C 271 3 



and induftry of Rumphius, who lived upwards of 

 40 years in Amhoina^ and was conful there under 

 the Butch Eaji India company. He fweetened the 

 leifure hours of his life by an uncommon and fuc- 

 cefsful application to the fludy of natural hiftory, 

 which he purfued in ail its branches, but particu- 

 larly in botany. He had the misfortune to lofe 

 his family by the fatal earthquake of 1674; and 

 fome years after, having colleded his materials 

 for this work, and meditated his return to 

 Europe^ fuffered the lofs of his fight from a 

 cataradl, in which ftate he lived 20 years, and 

 died in 1706. 



This work comprehends the plants of Amhoina^ 

 Malacca^ Banda^ and the neighbouring iflands ; 

 and, allowing for the time when it was written, 

 contains excellent defcriptions of the feveral vege- 

 tables of the Eajl Indies^ with a copious account 

 of their ufes ; and though inferior to the Hortus 

 Malaharicus as to the engravings, excels it in the 

 hiftory of the fubje6i:s. There are nearly one thou- 

 fand vegetables defcribed in this work, of which a 

 great number were entirely new to the European 

 botanifts : of this number upwards of feven hun- 

 dred are engraved. 



The manufcript was 30 years in the pofleflion of 

 the Dutch Eafi India company, and was refcued 

 from oblivion by the intereft and extraordinary 

 zeal of the editor, Profeflbr Burman^ oi Amfierdam ; 

 who, with great induftry and fkill, has alfo ex- 

 tricated the fynonyms as far as poftible, and fub- 

 joined them to each defcription. He began this 



publication 



