35. Instructions from Qu. Elizabeth for Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassadour in France, with Letters to and from the Lord Burleigh, Earl of Leicester, Sir Tho. Smith, and other Chiefe Ministers of State, about the French Affairs, and the Queen of Scots, An. 1570, 71, 72.

In the afternoon Herr Campe took us to call on Dr Hans Sloane, who received us with vast politeness; in a very different manner from that coxcomb, Dr Woodward. He immediately addressed us in French, which was most amazing for an Englishman; for they would rather appear dumb than converse with a foreigner in any other language than their own, even if they should be quite capable of doing so. He took us into a room of moderate size, which was quite full. Above are three or four rows of books, while all the lower part is furnished with cabinets and natural curiosities. Not only is a large quantity here, but they are for the most part extraordinarily curious and valuable things. He has here the whole Charleton collection and many objects which Dr Sloane brought from India himself, while he is daily increasing them in England for vast sums of money. He assured us that the Venetian Ambassador had offered him fifteen thousand pounds sterling for this collection, but that he had refused. A great quantity of all manner of animals are to be seen here, some in spiritu vini and others preserved by drying. A prodigious variety of strange fishes, a large collection of ores, lapidibus figuratis, and an especially remarkable collection of lapidibus pretiosis, among them being several of uncommon size and value. He also had a handsome collection of all kinds of insects, which are kept in the same fashion as those we saw at Herr Dandrige's house, except that here, instead of glass, moonstone or Muscovy glass is used, which is much more delicate and light but more costly. Dr Sloane also showed us a cabinet of shells, which, though not at all numerous, consisted entirely of choice specimens. A Cochlea terristris was especially remarkable; not so much for its elegance as for its curious breeding from an egg, such as we had seen in no other collection. Dr Sloane showed us both a whole egg and various shells that were not yet full grown and so were still partly surrounded by the crusta testacea. The shell entirely resembles an egg shell, and, on holding the egg against the light, one could see the concham lying concealed within it. The eggs are not large, being rather smaller than doves' eggs. Another cabinet was full of marinis, among which the collection of corals was especially charming, for they were not only of unusual size but also quality. Not only all kinds of red, black and white corals are to be found here, but also those half white, half red, red inside and white outside, etc. Next we saw a cabinet full of all manner of butterflies; not so handsome as those of Vincent in Amsterdam. Then we saw all kinds of Indian and other strange costumes, weapons, etc. Also a sort of cloth that is said to grow on a tree. Moreover some antlers well-nigh as large as those we saw at Windsor. Dr Sloane showed us further a small cabinet with about four hundred varieties of most handsome agates, of which most were figured. He considered them all to be natural, but this is extremely doubtful. Next a cabinet of all manner of vessels and objets d'art of agate and other costly stones and materials. We also saw a cabinet containing great quantities of Numismatibus ex omni metallo and a tolerable number of cut antique stones, but time was lacking to observe them all with care. Next a remarkable cabinet of all kinds of stuffed animals, especially birds, and also several nests of vastly curious structure. Among other things he pointed out to us the nests that are eaten as a delicacy. It is said that the material is formed in the sea like the succino and used by the birds to build their nests. But, judging from its taste, appearance and feeling, I took it for a gum or resin, though many persons, indeed, consider succinum to be this. After we had seen everything in all the rooms round about, as far as time permitted, Dr Sloane invited us into another room, where we sat down at a table and drank coffee while he showed us all manner of curious books. Namely, various large volumes containing nothing but paintings from life of all sorts of exotic beasts, birds, plants, flowers, shells, etc. A notable one with all kinds of national costumes. These paintings were done by the best artists and collected sheet by sheet from all parts of the world at a phenomenal cost, often by Dr Sloane himself on the long journeys he has taken. The book with excellent illuminations by Mad. Merian of insects and plants was among them, but it was by no means equal to the other. Finally he showed us some manuscripts, but they were for the most part modern and on medical subjects. The best was a description of the West Indian coasts in the Portuguese tongue, accompanied by elegant paintings. It was a pity that we had so few hours to look through this large collection and these handsome articles, since the gentleman had no time on account of his extensive practice. They say that he could earn a guinea an hour. We thought, indeed, that he did us a very great honour by sparing us the time between half past two and seven o'clock. Being a much-travelled man he is vastly amiable, in especial to Germans and such persons as have some knowledge of his treasures. I presented him with a Lohenstein hystero lythibus, such as he had never seen before, and it was especially welcome; on this account he showed us more courtesy than to other persons. We then went to Thomas Smith's, who makes human eyes of coloured glass, with which he provides those who have lost them in war or by any other misfortune. He had a large quantity of them of all manner of colours and sizes. My brother purchased a couple which were exact replicas of his own, to have them used in a wax model of himself. He paid fifteen shillings for them, although the usual price is a guinea. The father of this man's wife is said to be the original inventor of them. When we had reached home we again went across to the Paris coffee-house, both in order to take leave of our good friends, in especial Baron von Nimptsch and Dr Karger, and also to hear the famous smith in Listerfield, called Honnyman, whom we had summoned thither. This smith can change his voice in so many fashions that one could imagine that a whole company were conversing. In especial he can imitate a female answering him from a distance; and this he did so naturally that a stranger who knew nothing about it ran up the stairs to look for the female who was calling for help. When he turns to the fireplace or speaks outside the door, it is all wonderfully natural, though also vastly agreeable to listen to.