PREFACE. 



AS a connoiffeur of the fuie arts, Moitf. de 

 Galonne, the colle6lor and late proprietor 

 t>f the Mufeutn about to be defcribed, is fufficiently 

 known by the fale of, perhaps, the mofc fuperb 

 colledidn of paintings, prhits, drawings, &c. &c. 

 that was ever difpofed of by an individual in this, 

 or indeed in any other country : but his attachment 

 for, and knowledge of, the produdiions of nature, 

 may poliibly be known but to few^. By an attentive 

 perufal of the following iheets, however, as alfo of 

 the Conch ology of Monf. de Favanne (a work 

 begun under the aufpices of Monf. de Calonne, but 

 hot completed in C(5nfequence of the troubles in 

 I^rance), and by a careful examination of the Mu^. 

 feum itfelf, his celebrity as a colledor of natural 

 hiftory will at leaft appear to vie with, if it will 

 not even be thought fuperior to his fkill in the arts. 



His fortune was ample, and his fituation as a 

 Ininifler of France afforded him the means of ob- 

 taining early information whenever curious articles 

 were to be difpofed of in any country of Europe^ 

 whether brought thither by the different circum- 

 navigators,, or they were the contents of cabinets 

 A a, coUeded 



