C 408 3 
XII. A Letter from Richard Brocklesby 
M, D. and F* R. S. "to the Prelident, con* 
cerning the Indian Poifon, fent over from 
M. de la Condamine, Member of the Royal 
Academy ^ Sciences at Paris, 
Honoured Sir, 
Read Feb. 5.*n|^ HE Subjeds of Natural Hiftory are 
? 74-6 7- often Orange and uncommon $ but 
the Authors who have treated on them have not 
failed, on their Parts, to fupport and raife the Won- 
der, and once conceived Aftonifhment, by afcribing. 
Properties which never exifted in Nature 5 thus in- 
dulging the Humour of finding a Marvellous in all 
Things, Truths have been greatly obfcured, and 
Errors propagated without Number. 
It is to this Caufe originally (if I miftake not) 
we are to afcribe the prodigious Multiplicity of Poi- 
fons, and that equally numerous Tribe of Antidotes, 
treated of by the Ancients in their Materia medica ; 
and I fhould be very glad to have found modern 
Authors always juft to Truth, in the Qualities by 
them aferib’d to particular Drugs. 
Upon hearing lately Part of Mr. Juan Antonio 
de Loa's Letter to you, Sir, I was fufpicious Mr, de la 
Condamine had taken fome Fads there upon the 
Authority of others, or elfe had been himfelf a lit- 
tle too much addi&ed to that general Byas of Mart; 
kind;, the Love of Prodigy and Wonder, 
la 
