PR E F A C E. v 



Mr. Ferber among thofe who found in Italy 

 objects, 



TJnde prius nulli velarunt tempora Mufae. 



This gentleman was born at Carlfcrona in 

 Sweden, and had his education at Upfal, 

 that famous fchool of Natural Hiftory, 

 where Linnaeus, Cronjlcdt, and Walkrius, have 

 fo fuccefsfully fyftematized the different 

 kingdoms of Nature ; and where, of late, fo 

 many eminent Naturalifls have been infpired 

 with their genius. Ferber caught a true 

 fpark of it. Not idly devoting himfelf with 

 many fecond-rate difciples of Linntfits to the 

 collection and claffification of plants, he be- 

 took himlelf rather to the abftrufer fubter- 

 raneous kingdom of Nature ; which, from 

 its being furrounded with darknefs, and at- 

 tended with difficulties, has hitherto been 

 too much neglected. Nor did he cramp his 

 underftanding with the barren nomenclatures 

 of foffils. He thought of fatisfying him- 

 felf; and of improving fcience, for the fcholar 

 and the miner. In this view he examined 

 a 2 the 



