheets to a larger S.ze than the Author in¬ tends they fhall extend to. Gf the many Readers

which

t 74 1

which fee hopes to have, moft of them will, no doubt, think that Part of the Colie&ion which particularly fuits his Tafte and engages his Attention, too flightly treated of. But it is impofTible to pleale every one. Such muft with Patience wait till the general Account of the Mufeum is published at large by the Officers of the Houfe. Their Curio- lity will then be fully fatisfied ; as, the Abilities of the Authors confidered, the Catalogue will doubt- lefs be fuch, as to merit the particular Attention and Encouragement of the Public.

The Reader muft now be direfted to the firft of the fmall Tables, which contains a Number of Handles for Daggers, Knives and Forks; fame Seals, Heads of Canes, or walking Sticks, and the Hilt of a Sword. Thefe are all made either of Agate, Mocoe Ston'e, Onyx, Cornehan, Ja per, Blooaftone, or Nephritic Stone, isic. There ate alfo fome Turkifh and Perfian Daggers, fuch as it was formerly cuftomary for them to wear at their Girdles, and fome Knives with the Blades inlaid with Gold. This has been by certain credulous People thought to have been changed from the Iron by fome Alchymift who poffeffed the much talked of Secret of the Philofophtr’s Stone.

In the other fmall Table in this Room are pre- ferved a great Number and Variety of Cups, Difh- es, Boxes, Cfc. made of Agate, Mocoe Stone, Cornelian, and Jafpers. They differ much one from the other as well in Form as Colour.

There is very lirtle more to be noticed in this Part of the Colle&ion, if we except a Set of Fi¬ gures reprefenting Mines, in the ordinary Dreffes they wear, in Bohemia , Saxony , and other Parts of Germany. With them are to be feen the Tools they gfe in their Work; and there is alfo a View of a

Mine,

r

l

75 1

Mine, fhewing their Huts, Ladders, &c. The Crucifixes belong to them, as being commonly feen about the Entrance of Mines that are fituated in thofe Places where the Roman Catholic Religion prevails. But neither the Crucifixes, the View of the Mine, or the Miners, are fo curious as to me¬ rit any particular Attention •, efpecially in a Mufeum where there are fuch a Number of Arcicles that are fo much more worthy of Remark.

We fhall finifh what we have to fay of this Room, by cliredting the Reader to the Tufks of an Elephant, or.e tolerably 'perfect, the other half pe- rifhed, and fome other Bones of this large Animal. Thefe are all faid to have been found in a certain Place near Gray's Inn Lane , very deep in the Ground. It is not improbably fuppofed to have been the Re¬ mains of one that was brought over here in the Time that the Romans were Mailers of Britain .

COLLECTIO SLOANIANA.

The Reader will now prepare bimfelf for the Remarks that are to be made on the Contents of the next Room, which are no lefs curious and worthy of Notice than thofe we have already gone through. To begin with the Repofitories, or Cabinets, the firft we meet with are

Vegetabilia. Frudlus. Ligna.

Under thefe Titles are comprehended a great Variety of foreign Fruits, different Kinds of aro¬ matic and other curious Woods, many Sorts of Gum, Barks, and a numerous Train of other ve¬ getable Productions We fhall firft direct the Reader to the Scythian Lamb, otherwife called Ba-

romez.

t 76 ]

romez, Barometz, or Baranetz. It is the Root of a Plant much like Fern that grows in Mufcovy. It is faid that the Nature of it is fuch, that it will fnffer no Plant whatever to thrive near it. Its Root is covered by a fort of Down refembling Wool, and there are Shoots, or Fibres, which ferve well enough to reprefent the Legs and Horns of the ve¬ getable Animal. A very little Help of the Imagi¬ nation makes it altogether a tolerable Lamb. Many ftrange Qualities have been given to this Production, and as ftrange Stories told of it •, fome having given it a Skin like a real Lamb, but of a much fuperior Value; others have faid that Wolves delighted to feed on it, befides many more Fictions too tedious to take notice of here ; inLmuch that many were incli¬ ned to believe there was no fuch Thing in Nature.

There are many Specimens of the various Kinds of the Apocynum, or Silk Grafs, common in the Eaftt and Weft Indies , where they apply it to many Ufes. The different Kinds of Cotton are hrre to be feen as it grows in the Indies , fome of it burfting from the Pod.

A great Number and Variety of Calabafhes, of which the Indians cf America make many of their houfehold Utenfils ; fome Sea Coccoons and Sope Berries. Thefe laft are the Fruit of a Tree growing in fome of the Weft India Iflands, and Africa, the Pulp of which has all the Qualities cf Sope.

Echino Melocalios , by Linnaeus calleu Callus , the Turkilh Cap, or Thiftly Melon. There are many Kinds of this Plant, which is extremely curious ; they commonly grow on the fteep Sides of Rocks in the war me ft Parts of America , their Root fhooting deep into the Fi flu res of the Rock, requiring very little Earth to nourifh them. Several Sorts of Spi¬ ces and Drugs, &V. as Cloves5 which are the Fruit

[ 77 3

t>f a large Tree, having Leaves like the Laurel ; it grows in the Molucca Iflands: the Oyl extracted from them is often prefcribed in Medicine, Pep¬ per, as growing on the Branches ; it is brought from Malabar , Sumatra , Mocho , and other Parts of the Eaft Indies. The Black Pepper grows upon a weak climbing Plant, with large oval pointed Leaves ; that which produces the Long Pepper, is not very different, and grows in the fame Places. Pimento, or Jamaica Pepper, grows on a Plant not unlike that which produces the Clove, but not fo large. Nutmegs grow in the Ifland of Banda in the Eaft Indies , and in fome few other Places, on a Tree about the Size of a large Standard Apricot, which bear a Fruit not unlike it in Shape and Size : its Leaf is like the Almond, but not ferrated ; the Nutmeg is contained within the Pulp of the Fruit, and the Mace cleaves clofe to the Shell of it. Car¬ damoms are a Seed brought us from Java , Mala¬ bar , and other Parts of the Eaft Indies. Tamarinds are brought to us from both the Indies , and are the Fruit of a large Tree of the Palm Kind ; they make a pieafant Sweatmeat, and very wholefome.

