An Account of Some Books

anguli; pro Mercurio: Demonstrationis motuum Mercurii rudimenta omnifaria: Repetitionem Mercurialium. Fasc. 18. Lunaria. Tychois Brahe, sive Progymnasmatum partem: It. Autographum Transformationum Lunarium: It. Transformationem hypotheseos, & Tabb. Lunarium. Fasc. 19. Observationes Eclipsium Kepleri, & aliorum: It. Ad motum Lunæ Restituciones pertinentia, cum Epistolis, & Eclipsibus Lunæ. Fasc. 20. continet Observationes Keplerianas. Fasc. 21. De Anni quantitate, æquinoctii, obliquitate Eclipticae æquatione temporis: It. Contra Obliquitatem Eclipticae olim majorem ex observatione Chaldæorum, Timocharis & Ptolomæi; contra inaequalem Praecessionem æquinoctiorum, Observationes Walteri examinata, & ex iis de æquatione seculari: It. Ad æquationum negotium pertinentia, & de Diversitate longitudinis Anni ex causis Physicis. Fasc. 22. De Stellarum in Firmamento distantias. Fasc. 23. Genethliaca: It. Diversas Tabl. motuum Lunarium: Bartshii Uranographia: It. Themata Clar. Virorum: It. Genethliaca Tychois Brahe. Fasc. 24. Tabb. Rudolphinarum Autographum. Fasc. 25. Geometrica & Astronomica, puta de Quantitatibus; de divina Proportione; an recta curvis aequent, &c. Fasc. 26. Alia Geometrica & Astronomica. Fasc. 27. Genethliaca: It. De Regni Turcici interitu, in Roshei lib. Commentarium. Fasc. 28. Fundamenta Astrologica. Fasc. 29. Hydranlico-Pneumatica: It. Tractatum contra Ursum; nec non literas Tychois Brahe ad Keplerum, & vice versa, specialissima continent: It. Testimonia & Contractus inter ipsum & Tychoem: It. Ad Imperatores & Magnates literæ. An Account of some Books. I. Johannis Schefferi LAPPONIA, &c. Francofurti 1673. in 4°. The Author of this History, glorying in the Preface, that he is the first that hath truly discover'd Lapland and its Inhabitants to the World; and there being not yet transported hither any considerable number of Copies, to satisfy the Curiosity of the Inquisitive: We shall here the more largely and particularly represent the principal Contents of this Book, as far as 'tis consistent with the design and business of these Tracts. First, then, He giveth us the Situation and Climat of this Country, informing us, That as far as 'tis subject to the Crown Crown of Sweden, it is situate between the Latitude of 64° and 71°, and the Longitude of about 38° and 65° deg., and that 'tis now call'd with one word, Lapland, which was formerly call'd by the Natives, Biarmia; and by Strangers, Skrit-Finnia, which latter Name is took from the custom of the people, to skrit, that is, to slide, with a kind of wooden Shoes, over the Ice and Snow. As for the Temperature of the Climat; he observes, That in the more Northern part of Lapland, the Sun sets not in Summer, nor rises in Winter for some Months together; that the Moon and the abundance of Snow do by their brightness in some measure, make some compensation for the long nights; and that the Air is very serene and wholesome, being fanned by strong winds, and clear'd in Winter by deep snows and hard frosts; the most rapid Rivers not being able to escape freezing to the thickness of two, three, and more cubits; though in Summer the Heat be excessive for a couple of Months, the Sun never setting for that time: Which season not coming in till the end of June, the Grass begins then first of all to appear, and the Trees to bud, but with that vigor, that in a Fortnights time the flowers of Herbs and the leaves of Trees arrive to their full size. The Soil is in some parts stony, craggy and sandy; in others, by reason of the abundance of Lakes, Rivers and Rivulets, wet and moorish, producing store of Grass and Kitchin-Herbs. Secondly, He describes the habit both of the Body and Mind of the Laplanders, saying, that they are generally of low stature, yet some of their Women not unhandsom; the Men of a dark sallow colour; both Men and Women lean, seldom any being found fat and corpulent; however they are very sinewy, strong and swift in running. But as to the constitution of their Mind, they are exceedingly superstitious, timorous and un-warlike; whence the Author takes occasion to un-deceive the World, that hath hitherto been persuaded, as if that great Warrior, King Gustavus Adolphus, had done his great Achievements by Laplanders, and their Magical Arts. They are very suspicious, deceitful, prone to anger and revenge, especially the Women. Covetous