( x ) 
View it was fo ffiort, and the Rooms lb nume¬ 
rous, that it was impoffible, without fome kind 
of Directory, to form a proper Idea of the Par¬ 
ticulars : And though I was far from being un¬ 
acquainted with mod of the Contents before 
they became the Property of the Public, mult 
confefs myfelf to have been at fome lofs in this 
Refped: The Officers, indeed, were always 
extremely attentive; but it was dill impoffible 
for tnem to gratify every particular Perfon’s. 
Curiofity. Upon mentioning this to fome of 
my intimate Friends, I found that the] Com¬ 
plaint was general, and was folicited to write 
Something that might be of Ufe to remove 
thefe Difficulties. I rather declined the Un¬ 
dertaking ; urging that it would come with 
more Propriety from the Officers of the Houfe : 
But this Objection, I was told, had little 
Weight, as it was impoffible for them to do it, 
becaufe whatever came from that Quarter mud 
be full and perfect; that a full and perfect Ac¬ 
count would be bulky, and of courfe dear; but 
that the Public wanted fomething concife and 
cheap. Convinced thus by Truth, I fuhmitted 
to the Talk; and the more readily, as I have 
always had a particular Bent to the Study of 
Natural Hidory, and conlequently did not look 
upon myfelf as totally unqualified. 
I mud take this Opportunity of acknow¬ 
ledging what I owe to feveral Gentlemen, who 
gave me Notes they had taken on viewing it, 
which enabled me to purfue a more regular 
Plan, 