Beans of different Kinds, Colours, and Sizes. The Anacardium, Orientale Occideniale •, the Malacca Bean, and Cafhew Nut ; the nrft comes from the Eaft Indies , is enclofed in two Skins, be¬ tween which is a ftrong cauftic Oyl ; the Kernel is pieafant to the Tafte. The other is in Shape like a Windfor Bean, with two Skins enclofing the fame Kind of Oyl and a Kernel ; it is brought from Ja¬ maica. Heads and Fruits of Palm Trees.

Here are alfo fome Tea Nuts, Cocoa Nuts, Aca¬ cia, Coffee Berries, which laft is the Fruit of a kind of Jeffamine, with a Leaf like a Chefnut, and a white fweet Flower : It grows in Arabia and the

Weft

[ /S 1

Weft Indies. Some Specimens of Millet, Guinea Corn, and Maize. But we muft particularly take Notice of the Bark Lace. The Tree that produces it is called Logetto , or the Bark Tree, the inner Bark of which conflfts of Fibres difpofed in a reticular Figure, and bears fome Refemblance to Lace. It is often, by curious People, made up into Ruffles, &c. There is preferved here a kind of Shirt or Garment of it, being the entire inner Bark taken off the Bo¬ dy of one of thefe Trees.

We now come to fome Roots, of which there are many Specimens ; as Ginfeng, which is now in high Eftimation in China and Japan , being deemed an excellent Cephalic, and good for the Spirits and Nerves ; it ufcd formerly to be fold for its Weight in Gold in Europe , and is yet very dear in the In¬ dies y but not much valued here : The Chinefe do not efteem that which grows in America , valuing only their own. Rattle Snake Root, Contrayerva, and others. And there are a great Variety of Gums, as Gum Elemi, Galbanum, Copal, Styrax, &c. and fome aromatic and other foreign Woods. Cam¬ phor, the Wood from which the Gum or Rofin of this Name is extracted ; it grows in China , and fome other Parts of the Eaft Indies. Tfie Benzoin, which alfo produces a Gum, and many others.

Spcngia ?. In the Repofitory under this Title are a great Number of Specimens of the different kinds of Spunge, fome very large. They are a Sea Pro¬ duction, and have been long ranked among the Number of Vegetables that the Sea produces, but how properly is not yet by our modern Naturalifts abfoluteiy determined.

The Repofitories that follow contain the differ¬ ent kinds of Coral under their feveral Titles. It would take up too much Room to enlarge much

on

t 79 3

Gn them ; we fhall, however, proceed to give the Infcriptions, and a few Words upon each Sort. The firft that prefents itfclf is

Keratophyta. This Title comprehends the feve- ral kinds of black Coral ; the Specimens here pre- ferved confift of Sea Fans, Sea Willows, Sea Firs, and others of the like Sort, having their Names gi¬ ven them from a faint Refemblance they bear to thofe Things.

Corallia. All the different kinds of Coral have, till of late, been ranked in the vegetable Kingdom, being thought to be Sea Plants; but Mr. Ellis has publifhed a Work, in which he endeavours to prove that they are of the animal Kind : The Matter, however, is not yet quite fettled among the Natu- ralifts. Under this general Head are fome Speci¬ mens of Coral fattened to Pieces of Ships, on Bot¬ tles, Pieces of Coin, in the fame Manner that Barnacles fatten themfelves to a Log of Wood ; and alfo fome of the black Coral.

Madrepora comprehends all the Corals that have ftellated Perforations. The Species of the Madre¬ pora are by the Naturaiifts made very numerous. In this Repofitory ate feveral Brainftones, Sea Mulhrooms, and many other Specimens, fome white, and others of a red or pink Colour.

Millepora. All the Corals that have Perforations which are neither ftellated nor radiated, are ranked in this Clafs. The Specimens confift of many branched Corals, fome large and very curious.

Efchara. Under this Title are depofited a Spe¬ cies of Coral, fome of which refembles woven Cloth, or the Leaf of a Tree, others Network. They con¬ fift of the common retiporous Efchara, the foliaceous retiporous Efchara, and others, fome of them very large.-

Tidni-

[ So ]

etubularia. This Species is by Linn^m called Tubipora. It is generally or a purple Colour j and iscompofedof many hollow Tubes or Pipes of Coral iflfuing from the fame Stock, The Specimens of it are curious, vary i.g in Colour.

After having maac thefe Ihort Remarks on the Nature of the feveral Kinds of Coral, it will not be amifs to mention four Tables of Sea Produdtions chiefly of the Coral kind, dilpofed in their feveral Clafies in the Form of Landfcapes. Tftey are the Gift of Mr. Ellis , who, as the Reader has already been informed, has wrote on the Subjcdt. There being in each of thefe Tables a fhort Account of the Contents, it is quite unneceflary to be more parti¬ cular in this Place.

Nidi Infefforum, Nells of Infects. An Enquiry into this Part of Natural Hirtory is very amuling and entertaining, fo great is the Variety contained jn it ; for not only every diftindl Clafs of Infects has a Manner peculiar to itl'elf to preferve and continue the Species, but every dilUnguifhed Part of each Clafs varies in this particular, yet all of them fol¬ low the invariable Law that God and Nature has taught them ; affifted by an Inftindl which Man, with all his boafted Reafon, cannot with any Pro¬ priety account for. For Inftance, the Wafps do not all make their Nells alike ; fome are very large, as a Kind of American Wafp, feveral of which Nells are here depoflted ; another, which comes from Newfoundland , refembles a Rofe ; and thofe made by a kind of black Wafp are entirely covered with Clay ; yet ail thefe differ from the common Wafp’s Nell. There ar many other Varieties in the Work of this Infcdl-, but it would take up too much time to enlarge more on the Subjedl, efpecially as what has been already Laid will be fufficient to give the

intelligent

[ 8r ]

intelligent Reader a perfect Idea of the Author’s Meariing. The Study of Natural Hiftory muft al¬ ways greatly conduce to the Honour of God -, it Ought, therefore; on all hands to be properly en¬ couraged.