they are also, and slothful, yet proud of themselves, and despisers of other Nations. That which our Author commends in them, is, that they keep the Bond Bond of Marriage sacred, steal not, are good to the Poor, and hospitable enough to Strangers. They have good memories, and want not the wit of making themselves all their own Tools, and other Necessaries; viz. their own Cloaths, Shoes, Vessels, Instruments for Carriage, Hunting, Fishing, &c. Thirdly, He enquires into the Origin of these Laplanders, and finds them to be an Off-spring and Colony of the Finlanders; which he endeavours to prove from the affinity there is in their Languages, and from the Habit of their body, their Manners, Customs, &c. Here he assigns the several occasions and times of their several Transmigrations. Fourthly, He gives an Account of their ancient Pagan, and modern Christian Religion, which latter the Swedes were the happy Instruments of, under their King Ludiflaus, A. 1277; his Successors causing some Churches to be built amongst them, and the late Queen Christina erecting at once no less than four Churches, A. 1640, in a part of Lapland, where a Silver-Mine had been found out; as her Royal Father, Gustavus Adolphus, had set up some Schools amongst them about the year 1619, for the better education of Youth: Notwithstanding which, there remain many Relicks of their ancient Idolatry, Superstition, Sacrifices, and Magic; of which last, our Author treats at large, especially of their Magical Drum, which he describes, first, as to its Fabric and Ornaments, it being made either of Beech, Pine, or Firr, cleaved in the middle, and having that part, which is to serve for the Drum, and is in a manner of an Oval figure, excavated, and the plain side of it cover'd with a skin, on which are painted various Pictures, not only of their ancient Gods, and of Christ, and his Apostles, but also of the Sun and Stars, and various Beasts, Serpents, Lakes and Rivers; all which are distinguished and separated into three several Regions by Lines; though others of these Drums be pictured otherwise. They have all of them an Index and an Hammer. The Index is a bundle of brass or iron-Rings, of which the biggest hath a hole in the middle, the smaller ones being appendant to it, though this also varies in several places. The Hammer or Drum-stick is made of the Horn of a Rheen-Dear, wherewith they beat the Drum, to make the aforesaid Rings, laid on the top of the Drum, move and... and dance about the Images pictur'd thereon, and at last to shew what they have a mind to be resolved of. And the use they put this Drum to (which is the second thing in our Author's description of it) is, that by beating it they may explore chiefly these three sorts of things; 1. What Sacrifices they shall best please their Gods with? 2. What success they shall have in their business and undertaking, e.g. Hunting, Fishing, Curing of Diseases, &c. 3. What is done in places remote from them? Concerning all which, What Ceremonies and postures they use in beating this Drum, and what measures they take for discovering their purposes, would be too long and too tedious to transcribe; though indeed the main thing of the latter, which relates to the marks of discovery, be kept by this people for a secret. Besides this Drum, they make use of a Magical Cord, that hath three knots in it, of which when they untye one, they raise a tolerable Wind; when the second, a much stronger wind; when the third, a great Storm. They serve themselves also of Magical Arrows, by which they are believed to cause diseases, pain and other mischief, even to those that are far distant from them. And these Arts they not only exercise against strangers, but also against one another; concerning which, here is related an odd example of one, that excelling in Magic, could not be overcome by his Adversary, how skilful soever in the same Art, till he, being found asleep under a Rock, was kill'd by his Enemies craft, breaking that Rock and throwing it upon him. Fifthly, He treats of their Government and Judicature, both ancient and modern; of which to discourse here, is besides the scope of these Papers. Sixthly, He particularizes their Trade, consisting in Fish, and Furs, as the skins of Ermins, black, blueith and white Foxes, Rheen-Dear, Shoes and Boots, and Cheese of their Rheen-Dear, &c. which Commodities they