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“ aromatic powders, &c. for embalming his late Majesty’s" royal body, £125.” In brief, it is quite clear that what-ever tends to the exclusion of atmospheric or common air,will also promote the preservation of the most perishablesubstances, whence it follows, that the more effectually theyare secured against its access, the longer and better willsuch substances be preserved : hence, the superior efficacyof spirit of wine may be inferred.
It was chiefly in the courts and treasuries of princes thatvery curious appearances were preserved during the middleages. In the old treasury at Vienna, we are told, and inthat of St. Denis, was exhibited the claw of a griffin, sentby the King of Persia to Charlemagne , the teeth of ahippopotamus, and other rare productions.
The various private collections which have at differenttimes been formed by individuals, we find commenced aslate as the sixteenth century. Among these may be reck-oned one made by Hen. Cor. Agrippa of Nettesheim ; Nic.Monardes, Paracelsus , Val. Cordus, Hier. Cardan, Matthio-his. 1577; Conrad Gesner and George Agricola , 1555;Pet. Bellon, 1564; W. Rondelet, 1566; Thurneisser; Abra-ham Ortelius, 1598, and several others in Germany. Sir HansSloane , about the latter end of the seventeenth century; SirAshton Leaver, about the middle of the eighteenth century;Mr. William Bullock, of Liverpool , at the end of that century ;Sir Joseph Banks , and many others in England. Quickeiberg,a Dutch physician, published a catalogue of his collection in4to.at Munich , in 1565, intituled Inscriptiones vel litvli Theatriamplissimi, complectentis rerum Universitaiissingulas Materiaset Imagines ; this was only an introduction to a larger work.John Kentmann, a learned physician of Torgau , sent acatalogue of his collection to Conrad Gesner , who causedit to be printed. It is seen that the order of Agricola is chieflyfollowed in this arrangement. In France , a learned potter,named Bernard Palissy , made a large collection, of whichbe published a catalogue. Michael Mercati, an Italianphysician, at about the same period, made a large collection,and copiously described them. Ferdinand Imperati, aNeapolitan, also collected extensively, and published hiscatalogue in 1599. Fran. Calceolari, of Verona, likewisecollected, and published his catalogue in 1677.
The Linnean Society in London also possess an ampleand rare collection of scarce and valuable productions, andwhich are all most methodically arranged, according to thesystem of its great nominal patron, and improved by subse-
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