( xi ) 
Plan, than otherwife I could have done : But 
particularly, my Thanks are due to one, who 
greatly affifted me ; which he was the more 
qualified to do, as having been intimately ac¬ 
quainted with Sir Hans Sloane , to whom he 
gave many of the curious Matters contained in 
the Mufeum, colle&ed by himfelf in his Tra¬ 
vels. 
I mu ft not forget a Lady who gave me fome 
curious Remarks on the recent Shells j and am 
forry, from the Nature of the Work, it was 
impoftible for me to make much Ufe of them, 
as they would have taken up too much Room. 
1 know it is impoftible to pleafe every body, 
confequently have no doubt but much Fault 
vyiil be found with this little Performance: 
Some will think I have pafled too flightly over 
the Frefco Paintings; or that I might have faid 
more of the Portraits, than juft giving their 
Janies. Many will imagine I have not been 
attentive enough to the Manufcripts or Medals; 
and others, perhaps, would have wifhed me to 
have filled twenty Pages, with a Defcription of 
the Mole Cricket. Thus every one would 
have been moft pleafed I fihould have enlarged 
on that Subject which beft fuited his particular 
Tafte. I have taken the mean way, having 
faid fomething of every thing, much of nothing. 
It was not at all neceftary to be more particular 
in the Account of the feveral Articles compri- 
fed under the general Titles: I mean only fo 
far to lead my Reader, that he may with Eafie 
find 
