An Accompt Given by a Florentin Patrician, Call'd Jo. Battista Donius, Concerning a Way of Restoring the Salubrity of the Country about Rome: Extracted Out of the Ninth Italian Giornale de Letterati; And English't as Follows

piece of the Rock for your use; as also to signify to me the time, when they intend to uncover it; that, if possible, we may make some such Experiments, as you have intimated. That parcel of Natural Salt, which the instrument brought up, divers that saw it assure me, was as hard as Allom, and as pure; and when pulverized, became an Excellent, fine and sharp Salt. The first discoverer of it was one John Jackson of Halton, about Lady-day last, as he was searching for Coals on the behalf of the Lord of the Soil, William Marbury of Marbury Esquire. This is all I can at present serve you in; only I am consulting diligent and experienced persons concerning the practice of the Agriculture of this Country, and hope ere long to give you such an account as I can; though I cannot hope to discover any thing worth the notice of that truly Royal Society. It will be enough to satisfy my ambition, if I may but be continued in your thoughts as a Well-wisher to such Noble persons and designs. In confidence whereof I subscribe, &c. An Accomp given by a Florentin Patrician, call'd Jo. Battista Donius, concerning a way of restoring the Salubrity of the Country about Rome: Extracted out of the ninth Italian Giornale de Letterati; and English't as follows. The Campagne of Rome, (which is that Tract of Land, that is destitute of Inhabitants and Trees, and extends itself for many miles, taking in Latium, and part of the ancient Sabins, and of Tuscany,) would be of great use to the State, and of subsistence to the people, if it could be inhabited without that great danger to health, which now 'tis so much noted and fear'd for; Physitians esteeming, that from the Summer-Solstice unto the Autumnal Equinox, the Air of it is so bad and noxious, that it would be great rashness to dwell there: A malignity, which in former Ages it was free from, at least, in that of Cicero, who, as appears by his Letters lived lived there in the Summer-months, went from one place to another, and return'd to Rome, without making mention of any such danger. Wherefore that Country not being unwholesome of its own Nature, but from adventitious causes, it is probable, that those may be removed; as hath been proposed by Jo. Battista Donius, in his Book De Restituenda Salubritate Agri Romani. This Author having in the beginning deliver'd some Considerations touching the Air of Rome, and shew'd, that it never was, nor is, insalubrious, as 'tis thought; proceeds to that of the Country about Rome, and First, describes both the Antient and Present state and disposition of the Roman Campagne; noting the situation of many antient places; several particulars about the Greatness and Compass of the City of Rome, and the Number of its Inhabitants. Justus Lipsius, out of his great partiality to Old Rome, believed, there were in it four Millions of men; but this Author thinks it much, if there was so much as one Million. Secondly, he examines the causes, which render this Roman Territory so unhealthfull; assigning them to be the Southern Winds reigning there; the many standing Waters; the townships of the shore; the inconstancy of the Weather; and the excessive heat of the Summer. Thirdly, he discourses of the Remedies; esteeming that, as the insalubrity of that Campagne began only after it was wasted and dispeopled, by the incursions of those Barbarous Nations, that invaded Italy, and destroyed the habitations that were there; so the Air would recover its former good temperature, if that Country were again inhabited, and tilled as before. So that, saith he, those Fields have no other noxiousness from Nature, but the excess of heat and moisture, and a sudden change of Winds; things, which indeed are apt to incommod, but not to make extraordinarily sick, much less kill the Inhabitants. And then, as to the evils that have been occasion'd by mens negligence, he thinks it an easy thing thing to remove them; such as are many stagnant waters, which he judgeth may be easily drained away into the neighbouring Rivers by means of Channels, neglected hitherto. The greatest evil are the Pontin Lakes, and all that flat shore of the Sea, whence the Sun extracts store of noxious steams, which infect the Air, being diffused by the Southern winds through the neighbouring Country, especially by the South-East Winds, which traversing the length of those Lakes, raise and carry away with them pestiferous vapors. This Evil the Author would remedy by draining those grounds, and by letting into them running and live waters; as also by planting woods of Pine-trees, that should cover that Campagne and Rome itself from those pernicious Lakes. Which being done, he would have the Houses for the new Inhabitants built on raised ground, close joined together in the form of Castles, there being no better remedy against an ill Air than that of many Fires kept close together. And here he advises, that the Churches, Granaries and Ammunition-houses, and other high Buildings should be raised toward the South, thereby to shelter such Castles from the Winds that blow from that quarter. But above all things he recommends, that good and wholesome Waters may be conveyed thither; a thing little less necessary for life than Air itself: On which occasion he giveth an accurate account of all the Fountains, Rivers, and other fresh Waters, that are to be found in that Campagne. Having said this, he declareth so great a confidence of his in these means well managed, that he is persuaded, the Inhabitants would soon prove very numerous there, especially if men were by the chief Governors of Rome encouraged with the concession of great privileges and with good usage to settle in that place.