There are a great Variety of Specimens preferved of the Neffs of different Infedts, too many to take particular Notice of here ; it will be fufficient, therefore, to mention a few only to the Reader. Belides the Wafps Nefts, there is a large Hornet’s Neff, many Nefts of Spiders, forhe Humble Bees Cells, Ants Nefts of various Kinds and from diffe¬ rent Parts of the World. But what is moft worthy of Remark under this Head, is a very curious Spi¬ der’s Neft brought from the Weft Indies, to which the Infedt has with great natural Skill and Ingenuity contrived a Valve or Trap-door to fecure the En¬ trance, thereby defending its Progeny from the At¬ tack of fome Enemy of the Species.

Nidi Avium, Nefts of Birds. This Title affords as great a Variety as the laft, and for the fame Reafons. It is impofiible to attempt noticing all the Nefts that are here preferved as Specimens ; they are both numerous and curious-, it will be fufficient to point out to the Reader a few moft de- ferving Attention, and even of thofe little muft be faid. The hanging Nefts claim our fifft Regard j which are made by Birds, Inhabitants of both the Indies ; they hang by a (lender Filament to a (mall Twig of a Tree, and are by that Means put out of the Reach of any Enemy of the quadruped or reptile Kind. Thefe Nefts are chiefly made of a fort of Grafs without, difpofed in the Form of a Net, and lined with different Kinds of foft Suh- ftances within ; but there are Birds in Siberia that make hanging Nefts of a very curious Structure of

F Spiders

[ 82 ]

Spiders Webs. The Neils of the various Sorts of Humming Birds are pretty, particularly one on which a very beautiful Bird is fitting. The King Fifher’s Neft, and that of the Tom Tit, are not unworthy of Remark, efpecially being the Produce of our own Country. But there is a Neft brought from Cambodia , and other Parts of the Eaft Indies , about the Size of a Goofe’s Egg, and in Subftance notunlike Ifmglafs ; being diffolved in Water, it makes a fine Soup, whence it is generally called the Soup Neft : It is made by a fmall Indian Swal¬ low of a delicate Tafte. Thefe Birds are feen at certain Seafons of the Year in vaft Multitudes on the Sea Coafts, where in the Clefts of the Rocks they build their Nefts of an hemifpherical Form, making them of a fpumous Matter which they find on the Sea Shore. There is only one kind of Neft more to be mentioned, and we have done with this Title ; it is brought from both the Indies, and covered with Leaves, which the Birds are faid to fow together with their Beaks ; whence they have the Name of Taylor Birds.

Having given this fhort Account of the Nefts of fuch Kinds of Birds as are generally deemed moft curious and meriting Attention, we are naturally brought to the next Repofitory.

Ova, Eggs. Thefe are very numerous : Let it be thought fufficient, therefore, that the Reader be informed, that among others, there are Specimens of the Eggs of the Oftrich, the Cafifoware, Owls and Eagles of various Kinds, Penguins, Cormo¬ rants, Maccaws, feme Parrots Eggs, thofe of the China Pheafant, King Filler, Mifcle Birds, and i'ome remarkable blue Eggs from Virginia. There are alfo, a fmall Egg contained within another, very curious ; fome that have irregular furrowed Sur¬ faces,

t 83 ]

faces, and an Egg on which is neatly and whimfi- cally rivetted a finall Horfe Shoe. Befides thefe Eggs of Birds, are fome Specimens of thofcof Cro¬ codiles, Guanas, Lizards, Turtles* and Tortoifes.

Stella Marina , Star Fifh. Thofe of the fmaller Kind are called on our Coafls* where they abound, Five Fingers. Some of the Specimens are very large, the Number of their Points or Rays being various. The reticulated Star Fifh, called Medu - fa's Head , is very curious j the Fifh, when alive and in its natural Element, lpreads abroad a great Num¬ ber of Fibres, which extend to a large Compafs, and in Figure bear no diftant Refemblance to a Net, being perhaps intended for the fame Ufe, to catch its Prew

j

Cruftacea. Under this Title are depofited a Va¬ riety of Crabs of different Kinds, Colours, and Countries 5 fome Lobfters, Sea Loeufts, Prawns, Shrimps, the black Crab from Jamaica , and others from the Ea§l Indies finely variegated in Colour ; but what really moft demands Regard, is an extra¬ ordinary large Claw of a Lobfter.

Tt tftacea, A Number of large Sea Shells, as Hel¬ mets, Buccina, £sV. In the upper Part of this Re- pofitory is a Log of Wood with a great Number of Barnacles flicking to it. It was the Opinion of fome of our old Naturalifts, they were produced on a Tree that grows on the Sea Shore in the North of Scotland-, that after a certain Time the Shell opened and dropped its Contents into the Sea, and that it there became a Bird called the Barnacle, or Solan Goofe, or, as they fometimes named it, the Vegetable Goofe : But the Error of their Conjec¬ tures has long been difcovered ; the Barnacle is found to be a Shell Filh, which might fix itfelf to thofe Branches of Trees that chanced to be under F 2 Water ;

C H ]

Water ; and the Solan Goofe is now known to breed like other Water Fowls in the Northern Climates. It was once thought that Jamaica produced a Tree which bore Oyfters, a Miftake of the like kind with that already mentioned. We jfhould be flow in giving Credit to whatever appears to be out of the natural Courfe of Things.

