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The feveral collerions of Shells, minerals, lufus in agates, and figured foflils, 

 forming the mufeum of Francis Robfon, Efq *. deferve the greater!: praife, as well for 

 the choicenefs of the various fubjects, as for the excellent difpofition of the whole. 

 His department of artificial curiolities, including in particular thofe from the newly 

 difcovered iflands in the South Seas, is very capital, and exhibits many rare and fingular 

 articles. 



No gentleman out of the limits of the metropolis, is fuppofed to poffefs fo numerous 

 and well-chofen a collection of Shells, extraneous fofiils, and infects, as Henry Seymer, 

 Efq. at Hanford, in Dorfetihire. Endowed by nature with great abilities for the 

 inveftigation of every branch of natural hiftory, he has added the experience refulting 

 from a long application to thefe fludies; accordingly, his mufeum as far excels the 

 generality of others, as in the knowledge of the various fubjects he is allowed to be 

 fuperior to moft of his contemporaries. 



The Rev. Mr. Wickham, of Horfington, in Somerfetfhire, has acquired much credit 

 by his cabinet of Shells. His collection of exotic infects is alike extenfive, highly 

 preferved, and clarTed with the greater!: accuracy. 



For fo young a collector, no gentleman has mewn more genius for the ftudy, or been 

 more induftrious in exploring new fubjects in Conchology, than Mr. John Swainfon of 

 Margate. Succefs has in fome meafure already crowned his refearches, in his difcovering 

 among the fand on the fea-beach at the place of his refidence, various new fpecies of 

 minute recent nautili, fnails, &c. all of which, to the honour of the difcoverer, will be 

 more particularly noticed in the courfe of this work. 



Persons verfed in Conchology will receive a real pleafure on the fight of the 

 cabinet belonging to Mr. Jacob at Feverfham ; indeed, from his peculiar love of thefe 

 fubjects, and long experience, it is no wonder this collection mould be held in fo much 

 eftimation. 



It would have afforded the Author much fatisfaclion to have been enabled to /peak of every 

 cabinet of Shells both public and private in Great Britain; at prefent he has no knowledge 

 but of thofe mentioned above ; but he will avail himfelf of every opportunity to acquire 

 additional information, fo as to be able at fome future period to give a more complete catalogue, 

 including defcriptions of thofe collections now unavoidably omitted. 



* Sloane-Square, Chelfea. 



Such 



