MARIA SIBILLA MERIAN. 27 



and plants. She designed to remain for a much 

 longer time, but the heat of the climate had such 

 an injurious effect on her health, that she was un- 

 der the necessity of leaving the country before her 

 plans had been fully accomplished. She returned to 

 Europe towards the close of the year 1701, and on 

 showing her drawings to the lovers of natural his- 

 tory, they were judged so much superior to any 

 productions of the kind they had previously wit- 

 nessed, that she was urged to publish them imme- 

 diately. But the expense of executing engravings 

 on such a scale, caused this to be delayed for some 

 years, and it was not till 1705 that they were given 

 to the public, under the title of Metamorphosis 

 Insectorum Surinamensium, &c. the text drawn up 

 by Gaspar Commelin, from the manuscripts of the 

 author. 



Before attempting to give some account of this, 

 the most important of her publications, it may be 

 proper to narrate the few additional particulars 

 which we have been able to collect regarding her, 

 and to notice some of the subsequent editions of her 

 works. The costly volume just mentioned originally 

 consisted of sixty plates ; with a view to extend it 

 and render it more complete, she is said to have sent 

 her eldest daughter a second time to America, to 

 collect additional materials. She received in conse- 

 quence many new drawings and manuscripts, which 

 she was preparing for publication, when she became 

 unwell, and died on 13th January, 1717- These 