Under this Title is to be feen, the Soldier, oy Hermit Crab, from Jamaica. The Inftindt of this little Animal is furprizing •, it is of the Crab kind, but net fatisfied with the cruftaceous Covering Na¬ ture has given it, it feizes the firft unoccupied Shell it meets with, proper for its Purpofe, (fome have faid that it will even drive the Fifh out of it) and fixing itfelf firmly in it, drags it about as long as it lives, unlefs it fliould find another more to its Mind.

There are in this Room two Specimens of Fern of a very particular Kind ; it is produced in the Ifland of St. Helena , and in fome Parts of South America ; it grows very frequently to the Size of tolerable large Timber, and is fometimes applied to the Ufes for which Timber is valuable.

Over the Repofitories are difpofed in Order, a great Number of Sea Productions, of the Coral Kind, as Sea Fans, Sea Willows, &c. and fome large Shells, as Conchs, Buccina, &c. together with a few of that Kind called Pinna Marina , which are a very large Species of Mufcle, found only in the Sea, chiefly in the Mediterranean.

There are three fmall Tables which we muft not pafs over in Silence. The firft contains fome Shells finely polifhed and carved in embodied Work; the Figures on them are lively, and they are upon the whole remarkably elegant and beautiful, having greatly the Appearance of Mother of Pearl.

Some

[ 85 ]

Some Cameos cut in Shells, and many more in Onyxes, Sardonyxes, Cryftals, Hyacinths, and other precious Stones.

Some Intaglios in Jafpers, &c.

Several Rings fet with Cameos, others with In¬ taglios of the Stones above mentioned •, and many antique Rings and Seals, and fome Beads made of carved Fruit Stones.

In the fecond of the fmall Tables are preferved feveral very curious Models, finely executed by Simons^ the famous Engraver.

A fmall Half-length of Sir Thomas Grejham> neatly carved in Wood in Relievo.

Many Impreffions taken in Glafs Pafte from an¬ tique Seals.

A Number of Impreffions taken in Sulphur from the Seals, Gems, and carved Stones in the King of France's Cabinet. They are a very curious Collec¬ tion, the Subjects chiefly hiftorical.

The third fmall Table is entirely filled with the Remainder of the Impreffions from the King of France's Cabinet.

The Reader mult now be conducted to the firfl: of the large Tables, which contains a great Num¬ ber of Infedts of various Kinds ; thofe that firft oc¬ cur, are fuch as have moveable cruitaceous Shields to guard their Wings.

Scarabcei , Beetles. But very little will be faid on the Subjedt of the Infedts j they are fo numerous, that it would too much extend thefe Sheets : We fhall, however, diredt the Reader to fome of the curious Specimens. Under this Title he will find the Elephant Beetle, the Rhinoceros Beetle, found in the Eaft and Weft Indies , the Cervus Volans , or Stag Beetle , fometimes feen in fome Parts of England , the Unicorn Beetle, and many others.

F 3 Der*

[ §6 ]

Dermsftes, Wood Beetles. Thefe are a Kind of Scarabaeus, but generally imaller. Among the Spe¬ cimens are the (potted winged black Dermeftls, the red h-gged black, and the hairy Dermeftis.

Cajjidte^ A fmall Species of the Scarabaeus, with the Head leis prominent and vifible than in either of the former. The Tortoife Caffida, the feveral Kinds of black Caffidte with more or lefs Strire on . the outward Wings, and the green Caffida found in Gardens are to be looked for under this Title.

Coccinellte , Specimens of Lady Birds, or Lady Cows, as they are often called, variegated, and pro¬ perly dillinguifhed.

Chryfomel# , a fmall Beetle with beaded Antennae. Some of th m are of a blackifh Colour varioufly fp tteb o' fti iased, others green, yellowilh, or en¬ tirely b own

CurculwneSy A Kind of Beetle with Antennae pro¬ jecting from the Pnd of a Trunk, or Probofcis. The common brown, the ffiining brown, the purple and black Curculiones are of this Clafs.

Cerambicss. Thefe are a Beetle with very long fltnder-jomted Antennas generally hanging over the BacK. : They are of various Colours, as grey, black, brown, and fome of a very beautiful violet Colour. The. Capricorn Beetle is a curious Specimen.

Leptura are a iort of Beetles bearing no diftant Rr iembknce to the laft Kind. They are black. Copper- co. oured, red, Cfc.

Diiifci , Water Beetles, have fetaceous Antennm, gnd their Feet formed for fwimming. The common Water Beetle, the large black Water Beetle, the brown Water Beetle with prominent Eyes, the fmall brown Water Beetle, and others, are comprehended under this Tide.

Buprefiej

[ «7 3

Buprejles partake of the Nature of Cantharides or Spanijh Flies, are Inhabitants of the Water chiefly, have the Head in part concealed, a very (linking Smell, and iling feverely : Of thefe the moll curi¬ ous is the light green Bupreflis with yellowifh green ftriated Wings ; and the large black Bupreftis, or Tree Beetle, and the fmail black Bupreftis are ot this Kind.

Elatri. The Elater, if laid on its Back, has a Power of (kipping to a conftderable Diftance. Some of them are black, others of a changeable Brafs Co¬ lour, & V.

Staphilini. Thefe have beaded Antennae, fmail Shields or outer Wings, the inner concealed. The brown Staphilinus with blue Wings is a curious In- fe£t ; a Number of them are black, but diftinguifh- ed one from the other, either by their Legs or by the Colour of the interior Wings.

Blatta, Mill Beetles, have long (lender Antennae in continual Motion, and ufually two Spines at the Tail : The Males have Wings, and are fmaller than the Females. The yellow Biatta, a Native of the Northern Countries, where it feeds on the dried Fi(h, and a very large Kind from Jamaica , are of this Species.