exchange for Rixdollars, for linnen and wollen Cloth, for Copper, Brass, Salt, Flower, Brimstone, Pins, Needles, Knives, Spirit of Wine, and Tobacco. Seventhly, He informs us of the Language of the Laplanders, which he affirms to have a great affinity with that of the Fin-landers, as the People from whom they are descended. Eightly, He discourses of their Houses, Dress and Victuals. As to the first, he saith, that though formerly they transported their their Mansions from place to place, according to the exigency of their livelihood; yet they have been of late by publick Edicts restrain'd from that vagabond kind of life to more fixed places and Territories, large enough to furnish each Family with Necessaries for life. Touching their Drefs, he notes, that 'tis straight, and fitted to the several parts of the Body, that so it may not trouble or hinder them: The stuff of it is largely described by the Author. Their Victuals are different according to the difference of the People, of which some live in Mountainous places, some in Plains and Woods. The former live almost together upon their Rheen-Dear, and their Milk, Cheese and Flesh; which last they dry by exposing it for a good while to the hard Winter-frosts, and so eat it, those frosts subduing the rawness of it little less than other places the heats of the Sun do: The latter feed upon Fish, Fowl and wild Beasts, especially Bears-flesh, which is their greatest delicacy. Bread and Salt is unknown to most of them; they using for Bread dried Fish, beaten to powder, and for Salt the Inner bark of Pine-trees, prepar'd after this manner, viz. They un-bark the tallest of those Trees, especially that part which is next to the ground, and take of it the inner bark, whose several coats they part asunder, and expose them, well clean'd, to the Sun, to dry: Then they tear them into small parts, and put them into pretty big Boxes, made of the outer bark of Trees. These Boxes they dig under ground, and cover them with sand, and so let them be macerated for a whole day by their own heat. Then they make upon those Boxes a great fire of blocks of Trees, by which those inner Rinds acquire under ground a red colour, and a grateful sweetish taste, serving them for a condiment, and supplying the place of Salt. Amongst their Herbs, they make much of the Angelica petrosa, by roasting the unskinned stalk thereof, before it runs into Seed; which though bitter, yet is pleasing to them, because they are accustom'd to it, and know it to be conducive to health. As to their Drink, they use common Water, and such broth wherein Fish and Flesh have been boiled. Ninthly, He describes their Hunting, and the Instruments belonging thereto; as also the Manual practices of their Men and Women, and their Recreations, Plays, and Marriages. They never go a Hunting, without having first explored the favour favour of God by their Magic Drum, and they judge it very unlucky, if any Woman meet them when they go to that exercise, in which their chief Game are the Reen-Dear and Bears; the former serving them both for Horses, and Meat and Cloaths; the latter for Feasting and Rejoicing, there being nothing more glorious to a Laplander, then to have killed a Bear. Amongst their Instruments of Hunting, they use Bows and Arrows; their wooden Bows, having the two pieces they consist of, joined together by a glew, which they make of the skins of such Fishes as we call Pearches, laying those skins in warm-water, and keeping them there till the Scales come off, which when they are freed from, they boil them in a little water, and scum them well, often turning, beating and comminuting them with a small stick, till they become a kind of pultis, which they pour out and let dry, and so set by for use; wetting them with a little water, when anything is to be glew'd therewith, as you do other Glew. Besides this Hunting-trade, driven by their Men only, the same employ themselves also in other practices, as in Cookery (which no Women there must meddle with,) in Building of Boats, (which they do out of Pine-boards, joining them together with Wickers, without any Nails,) in Carpentry, and in making of Sleds, Trunks, Chests and Baskets, and various Utensils, either of Wood or Bones, necessary in a Family. These being the Employments of Men only, the Women's task is, to make Cloaths, Shoes, Gloves, and the furniture and trappings