2 The hish Naturalist. January, 



manhood to the uncongenial study of law, he finally 

 abandoned it and in 1740 proceeded to Paris, where, 

 following his natural bent, he gave himself up to the pursuit 

 of Natural History, Chemistry, Metallurgy, and Anatomy. 

 He subsequently travelled over the greater part of France, 

 making observations on the botany and mineralogy of the 

 various provinces visited. In 1752, meeting casually in 

 Paris with Don Antonio de Ulloa, he accepted the proposal 

 made to him by that gentleman on behalf of the Spanish 

 government that he should remove to Spain and there 

 devote himself to the inspection of mines and to the 

 foundation of a chemical laboratory, and a Cabinet of 

 Natural History. Immediately on his arrival in Spain 

 Bowles entered on an extended course of travel through the 

 Peninsula, paying special attention to its rich mines and 

 mineral deposits, but at the same time making observations 

 in all departments of natural history and collecting specimens 

 for the projected Cabinet or Museum. In his various 

 journej^s, spreading over many years, he was accompanied 

 by his wdfe, Dofia Anna Regina Rustein, a native of 

 Germany. Bowles died at Madrid in 1780, and was buried 

 in the parish church of San Martin in that city. 



A work long much esteemed for its scientific value as 

 the first attempt at a Natural History of the Peninsula, the 

 Introduccion of Bowles may still be read with great interest 

 and especially by Irishmen, since the author makes frequent 

 references in its pages to his native country. The writer 

 is a keen observer and an acute reasoner and speculator, 

 though he more than once cautions his readers that while 

 placing full reliance on his facts they should closely examine 

 his theories. The first edition of the work was published 

 in 1775, and John Talbot Dillon's Travels through Spain, 

 published in London five years later, is in substance, though 

 not in form, a translation from the Spanish first edition. 

 The following passages from the third Spanish edition are 

 selected either as containing references direct or indirect 

 to Ireland, or as illustrating the acuteness of the author 

 and the nature of the views then prevalent on vexed 

 questions in natural history. 



