590 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1682-3". 



jiccount of New Books. 



7. Hortus Indicus Alalabaricus, continens Regni Malaharici apud Indos celeherrimi 

 omnis generis Plantas Rariores, &c. A7nsteL Anno, ] 678. N'' 145, p. lOO. 



This excellent work, giving an account of most rare and curious trees and 

 shrubs of the fruitful and flourishing country of Malabar in the East Indies, by 

 their descriptions, virtues, and whatever else has been observed remarkable, has 

 been especially promoted by the ingenious governor of the same H. Henry Van 

 Rheede, assisted by father Mathew, a Carmelite, and by the present author 

 John Casiarius, who supplying former defects, has compiled this work, with 

 very apt descriptions, and caused the most essential parts of each, viz. the 

 flowers, fruits, and their cases, to be also engraved in large copper cuts, gene- 

 rally as large as nature, 57 in number, each whole sheet opened containing but 

 one plant and its parts, most excellently done, having had the aid of most skil- 

 ful painters on the place; to which are added the Latin, Malabaric, Arabic and 

 Braman's names. And for that part concerning the virtues, the author has set 

 forth in their own language, and with the translations, the testimonies of the 

 most learned men of the country. 



And for the better completion of this laudable work, that most curious and 

 exact person Dr. A. Seyn, physic and botanic professor lately at Leyden, has 

 been pleased wonderfully to satisfy the world and show his great learning in 

 illustrating this work, with his notes upon each plant, and his thoughts of the 

 same wherein he has shown what authors have formerly written of it, and 

 what is new, and giving a great character of the work. 



Horti Indici Malaharici pars secunda, &c. Amstel. 1679. N° 145, p. 104. 



The second part of this work has been especially collected and promoted by 

 that great senator Hen. Van Rheede, to whose counsel and assistance the be- 

 forementioned John Casiarius being called, has continued his expressions of 

 skill, in describing the rare and unknown plants of that country. But the loss 

 of that curious and learned annotater D. A. Seyn, whose ingenious notes so 

 illustrated the former book, being snatched away by untimely death in the 

 flower of his age, had rendered the work imperfect, had not an ingenious suc- 

 cessor D. I. Commelin risen up in his stead, who has given good demonstration 

 of his reading and learning, by comparing and adjusting these exotic rarities to 

 what others have formerly said of them, and added his notes upon the same. 



In this part are 56 large and excellent figures, drawn and cut exactly to na- 

 ture each one employing a whole sheet, holding but one plant or part of a 

 tree, as in the first part. W^hen this writer has occasion to express a tree, he 