Grilli , Crickets, refembie a Locuft. In this Clafs Linnaeus ranks the Cicada: and Mantes. The com¬ mon Houfe Cricket, the Field Cricket, and the great brown Cricket are all that need be mentioned, if we except the Mole Cricket, found in fome Parts of England, which is a remarkable Infedl.

Locuft a, Locufts are remarkable for their hinder Legs, which are made for leaping; fome Kinds have Wings. The large common Locuft, the Grafhopper, and the Spanijh Locuft, are of this Species,

F 4

Mantes

[ 88 ]

Mantes are of the fame Kind. Among thefe we muft reckon the common preying Locuft, the large brown Mantis, the flat-fhaped Mantis, and the long winged Mantis. There are under this Title, befides, feme very curious Specimens of what are called in the Indies Walking Leaves, or Moving Sticks, from the Refembiance their Wings have to the Leaves of Trees, and their Bodies to a Piece of Stick ; thefe are a very wonderful Kind of Infedt, and worthy particular Remark.

Cicada Balm Crickets, or Harycft Files. They have four membranaceous, and no outer Wings, Have large Heads, and in their whole form are not urlike that Kind of Fly which is vulgarly called a Drone*, they make a Noife like a Cricket, and are very numerous in the Southern Parts of France and Italy. , but we have them not in England. The Spe¬ cimens are of various Colours, and Sizes.

Cimices , Bugs. They are of many diftinguifhed Kinds, and of different Colours, as grey ana bLck, not to fay any thing of the common Houfe Bug.

Notonefla, Boat Flies, a Water Infcdt. Soma Kinds have the Antenna? fhorter than the Thorax, others have none •, the hinder Legs are formed tor fwimming, and fome Kinds fwim on their Backs. It is only neceffary to mention here the common Boat Fly, the fmall Boat Fly, the large black No- tonecla, a Native of the Eaft Indies , and a brown Notonedta.

Neprf^ Water Scorpions, have four Wings, each of the fore Feet armed with a Forceps, in Shape like'a Crab’s Claw. There are many Specimens.

Cocci , Cochineal, is a fmall Fly that h eds and breeds on the Leaf of the Indian Fig. This L fedf, when dried and fenc to Europe , is of great Ufe in

d)ing.

r ]

dying. Linnaus mentions mamy other Kinds feed¬ ing on various Trees.

We muft now in Courfe proceed to the other great Table, where the Infedts are continued.

Phryganea are a kind of fmall Fly not unlike the Gnat ; the biack Kinds are various, and fome are of other Colours. Under this Title is the Ephe- meron, whole whole Extent of Life is but a few Hours.

Libellulrf, Dragon Flies, or Adder Flies, are a beautiful Infedt, with a long various coloured Bo¬ dy, and large reticulated Wings ; many of them in Colour incline to green or yellow, and fome black or grevilh.

Papdiones , Butterflies, .differ from the Moths in having clavated Antennas. There are a very great Number of Specimens from different Parts of the World, curious and beautiful; fome were caught at home. The moft remarkable among therft are, a fine green Fly, the Mother of Pearl, the Owl and the Peacock from the Eaft Indies , and a remarkable fine purpleFly from th tWeft Indies. The Ladies may amufe themfelves, with looking at the great Variety here exn'bited ; but we muft not enlarge more on the Subject.

Phalena , Moths. Thefe have, for the moft Part, {lender Antennae gradually diminifhing to a Point, are almoft as numerous as the Butterflies, fome of them filling the Remainder of this Table, the reft being in the Infedt Table in the next Room. Many of the Specimens are very large, particularly thofe from South America ; and fome are called Death’s Heads,

COL-

C 9° J

COLLECTIO SLOANIANA.

We now enter upon another Room, where, for the fake of Regularity, I fhali proceed to finilh my Remarks on the Infects which are contained in the great Table.

Phalena. Under this Title are the Remainder of the Moths.

Fentbre dines. This kind of Infedt is by the French named Mouche a Scie, from its having a ferrated Weapon, or Sting : In Shape it is like a Bee, but in Colour generally refembles a Wafp: They differ much in Size, fome Specimens being very fmall.

Ichneumones. This Fly has two reticulated Wings, {lender Antennse, no Probofcis or Trunk, a long {lender Body, and two or three Filaments affixed to its Tail; their Colour is various, as black, yellow, &c. and fome Specimens are large.

Vefpa, Wafps. This is an Infedt well enough known. Under this Title is comprehended the Hor¬ net, and many Specimens variegated in Colour.

Apes , Bees. The Specimens are numerous of this ufeful Infedt ; fome are very fmall, others hairy, and a few black. Here we muff mention the Hum¬ ble Bees, the Bodies of which are for the moft part black, they differing chiefly one from the other in the Colour of their Tails.

Formica , Ants. Nothing need be faid of thefe, but that the Females and Mules have hidden Stings, the Males and Females Wings, the Mules none. They are of many Kinds, as the common Ants with Wings, the red Ant, the great American red and black Ants, the little black Ant, and the great Wood Ant.

Fabaniy

C 91 I

fab anti Horfe Flies, have but two Wings, and are of various Colours, as black, brown, yellow, 0c.

CEftri ., Gad Flies, or Breeze Flies. The large black and yellow Gad Fly, and the fmall Breeze Fly are of this Kind.

Mu/ca, Flies. There are a great many Speci¬ mens of Flies, common enough * feveral white winged Flies, fome hairy, and ethers variegated with black and yellow, or blue and green, and many entirely black or yellow muft here be men¬ tioned.

Culic&s , Gnats, a troublefome Infed, too well known from its fevere ftinging. Some of the Spe¬ cimens here fhewn refemble the Molketo Fly of Jamaica and the Weft Indies.

Arane^i (Infeds without Wings) Spiders of va¬ rious Kinds, and among the reft, the Italian and Weft Indian Tarantula.

Onifci , Wood Lice, or Millepedes, confifting of feveral Specimens of the different Kinds.

