ITALY. LETTER XXIII. 307 



cabinet of antiquities, and a collection of natural 

 curiofities, which is in no fort of order. It 

 confifts, i. of a collection of (hells and Eng- 

 lifh minerals, which the King bought from 

 his phyfician Count Carburi, at prefent living at 

 Paris. 2. A collection of fine antique and mo- 

 dern polimed marbles and hard ftones, petrifac- 

 tions, corals, zoophytes, and ibme minerals, made 

 by the celebrated Vitaliano Donati, in his voyages 

 into the Adriatic lea, before he went to the Eaft. 

 The King bought it, for the Univerfity, of 

 "Donatfs heirs. 3. Some chefts of natural cu- 

 riofities, which Dcnati^ during his travels in 

 Egypt and Arabia, ferit from Goa by the way of 

 Lifbon. They contain a great quantity of dry 

 plants, undefcribed and unexamined ; fome anti- 

 quities, inferted already in the collection, and a 

 great number of infects, corals, Ihells, and marine 

 productions. A great number of thefe corals, 

 Ihells, and marine productions, being very com- 

 mon in the Mediterranean ; and, upon the whole, 

 not at all anfwcring Donates abilities, and the 

 countries from whence he fent them ; there arifcs 

 a probable fufpicion, that thefe chefts have been 

 opened and robbed before their arrival at Turin. 

 They wen;e a long time on the road, and afterwards 

 a long while depofited at Lifbcn, unknown to 

 the court of Turin, till at laft Profeflbr Vandelli 

 X 2 gave 



