[ ™7 ] 

 MISCELLANEOUS, 



ANTIQUITIES. 



MEN of letters, artifts, and thofe fond of antiquities and 

 numifmatics, had long regretted, that the rich colletfions of 

 medals and gems in poiTeffion of the royal family of Pruffia 

 were fcattered and preferved in different places. The late 

 king, who approved of a plan prefented to him for uniting 

 all thefe coitions in the capital, eaufed to be brought thi- 

 ther, towards the clofeofhis reign, anddepofited in his own 

 cabinet, the beautiful colkaion of ancient and modern me- 

 dal's, crown-pieces, &c. which the margraves had formed 

 at Anfpach, and to which he made confiderable additions. 

 To complete the execution of the above plan, it however ftill 

 remained to add to the cabinet of Berlin the grand collec- 

 tion of ancient medals and gems preferved at Potfdam. This 

 valuable collection, made by Frederick I. and defcribed by 

 that celebrated antiquarian Beger*, was enriched after- 

 wards by Frederick II. who purchafed the antique medals 

 of Pfau, and the magnificent cabinet of gems of Baron de 

 Hofch, almoft unique of its kind. This colkaion was 

 brought to the capital in 1770, and placed by Frederick IL 

 in the Temple of Antiques at Sans Souci, where it longferved 

 for the noble amufement of that great man, who was fond 

 of being furrounded by mafter-pieces of every art, and by 

 every fource of inftruaion. His prefent majefty has lately 

 gratified the wifhes of artifts and men of letters, by ordering, on 

 apropofalmadetohim by theDireaoryof the Royal Academy 



* Laurence Beger, the fon of a tanner at Heidelberg, and born in ,653, 

 was librarian to Frederic William, electa of Brandenburgh. He was 

 member of the Academy of Berlin, and died there in 1705. He was 

 eftccmed by the Learned for his works, among which are : Thcfaurus five 

 Gerard, Numilmata, &C, 3 vol. fol. 1696 and ,70. i Reg™ et [mpera- 

 torum tJumifmata a Rubenioedita .700, fol.; De Nummis Cretenfium 

 gerpentiferi'., 17.2. fol. Elhi- ^ 