Scorpiones, Specimens of Scorpions of different Sorts from various Parts of the World, differing in Size.

Iulii Gally-worms. Thefe are a Kind of Worm with a long Body compofed of a great Number of Rings, with many fmall Feet and beaded Antennae* they are generally of a ferrugenous dufky or black- ifh Colour, living for the moft part under Ground, and when touched will roll themfelves in a Bali.

Scolopendr^i feveral Specimens of the Centipes from America and elfewhere. The Bite of this In- fed is faid to be almoft as dangerous as that of the Scorpion.

Aurelia , Aurelias, or Chryfalifes of feveral Spe¬ cies of Injfeds.

Vermesy

[ 92 ]

Vermes , a mifcellaneous Collection of Worms.

Nidi Infectorum , fome Nefts of InfeCts, as Spiders, Beetles, Locufts, &V.

Nidi Serici , Coccoons of Silkworms. Under this Title is a Ribbon made of Spiders Web, and fome Silk of the fame.

Tefiudines , Tortoifes and Turtles of the fmaller Sizes, finely variegated, and fulcated in their Shells.

Avium Partes, Parts of Birds ; they confift of Heads, Beaks, Talons, Legs, Quills, &c. Par¬ ticularly to be noticed are fome Heads of the Rhi¬ noceros Bird, the Beak of a Toucan, or Brazil Pye, nearly equal to the whole Body in Magnitude, the Beak of a Spoonbill, and fome Quills of the Con¬ dor, a Bird of fuch a prodigious Size and Strength, as to be able to carry a Sheep through the Air in its Talons. Such wonderful Things have been faid of the Condor, that it was long doubted whether there was fuch a Bird in Nature : It is not known in Europe, nor is it frequent in any Part of the World, but has been feen in Peru and Chili , in South America.

Pifcium Partes, Parts of Fifh, confift of Jaws, Palates, Teeth, Back-bones, Fins, &c. of various Kinds of Filh.

On the Shelves round this Room are a great Number and Variety of Articles, preferved in Spi¬ rits, from the animal and vegetable Kingdoms: They are, like the reft of this noble Collection, cu¬ rious, and worthy of very particular Obfervation ; yet, left the Bounds I at firft fet myfelf Ihould be too much exceeded, my Remarks on them will be but fhort. The firft Title that prefents itfelf to our View, is

giuadrupedia , Quadrupeds. Among thefe, I

fiiall

[ 93 3

fhall only mention a Few Specimens ; as, the Arma¬ dillo, called by the Natives 'Tatu, a little Animal covered over with hard Scales, like a Sort of Ar¬ mour ; in its Head and Snout it refembles a Pig, has the Feet of a Hedgehog, and is a great De- ftroyer of Sugar Canes in the Brazils. The Sloth, called Haii by the Natives of Brazil ; of this Ani¬ mal many Stories are told, as that it is a whole Day walking a few Yards-, that it will grow fat when it has got into a Tree, but having confumed all the Food the Tree afforded, it will be nearly flarved before it can get to another; if it is hurt, it makes a Noife like the crying of a Child, and even fheds Tears his fore Legs are double his hinder in length : It is a very inoffenfive and harmlefs , but not a very handfome Animal. The Yer- bua, a Kind of beautiful Field Moufe, with a very long Tail and hinder Legs, on which it generally walks eredt. Several Kinds of Monkeys. The flying Squirel, frequent in Virginia , which has a Membrane reaching from the fore to the hinder Legs, of the Nature of a Bat’s Wing, and ferving for the Ufe of flying from Tree to Tree, which it will do, though they are at a confiderable Diftance. Some Bats of various Kinds. A Hedgehog ; and the Opoffum, an Animal, which, in cafe of Dan¬ ger, protefts its young in a Cavity under its Belly.

Under this Title are a great Number of Foetus’s of different Animals, and fome unnatural Produc¬ tions, among which is the Cyclops Pig, having only one Eye, and that in the Middle of the Fore¬ head.

Aves, Birds. There are here a great Number and Variety of Englijh and foreign Birds, brought from all Countries, and preferved in Spirits : I fhall

refer

f $4 1

refer my Reader to the Specimens, not having room to make any particular Remarks.

Reptilia. Amphibia. Serpentia.

In thefe three Repofitories are many amphibious Animals in Spirits. Among the Reptiles are Frogs, Toads, particularly the Carolina and Bull Frog, and the Surinam Toad, whofe young are produced out of its Bapk •, fome young Crocodiles, Allegators, Guanas, Cameleons, Salamanders, the flying Lizard, and other Kinds of Lizards.

The Serpents confift of. Snakes, Slovv-worms, Vipers, Adders, Rattle-fnakes, Afps, Hooded- fnakes, Coach-whip-fnakes, fo called from their extreme Length and Slendernefs, and fome Am- philbasnae, a Kind of Serpent, whofe Head can fcarcely be diftinguifhed from the Tail, they mov¬ ing both ways, forward and retrograde •, they are brought from South America , and here preferved in Spirits.

Pifces , Filh of many Kinds in Spirits, and among others the Hippocampus, or Sea Horfe ■, the flying Filh ; the Remora, formerly thought able to flop a Ship under Sail •, Pearl Oylters, the John Doree, the Sea Polipus, Barnacles, and many others, too numerous to take notice of.

Infetta, Infedls. Many Kinds of Caterpillars, Beetles, Locufts, Centipes, Scorpions, Spiders, and Worms from human Bodies.

Vegetabilia , Vegetables. Thefe confift chiefly of Foreign Fruits preferved in Spirits, and fome of our own Produce, but of an uncommon Form. There are alfo under this Title, a Colledlion of Oyls, Bal- fams, and other chemical Preparations extracted

from

C 95 3

from Vegetables Chiefly the Growth of the Ea?t Indies.