for their Reen-Dear; as also to Spin, which is to make a kind of thred, not of Flax or Hemp (which is unknown to them) but of the sinews of the said Dear, which they dry and beat, and so prepare it to serve them for Thred, used in sewing their Cloaths, Boots, Shoes and Gloves; which thred is of the length of the Nerves, it is made of. Though at times they make also some Yarn of Sheeps-wool, for the weaving of Ribbons and Garters; sometimes also of white Hare-hair, for Hats and Sleeves. To their Women it belongs also to Weave, and to draw Wire; which latter is done by them, by superinducing Tin upon the finest above-mentioned Thred made of sinews; which they do by melting pieces of Tin of an Ell long, and then drawing it with their teeth through bigger or smaller holes of a Horn, and making the wire flat on one side by inserting a small bone into the hole, hole, through which the Wire is to be drawn. And with this Wire the Women embroider their Cloaths, as we do ours with Gold ane Silver Wire. As for their Fishing, that is a work common to their Men and Women. What is subjoyn'd to these things, about the Pastimes, Conversation and Marriages, as also of the Travail of their Women with Child, and the breeding of their Children, may be fitter to read in the Author himself, than here. Tenthly, he speaks of the Diseases of the Laplanders; concerning which he observes, that they know of no burning Fevers, nor Plague, and live many of them, to 80, 90, and some to above 100 years of age, remaining in that age vigorous and able to do their work, and to travel any whither; yet they are subject to weakness of their Eyes, because they much live in smoak; as also to Pleurisies, Inflammation of the Lungs, and Giddinesses; and now and then to the Small Pox. Against all their inward Diseases they use the root of a certain Moss, they call Jerth, and in want of that, the stalk of Angelica, making a decoction thereof in the whey of Reen-Dear-Milk. Finding any pain in their Limbs, they apply some ignited matter (as the fungus adhering to Beech-trees) to the place affected, to blister it, and thereby to draw out the ill humours, and so to allay the pain. Their wounds they cure with no other unguent but the Rosin of Trees. If the frost do benum or mortifie any limb, they presently run a red-hot iron into a Rheen-Dear Cheese, and with the oyl dropping thence they anoint the frozen part, with admirable succets. The same Cheese boiled in Milk curseth their Cough, and other distempers of the Lungs, the decoction being drunk hot, which is also good, it seems for their stomacks, to preserve them from being vitiated by the constant drinking of water. As to their Burials, they give with the deceased a Hatchet, and a Flint with a piece of Steel, deeming, that at the Resurrection they will in that darkness need light to find the way, and an Instrument to cut down what may be in their way, especially among thick Woods. Eleventhly, He reckons up the Animals, Vegetables and Minerals of Lapland, after he hath taken notice, what they want of them. They have no Horses, Asses, Oxen, Sheep, nor Goats of their own Country. The Rheen-Dear serves them instead of all these; which is a kind of a Hart, but of an Ash-colour, and a more bulky Body, and bearing three Horns, and having feet resembling those of Oxen or Cows, which are Cloven, though the Animal do not ruminate. It is naturally wild, but taken and tamed by the Natives, who castrate them after a strange manner. Their Milk is very fat, thick, and very nourishing. They cast their Horns every year; which the Females of them do not before they be with young. The other wild Beasts in Lapland are Bears, Elks, Harts, Wolves, Beavers, Foxes, Otters, Martens, Squirrels, Ermines and Hares. Of Birds, there are bred in Lapland Swans, Geese, Ducks, Houps, Snipes, all sorts of Water-fowl, and of Wood-fowl, the Cuck of the Wood, the Heath-Cock, and the Lagopus. Of Fishes that Country also abounds, such as are Salmons (which are very excellent there, and of which our Author saith, there was once in one year exported 13000 Tuns;) Pikes often of the bigness of a Mans length and above; Carps, often an Ell long; Trout, Barbels, Gudgeons, &c. Of Insects that Country breeds but few; there are no Serpents, nor Fleas, though there be Gnats and Wasps. Concerning Vegetables, they want Apples, Pears, Cherries, and the