PREFACE, 



TT may be proper to inform the Piirchaftrs of the Catalogue, and the Public in 

 -*■ general. That there is no one Article contained in it but was a Part of 

 the Genuine Collection of the late Noble Poffeflbr,. Margaret Cavendijh, 

 Duchefs DoTJcager of Portland. Nothing is foifted into it fi-om the Cabinets of 

 others ; but every Subje6l here recorded came into her Pofleflion, either by In- 

 heritance, the Affiftance of thofe who were honored with her Friendfhip, or by 

 her own Purchafe and Induftry. And how diligent have been her Enquiries 

 into Natural Knowledge and the Polite Arts, as well as fuccefsful her En- 

 deavours to encreafe the Stores of them, the following Catalogue will, in a 

 great Meafure, demonftrate. In the Articles of Firtu it contains no inconfidcr- 

 able Part of her mod Valuable CoUedion ; but in Natural Hjjiory every Sub- 

 jefi is inferted flie had with fo much Pains and Ti^eafure accumulated. And 

 here it will appear, that all the Three Kingdoms of Nature, the jinlmaly 

 Vegetable., and Fojftl, were comprehended in her Refearches.. In all of thefc {he 

 took infinite Plcafure and Delight J but in none of them is her Cabinet more 

 richly ftorcd than in that durable and beautiful Part of the Firjl, named Con- 

 chology. In this Branch of Nature's Works, no CoUeftion m Europe can equal 

 that of her Grace's in Number and Variety.. To give fome Idea of its great 

 Extent, it may be remarked, that the celebrated Z,/««<?«j, who had ftudied the 

 Subjcfl-, and methodized the Materials of it, has not defcribed One Fourth Part 

 of the Objeds contained in the Mufeum now offered to the Public. It was 

 indeed in the Intention of the enlightened PoflefTor to have had every unknown 

 Species defcribed and publifhed tothe World ; but it pleafed God to cut (hort 

 theDefign, not only by the Death of the ingenious Naturalifl employed by her 

 for that Purpofe * ; but^in a fhortTime afterwards, to the great and irreparable 

 Lofs of Scierice, by her own alfo. Had her Life been continued a few 

 Years longer, it is pofUble that every Subject in this Catalogue would have 

 been properly defcribed and characlerifed ; but in the prefent Mazes of Science,, 

 all that could be done by the Compiler was only to give in general the clafllcal 

 or popular Names to fuch Articles as were known to have any,, and to-leave 



* Dr. Solander. 



the 





UBKAR 



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