In different Parts of this Room on the Wainfcot over the Repofitories, &c. are fome dried Animals, and fluffed Skins of others, particularly fome large Bats, Turtles and Tprtoifes, Sharks Jaws, more Heads and Beaks of Birds, a very large fluffed Snake’s Skin from Surinam in the Eaji Indies , the Skin of a fcaly Lizard, fome Lizards, Guanas, and the Skin of an Ant Bear •, a Flamingo, a young wild Boar, a Porcupine, Armadillos, an Oron On- ton, or wild Man of the Mountains ; the Head of a Sea Horfe, Jaws of Fifh, and fome Crocodiles.

There are a great Variety of Horns of different Animals, particularly the foffil Horns of Moufe Deer found in the Bogs of Ireland, very large ; Horns of Elks, the Rhinoceros, Rein Deer, An¬ telope, and Chamoife. Sir Hans Sloan’s famous horned Owl fluffed. Some Birds fluffed, placed in Glafs Frames ; particularly, a Bird of Paradife, fome Humming Birds, Manakeens, fome of the Titmoufe kind , a Virginia Nightingale, and a Tropic Bird : And there are fome Portraits of fe- veral kind of Birds taken from the Life.

In a large Cabinet are depofited a great many dried Fifh, brought from various Parts of the World ; among other Specimens are a fmall Saw Fifh, the Head of a Sword Fifh, fome flying Fifh, a Dolphin, a Sturgeon, a young Shark, a Porcu¬ pine Fifh, a Torpedo, or Cramp Fifh, &c._

Over this Cabinet is a fluffed Emeu, or Caffo- wary, a Balearic Crane, or Crown Bird, an Eagle, and a Vultur.

There remains nothing more to be mentioned in this Room, but the Skeleton of a very young Whale, fome Horns of the Unicorn Fifh, the Head

and

C 9« 1

and Paws of the Walrofs, ufually called the Sea Lion, and the Snouts of the Saw and Sword Fifti.

We now enter upon the laft Room of this De¬ partment, which is filled with Productions of Art, difpofed in feveral Cabinets j the Articles are in¬ deed very numerous, and would require a Volume to give a Dcfcription of them alone 5 my Remarks on them will be but few.

In the firft Cabinet is a Variety of little Articles manufactured in Glars, of different Shapes, coloured, painted, and fpun Glafs ; fome Cups, Difhes, and other Matters, made of Papier Mache, refembling China Ware ; and other enameled and curioufly manufactured Bagatelles.

In the next we mult remark fome Articles in great efteem among many Roman Catholics , as Re¬ lics, Beads, Cs?c. and fome Models of facred Build¬ ings.

We now come to the Utenfils and Ornaments of the Indian Inhabitants of the great Continent of North America , as Feather Crowns, Necklaces, Knives, and fome curious Contrivances for Combs, Brufhes, &V. Some Wampum, and Caffada Bread.

In another Cabinet are European Productions of Art, as, fome fmall Cabinets, Figures in Bronze, and feveral Ivory anatomical Reprefentations of Skulls, Eyes, Ears, &c. and fome fine Work of Turnery and Carving.

We next fee fome Japan Idols very fmall, many cut out of Almonds, and even Grains of Rice } Eajl India Money •, fome Chinefe Figures of their Gods, Men, and Beafts, made after their Fancy, and dreflfed in their Fafhions, Part of them in Bronze, the reft chiefly in Rice Pafte, called Con-

C 97 ]

The Model of a Palanquin, a kind of Chair of State in which the Grandees of the Eaft are carried on Mens Shoulders ; Cards, Dice, and other Baga¬ telles ; Forks, Chopfticks, Backfcratchers, Steel¬ yards, Weights, and Beads for cafting up their Acccmpts, called Schwampara.

Some China Paper, Womens Shoes, Pendants made of Beetles, Inks of all Colours, Rulers, fmall japaned Veffels,

In the laft of the Cabinets that I fhall mention particularly , are various Specimens of curious earthen Ware, fome Porceliain Cups before they are burnt, in fome meafure fhewing the Nature of the Earth they are made of ; fome other Cups, which they fay the Chinefe made of Engiifh Gravel which happened to be carried over in one of our Ships •, and feveral Sorts of plain, painted, and gilt China Ware of various Shapes.

In Glafs Cafes are fome very curious Pieces of Work in Ivory, particularly one made by the late Queen of Denmark.

Some Models of Chinefe Grottos ^ a Mode! of Captain Gilbert , and the Root of the Tea Plant.

There are aifo fome Pieces of Sculpture, and Paintings at large, in Miniature and Enamel, which we muft take notice of ; as, a Man that had an Excrefcence, or Wen, in Form of a Head growing out of his left Breaft.

A Cyclops Pig.

A Woman who had two horny Subftar.ces grew out of the back Part of her Head •, one of the Horns is kept in fome of the Cabinets in this Room. A Pidture of the fame Woman and another Horn are fhewn at Oxford.

A black Whale. A Buffalo.

Thomas Briton , the mufical Small-coal-man.

G lofedis

[ 98 ]

Infedts and Reptiles.

A Plantation of Cochineal, with the People ga¬ thering and drying it.

Several Flowers and Plants.

We have now done with our Remarks on this fecond Department. In our Way to the next, we 2re led down the Back Stairs, where we muft take . notice of two Canoes, the one brought from America , the other from Greenland, differing both in Form and Materials : The nrft is very ingenioufly covered with the Bark of a kind of Birch Tree, which is fixed to final 1 Ribs on the Infide •, the whole Boat is re¬ markably light, infomuch that two Men may eafily carry it many Miles from one Lake or River to another, which is very neceffary in America , on account of the great Falls. The other Canoe is entirely covered over with Seals Skins, at a diftance bearing fome refemblance to Parchment; the upper part of it is as it were decked with the fame Mate¬ rials, there being only a finall Hole left open in the middle for the Man to fit in and manage his Paddle.

