An Account of Two Books

Bodies accounted Heavy. But I am not willing, by interposing my own Conjectures, to pre-judge the Experiments. An Account of Two Books. I. Observations Topographical, Moral and Physiological made in a Journey through part of the Low-Countries, Germany, Italy and France, by John Ray, Fellow of the R.Society: Whereunto is added a Brief Account of F.Willowby Esq; his Voyage through a great part of Spain. London, printed for J. Martyn, Printer to the R.Society, at the Bell in St. Pauls Churchyard, 1673. in 8°. This Curious and very Instructive Itinerary may well serve as a Pattern for Travelling with that improvement and advantage, as ought to be aimed at by all discreet Travellers; as containing whatever is remarkable both for Persons and Things in those places, which the Ingenious and Inquisitive Author together with his good Company travelled through. Let this Reader be a Statesman, an Ecclesiastick, a Philosopher, an Artist, a Tradesman, a Father of a Family, an Husband-man, they will all of them find matter in this Book very proper for their respective Genius, Professions and Callings. Here is described the Climat, Government, Revenues, Laws, Customs, Manners, Tempers, Abilities, Studies, Arts, Trades, and Natural Productions of the Countries spoken of; and besides, divers Fabulous relations and ungrounded fancies refuted and rectified. We shall only hint in this place the principal Heads of such particulars, as belong to the purpose of these Tracts; in reference to which is to be noted what the Author observes, 1. Of the several Constitutions of Climates, and the difference, he found, between the Temperature of the Air on two opposite sides of some Mountains. 2. Of Waters, as the most considerable Rivers and the Fishes bred therein; Of Springs, (the Original of which he discusseth,) ebbing and flowing Wells, spawn-waters (particularly (particularly those about Liege,) Baths (especially those of Aken in Germany, and Apona in Italy;) of Fountains boiling, and others yielding Petroleum near Montpelier, &c. 3. Of the Earth, and its Productions and Inhabitants: In which Head there occur; j. Some Instances of Changes made in the Earth, as of Land gained from the Sea, and Mountains considerably diminished in height. ij. Of Minerals, and particularly of Mines of Precious Stones, as Amethysts, Emerauds, Topazes, Jaspers, Granates, &c. observ'd in the Voyage into Spain; of petrified Shells, which Subjects he handles both largely and ingeniously. iii. Of Plants, more especially remarked by our Traveller in all the places where he passed, witness the particular Catalogue of them, annexed at the end of this Book. iv. Of Animals, as Insects, Fishes, Birds, &c. concerning which the Author gives us good hopes of a more particular Account in the History of Animals, prepared by that Worthy Gentleman Mr. Francis Willoughby, lately deceased to the unspeakable grief of those that knew him. v. Of the Inhabitants of the several Countries he was in: Where he describes their Abilities, Inclinations, Manners, Studies, Exercises, Arts, Trades; giving a very particular description of the Italians and Spaniards, and observing also some Peculiarities in People of several Countries, as, that some breed excellent Painters, Sculptors and Architects; some abound in Idiots and Delirous persons above others; some are stored with Men and Women afflicted with swelled throats, &c. Taking also notice of the Academies and Colleges, and the Men eminent in them for Learning and Knowledge, as Lovan, Leiden, Heidelberg, Basel, Nurenberg, Altorf, Padua, Bononia, Valence, &c. Likewise of Libraries of Cabinets or Repositories of Natural Curiosities, particularly at Delft, Heidelberg, Milan, Florence, Naples, &c. Of notable Edifices and curious Structures, as the extraordinary Steeple at Strasburg and the Church of St. Peter in Rome; of Whispering Places, Aqueducts and Ventiducts. Ventiducts; of remarkable Armories; of Artificial Contrivances, Instruments, Vessels, Engins; as Locks to keep up water of any River for the use of Navigation; an Engin to raise Water with a chain of Buckets; a Vessel at Heidelberg holding 600 Hogsheads; the Spanish Plough for sowing Corn at equal distances, and one grain in a hole: Of Arts, Trades, Practices, Manufactures, as the Art of imitating China-dishes at Milan, of polishing Jasper, of making Mosaic Work and the composition of the Cement for it; of the practice of making Salt by the Sun, upon the Coast of the Mediterranean; the catching of Sword-fishes, Whales, Tortoises; of Coral-fishing; the making of Silks and Velvets; the Dying of Wool of an Incarnation colour, with a kind of Moss growing in Malta; a peculiar jewel made at Leige of balls of Clay and small beaten Coals; the Art of blanching Wax, making Venice-Sope, Verdigreece, Oyl-olive; of preparing and pickling of Capers; of drying Grapes for Raisins; of making Confection of Alkermes; of making Sugar, Chocolata &c. Every where are interspers'd many curious Philosophical Remarks; as, that more Air is necessary for Respiration in hotter Countries than cold, and why? The true reason of the raging of Fire in cold weather: Experiments of fulminating powder without any gold in it, together with the Receipt: The extremity of Cold (scorching and tanning the face, as well as excess of Heat); and many more, for which we must refer the Reader to the Book itself. II. Bernhardi Vareni M.D. GEOGRAPHIA Generalis; in qua affectiones generales Telluris explicantur summâ curâ quamplurimis in locis emendata, &c. XXXIII Schematibus novis, ære incisis unà cum Tabulis aliquot, quæ desiderabantur, æcta & illustrata ab Isaac Newtono Mathe. Professore Lucaiano apud Cantabrigienses, è Societate Regia, Cantabrigiæ 1672, in 8°. Errata left uncorrected in No. 90. London, Printed for J. Martyn printer to the Royal Society, 1672.