200 DESCRIPTION OF GREENLAND. 



horn of the animal which M. chancellor Fris had lent him. 

 He had had it on the faith of his promise from a gentleman 

 of Denmark, son-in-law to M. Fris, to Avhose portion it fell, 

 and who valued it at eight thousand rix-dollars. He had 

 sent for it from a distance of twenty leagues from Copen- ' 

 hagen, in order to show it to the ambassador. I confess I 

 could not leave off admiring so exquisite a curiosity, and hav- 

 ing brought it to the ambassador. His Excellency examined 

 it with great interest, and begged M. Vormius to lend it 

 him in order that he might have an exact painting made of 

 it; which he did, and took to Paris. This great man, who 

 is always ready to show every kindness and attention to 

 connoisseurs, will be delighted to show this picture, and to 

 exhibit all the most curious things that he will carry with 

 him from the north. He has a particular regard for you, sir, 

 and to all the gentlemen who compose the illustrious Mercu- 

 riale of the library of INI. Bourdelot. I know that his cabinet, 

 which he is anxious to complete, if God grant him to arrive 

 safe in France, will be thrown open with great pleasure to 

 you and all these gentlemen. 



It is certain that the name of unicorn is equivocal, and that 

 it belongs to many kinds of animals, such as the onix and the 

 Indian ass, which Aristotle mentions, and the ferocious beast 

 described by Pliny, which has the head of a stag, the body 

 of a horse, and a solid foot like that of an elephant, with in- 

 comparable swiftness and strength. It is, in fact, the same 

 unicorn of which the holy scripture speaks in many places ; 

 so agile, that it is written as a marvel and wonder, that God 

 would cause Scirion, a mountain in Lebanon, "to leap like a 

 young unicorn"; and so strong, that the strength of God him- 

 self is compared to it. "Deus fortis," said Moses, " Eductor 

 Judseorum, vires ejus ut monocerotis." Now there is no 

 reason for classing our northern unicorns, which we know to 

 be aquatic, with that species of unicorn which is believed to 

 be in the south or the east, and which we well know to be a 