like. They want also Oak, Hazel, Beech, Lime, and Plain-trees; but they are well stor'd with Pines, Firr, Juniper, Birch, Willow, Aspin, Alder, Cornelion, Service, Ribes, Black-berries, Bramble-berries, &c. Their Herbs are, abundance of Grass, Angelica, the great Sorrel, and Calceolus, Lapponicus, or Brassica Rangiferorum (peculiar to that Country) not eaten by any Animals there: Besides, they have Danicus, and excellent Muses, of which latter one kind yields food to the Rhein-Dear in Winter, but is death to Foxes. As to Minerals, there was found in that Country a Silver-mine A. 1635; the first Mine that ever was discovered there; and another A. 1660. There are also Copper and Iron-Mines, more than one. It yields also Crystals, Amethysts, Topazes, and Pearls; of which the Crystals are by this Author said to surpass the Bohemian Diamonds in hardness, and are used by the Natives to strike fire with, when they want Flints. Lastly, He concludes with the mention of the many Rivers, Lakes, and Hills of Lapland, noting, that there is a Lake of that bigness, which hath as many Isles in it, as there are Days in the Year, and that many of the Mountains, which divide Lapland from Norway, are so high, that they are perpetually cover'd with Snow. II Many worthy Persons having lately written excellently well to promote the welfare of England, and other his Majesties Dominions (some in one kind of ways, others by other Expedients,) as we named some in our last foregoing Tract, so here we must go on to name others. And thrice happy were these United Kingdoms, if SP QB, if the Wealthy and the Multitudes would, with joint endeavours and persevering Industry, as heartily pursue the best Instructions for the common good of their own Country, whilst God is pleased to give us peace, health, and manifold opportunities for Universal prosperity. I shall only mention here two English Books, whose Frontispieces, as they have a near near resemblance, yet, without interfering, or obnoxiousness on either side, they prosecute the same good intentions for the publick good. The one, in a more general way, with lively and warmly pressing encouragements; the other, in the plainest language condescending to direct the best manner of practice, always calculating the particular charge and considerable profit of all adventures in Agriculture, and such Trades as he solicits; of which he very exactly and fully proves the Fertility to be the Foundation and support of all Trades, Navigation and Commerce in Holland; and may be so, and much better to England, Scotland and Ireland, when we shall be as kind and wise for our selves, as they are for themselves. One of these Books hath for Frontispiece, THE TRUE ENGLISH INTEREST, or, An Account of the Chief National Improvements; in some Political Observations demonstrating an Infallible Advance of this Nation to infinite Wealth and Greatness, Trade and Populacy, with Employment and Preferment to all persons: By Carew Reynel Esq; in 8°. 1674. Though these promises be very great, and to many may seem immodest in the Front; yet, if less than half the particulars, which the Author hath digested into 32 Heads or short Chapters, in very few sheets, were duly regarded and practised, we should obtain enough for our purposes; viz. 1. INDUSTRY (ch.1.) in which alone, if we could draw an equal yoke with our next Neighbours, we could want nothing. 2. VINEYARDS, (ch.15.) the want of which was the disgrace of Gallia Transalpina intus ad Rhenum in Varro's time, as he saith, lib. i. c. 8; and the recovery of which (as it hath been heretofore in England and South-Wales,) would now be for the credit of those Countries. 3. Fair ORCHARDS, of good and wholesome Cider, (ch.15.) the best stomach-Wine; for which much is done in many parts of England and Wales, and it advanceth daily. 4. MULBERRY Groves for the Silk-trade (ch.12.) King James in the 6th. year of his Reign in England, An. 1608. near about the time when that Trade began in France, applied all kinds of assistances and strongest reasons to invite England to set on the work: and Mr. Evelyn hath done admirably well for it in his Sylva, ch. 9. 