ITALY. LETTER VII. 79 



Some rooms are preparing for the Grand Duke 

 himfelf, and for his entertainment in the fciences. 

 ProfefTors in every part of practical knowledge arc 

 engaged; and the direction of the whole is at 

 prefent, and will be for the future, intruded 

 to the Abate Felice Fontana, late Profeflbr of the 

 Mathematics at Pifa, and now Mathematician to 

 the Grand Duke. He has given to the public 

 feveral works, which are valuable proofs of his 

 parts *. I have feen a part of the microfcopical 

 difcoveries, which he has described in his writings* 

 The old phyfical inftruments, which in former 

 times belonged to the Academia del Cimento, have 

 been tranfported hither from the gallery ^ and a 

 great many new ones are ordered at Florence, or 

 bought at London. The foundation of a library 

 is laid by the phyfical and mathematical books of 



* i. Dei mod de 1'Iride. Lucca, 8vo. 



2. De kgibus irritabilitatis nunc primum fancitis. Lucca, 

 8vo. inferted by Baron Haller into his treatife fur Vlrritabi- 

 lite & Senftbilite. 



3. Ricerche Fifiche fopra il Veleno della Vipera con alcunC 

 oflervazzione fopra le anguillette dei grano Sperone. Lucca, 

 1767, 8vo. 



4. Nuove Oflervazzione Ibpra i globetti rofli del Sangue. 

 Lucca, 1766, 8vo. 



. In the Glornale dli Firenze Giug no, 1771. is a Profpeclus 

 of a new work on the diftempers of corn, called Ergot and 

 Volpe, and on the Vinegar worms. 



the 