On the Wainfcot going down thefe Stairs, is a large Piece of Painting reprefenting feveral kinds of dead Game.

We now approach the third and laft Department, that of printed Books. The Reader’s Time will not be much taken up by the Remarks we fhall make on this Part of the Mufeum, as they will be but fnorr.

The firft Room we enter, contains fome Sea Compaffes, improved by Dr. Knight , fuch as are now ufed in the Royal Navy, and feveral Magnets and Apparatufes, ferving to fhew the magnetical Powers in phiiofophical Ufes.

B1BLIO-

[ 99 ]

BIBLIOTHECA REGIA. II.

In this Room is depofited a Part of the Royal Library, which his late Majefty ordered to be here preferved for the Benefit of the Public. It confifts of the Books that were collected in the Reigns of James I. Charles I. and Charles II.

It is proper to remark, that if any ingenious Perfon has either a mind to improve himfelf in the feveral Sciences or Languages by reading, or is prompted by Curiofity to perufe fome of the valu¬ able Books of this Department; by applying to the Truftees, he may have an Order to attend the Reading Room for a Time, where there is a parti¬ cular Officer appointed to provide fuch Books as may be wanted. This is an Advantage that is not known to many, who would otherwise be glad of Fuch an Opportunity of confuiting fome fcarce Books.

BIBLIOTHECA REGIA. I.

Another Part of the Royal Library, collected in the Reigns of Henry VII. Henry VIII. Edward VI. Queen Mary , and Queen Elizabeth. Here are aifo feveral other Collections in this Room, as the Li¬ braries of Archbiffiop Cranmer, , More ,

Arundel and Lumley.

Many of the Books ate very valuable; among others are the firft printed Copies of the Bible, and other facred and hiftorical W ritings ; fome Books on the SubjeCt of Religion, &c. pubiilfied before and in the Infancy of the Reformation, when Print¬ ing was firft invented ; and fome ether Works, treating of the Sciences, Hiftory, CL.

In

[ 10° ]

In this Room are preferved the firft Books print¬ ed in England and France ; fome are upon Vellum, others on Paper ; they bear a great Refemblance to the fineft Manufcripts, having, like them, the Ti¬ tles and initial Letters curioufiy illuminated.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. VI.

A Part of Sir Hans Sloane’s Library ; which is a very large Collection of Books, brought from all Parts of the World where Printing has ever been in ufe. It is fo extenfive, that it fills this and the five next Rooms, as they follow in order. The Subjects are very numerous, comprehending every Branch of Learning, ail the Arts, all the Sciences, in almoft every known Language.

This Room, particularly, contains Books of Di¬ vinity and Law, many of them well worthy the Perufal of the Learned.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. V.

Part of Sir Hans Sloane’s Collection, being Treatifes on the Arts and Sciences,

Syftems of Philofophy,

Ethics,

Aftronomy,

Commerce,

Philofophical Tran faCtions.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. IV.

In this Part of Sir Hans Sloane’s Collection, are Hiftories of all Nations ancient and modern s fome Treatifes on Chronology.

Prints,

[ 101 ]

Prints, Globes, and large Maps of different Countries.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. III.

Here are many Books on philological Subjects. Grammars.

Lexicons.

Critics.

Treatifes on Rhetoric,

Geography.

Some Travels,

Journals, and Mifcellanies.

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. II.

Another Part of Sir Hans Shane's Library.

Natural Hiftory.

Herbaria. Hortus Siccus,

Many Drawings, perhaps the fined that are to be feen in the World. The Reader muff particu¬ larly admire a Book containing fome Drawings of Monfieur Robert , Painter to Louis the Fourteenth, King of France •, they confift of a great Number of Vegetables, curious Animals, Shells, and other na¬ tural Productions, very elegantly drawn, and co¬ loured from Nature. Sir Hans Sloane paid this great Artift five Guineas for doing each Leaf. We muff alfo notice a great many Drawings elegantly coloured from Nature, by Madame Marian: They confift of a great Variety of Plants, with the Infects that feed on them, in their different States, and fome other Things. It is to be remarked, that this La¬ dy made a Voyage to the Eaji Indies , and refided

there

t 3

there fome Years, to perfect herfelf in the Study of natural Hiftory, and to make Drawings of the Plants, Fruits and Infedts, which thofe warmer Climates produce.

In this Room are alfo fome printed Books in the Chinefe Languages

BIBLIOTHECA SLOANIANA. V:

In this Room are preferved the remaining Part of Sir Hans Shane’s Library, confiding of Books of PhyfiCj Pharmacy,

Anatomy,

Surgery,

Chemiftry, h fa

Major Edwards’s Library.

This is a good Collection of Englijh , French, and Italian Books, but chiefly the laft, which’ Major Edwards gave by his Will to the Public, with a Generofity worthy of Imitation: It is joined to the Cotton Library, and depofued in this Room, as a Jailing Monument of his Genius and public Spirit.

The laft Room we have to mention, is intended For modern Works of the prefs. Parc of it is filled with Books lent in by the Stationers Company, and other Prefents given to the iMufeum in the Reign of his late Majefty King George II. and the remain¬ ing Part of the Preffes are prepared lor the Recep¬ tion of thofe which may be added in the Reign of his prelent Majefty.

Thus

[ V53 ]

Thus are our Remarks on the Contents of this grand Cabinet at an End. We fhall not detain the Reader any longer than is necefiary to befpeak his Candour in judging of the foregoing Sheets ; though they are not fuch as may merit univerfal Approbation, the Author will be fatisfied, if the Contents of them are generally ufeful ; which they may very poffibly prove, by being a kind of Di- redtory to thofe who have not feen the Mufeum ; by reviving the feveral Parts of this Noble Collec¬ tion in the Memory of fuch of his Readers as have viewed it ; and, finally, by giving no imperfedt Idea of it to many, who have it not in their Power to gratify their Curiofity by a perfonal Attendance.

FINIS.

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