2 Edit. And we hope, that what his Majesty now reigning, hath done for it in the most likely places of his Dominions, will shortly appear from Virginia. If they send hither the Raw Silk, we can find more hands at leisure for the Manufactures. But to proceed; our Author adds, sly. All sorts and varieties of good HUSBANDRY (ch.9.) And we think there were never so many kinds known in England, as of late years. Then sly. for Trades, he recommends Fine LINNEN (ch.11.) and Fine PAPER; depending on it (ch.17.) 7. TAPESTRY, and all kinds of curious Manufactures (ch.13.) Our Ladies should look to this. Spinster was of old, and is said to be still, a Title of Honour in Terms of Law. Now is the time, whilst our Neighbours are embroiled in War, to invite Artificers, &c. from Cambrai, Ipre, Courtray, Aras, Brussels, Delft, and other parts of the Low Countries. 8. The Fine Drapery is lately advanced in Wiltsire, Gloucestershire, and other parts of England. He adds, sly. the LATTON-Trade, Trade, which is proper for Cornwall, Devon, and other places, where the Materials are at hand. 10. The SALT-trade (ch. 17.) which goes on with great gain to them that set up their Coppers about Lemington, between Hampshire and the Isle of Wight; and in like manner it may prosper all about these three Kingdoms, wherever they can get Coppers, Fuel, and Sea-waters. But, 11th, he chiefly prefers The Fishery (ch. 14.) which indeed would in a manner do all, and we wish it heartily, but fear it will be at a stand, till S P Q B do unite their Authority, power, and strength to carry it on. 12. He requires more NEW INVENTIONS, and the ADVANCEMENT of ARTS and SCIENCES (ch. 25, 30.) To these fair motions some do make report, that so many Ingenious Arts, Artifices, Sciences, Instruments of Art, Accommodations, Inventions and Discoveries are lately spread amongst us, that they provoke Envy: And that in perusing the Alphabetical Tables of the Eight Volumes of these Tracts, under the Head Books, they have numbered 250 Treatises; some of them large Volumes, and elaborate; all of them pretending to Useful knowledge or business; most of them in the Learnt or Foreign Languages. And their main Importance is extracted into as plain English, as I could learn, or as the nature of the subject could bear: Certainly so plain, that any one of ordinary capacity may soon and easily thence discern, whether the Book be for his occasions. Many of these are exactly rendered into English; some of them by Gentlemen, who are themselves excellent Authors when they please; and we hope, our Stationers will not be wanting to embrace more of the best, when they shall be offered for the publick. So much for this Author: It is above my sphere, and besides my Commission, to pass any Judgment, either to censure or to applaud those Politicals, which relate to Money, ch. 2. or to Fortresses, ch. 19. or to the English Colonies ch. 31. or whatever affronts any Statutes now in force, ch. 6, 16, 28, &c. These belong to an higher cognizance, and may be determined by Counsels of State. The other Book, above pointed at, is entituled ENGLAND'S IMPROVEMENT REVIVED, in Husbandry, and Trade, by Land and Sea, &c. by John Smith Gent. in 4° of which hereafter. An Advertisement about a New size of Globes rectified. There is lately set forth a New size of Globes about 15 Inches diameter, Celestial and Terrestrial. In the former, not only the Right Ascensions and Declinations of several Stars are rectified; but the Constellations are so faintly and curiously represented, that the Fixed Stars appear much more conspicuous, than in any other extent: In the latter there is scarce any part of the Earth wherein a considerable alteration hath not been made; so that Asia and America are in a manner new, and much different from what hath been hitherto drawn upon a Globe: The Eastern part of Asia rectified more than 15 degrees; and many places in Europe, Africa and America more than 5 degrees: many eminent Towns inserted, that were wholly omitted in others: The Longitudes and Latitudes of most places being now corrected, and adjusted not only by late Discoveries, but also by Triangulometrical Calculation, and the more accurate Celestial Observations of modern Authors; the names of whom, together with a further account of the Reasons of such differences and alterations, shall be more at large expressed in a Treatise designed for the Use of these Globes by R. Morden, at the Atlas in Cornhill, and William Berry at the Globe between York-hall and the New Exchange in the Strand, London; who are the two persons that sent in this Advertisement.