The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
London in 1710, from the travels of Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach
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London in 1710,
from the travels of Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach, translated and edited by
W. H. Quarrell and Margaret MareLondonFaber and
Faber1934
97
[... The following is a selection ...][5 July 1710 at Gresham College]On 5 July, Saturday morning, we drove to
Gresham ColledgeCollege.[*]Gresham
College. This, in 1710,
was the former dwelling-house of the
98founder, 
Sir Thomas Gresham, in Bishopsgate
Street. The work of the college began in 1597. The old house was demolished in 1768. Dr.
Robert Hooke, the renowned mathematician, lived thirty-nine years
in the old college and died there on 3
March, 1703.The Royal Society met in the college from
1660 to 1710, in which year the Society removed to 2 Crane Court, Fleet Street, and carried
on its affairs there till 1780, the
date of the Society's removal to Somerset
House. It is really a Grammar School, named after its
founder, Gresham, v. Vieu of London, Vol.
II, p. 664 sq. Many excellent persons of good
parts have been professors there, and, as is well known, the Royal Society uses it
as its headquarters. It is an old building, extensive and irregular; and the inner
part, where the Society has its apartments, is still the best. Both in Germany and elsewhere an exalted idea of this
Society has been formed, both of it and of the collections they have in their
Museum, especially when one looks at the Transactions of this Society and the fine
description of the Museum by Grew.[*]GREW. This was Nehemiah Grew, 1641-1712, the professor of the anatomy of
plants. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 30 November, 1671. In 1672 he was appointed Curator to the
Society. He had taken his degree as a doctor of medicine at Leyden in 1671. Thus foreigners have just grounds for amazement
when they hear how wretchedly all is now ordered. But it is the sight of the Museum
that is most astounding. It consists of what appear to be two long narrow chambers,
where lie the finest instruments and other articles (which Grew describes), not only in no sort of order or tidiness but
covered with dust, filth and coal-smoke, and many of them broken and utterly ruined.
If one inquires after anything, the operator who shows strangers round—v. Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 687—will usually say: 'A rogue had
it stolen away,' or he will show you pieces of it, saying: 'It is corrupted or
broken'; and such is the care they take of things! Hardly a thing is to be
recognized, so wretched do they all look. But that is the way with all public
societies. For a short time they flourish, while the founder and original members
are there to set the standard; then come all kinds of setbacks, partly from envy and
lack of unanimity and partly because all kinds of people of no account become
members; their final state is one of indifference and sloth. This has been the case
with this Society too. The first six years of its Transactions are better and
contain more than all the rest put together. They can be purchased complete for
twelve pounds.
99Now scarcely anything is done by them. The Society does not meet
during the whole of the summer and very little from Michaelmas onwards. The present
Secretary, Dr Sloane,[*]Von Uffenbach refers shortly
here to SIR HANS SLOANE, who was
Secretary of the Royal Society from 30
November, 1693, till 1712,
and to SIR ISAAC NEWTON, 1642-1727, who was President of
the Society from 1703 to 1728. He mentions the name of the noted
Dr. John Woodward here, and
interviews and describes him later. is certainly an honest fellow
of great parts, but he is very much occupied by his own extensive Praxi medica as well as with his own great collection.
The President, Newton, is an old man and is
prevented both by his office as Director of the Mint and by the management of his
own affairs from concerning himself much about the Society. For the rest, if one
excepts Dr Woodward[*]JOHN WOODWARD, 1665-1728, the physician and geologist;
F.R.S., 30 November, 1693;
F.R.C.P., 22 March, 1703. He
died at Gresham College on 25 April, 1728. Von Uffenbach was greatly edified with
Woodward's characteristics and
peculiarities. and one or two other Englishmen as well as the foreign members, there are none but
apothecaries and other such people who know scarce a word of Latin. Such members
contribute little to the honour and usefulness of the Society. But to return to the
subject of the Museum, I will mention one or two of the things that pleased us most,
although they have all been described by Grew,
and some of them also in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 666.
The great magnet
with thirty-two compasses made by Dr Wren for
the purpose of research on variationes and delineationes is one of the most
remarkable articles. The magnet itself is round and nearly six inches in diameter
and is not mounted. The two poles are marked with a cross. The operator did two
charming experiments for us with this magnet. First he took a paper of filings and
held the north pole of the magnet over it, so that for the moment the filings piled
themselves up on top of each other and stood up on
100end, being also churned up like
water. The other was more notable: having placed the magnet in a hole cut in a
board, he strewed this with file-dust; when he struck the lower side of the board in
one or two places, all the filings divided themselves into lines, which stretched
from each pole round the circumference of the magnet to the middle point of the
pole; and in this position they remained, however much and often he might strike the
board. It looked exactly like the copper engraving made by the Cartesians to
illustrate their hypothesis of the effect of the magnet, for which they have been
mocked by Thomasio and others. This is much
more clearly shown by Fig. XLII and the following description and elucidation of it:
the letter a refers to a great round figure which represents
a table with thirty-two small holes in its circumference, c,
in which there are placed magnetic needles, these being covered with glasses like
other compasses. In the middle a round hole had been cut, and in this was placed a
spherically cut loadstone, 6, the two poles of which are
marked with a cross, d. After this stone had been set in
position with its north pole, all the needles standing round revolved towards e along the lines f and e. The dots round the loadstone represent filings, m, which had been thinly sprinkled about; and these range
themselves neatly in accurate semi-circles when one knocks underneath the table, so
that they move and raise themselves. Straight lines radiated from either pole; but
the nearer it was to the sides, the better was the semi-circle formed—better,
indeed, than it is here represented. If one then altered the stone with the poles,
setting them for example by the line gh, having been formerly
on that from ef, and knocked again on the table, the
semicircle and figures made by the filings altered their position and lay in the
former order with lines due north and south along the line gh, which was all prodigiously curious. We also noticed the chair made of some special root, which is
101spoken of in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 319p. 685 n.319. There was a label hung on it with these words: 'This Chair
given by John Lord Sommers Baron of Evesham President
of the Royal Society from Chusan in
China, 30
Juny
June
1702'. The root looks almost as full of veins as our walnut
wood, of which cupboards are made. Moreover it is maintained both in that passage in
Vieu of London and by the operator that the chair is not jointed but
made from a single block of wood, so it is certainly very curious; but I cannot
possibly believe that art did not come to assist, so elegantly is it carved.
We saw also the ovula
of a female who had died of the dropsy, some of them being as big as
a cherry. They were in glasses filled with spirit.
There were other things there
too, mostly of a common sort; I was delighted at the way in which all these things
were fastened to small glass balls and floated in the spirit, so that all may be
seen with ease. Even when the spirit is somewhat evaporated, the things sink with
the balls and do not hang without moisture and perish, which they do when fastened
to the glass or the stopper, as they usually are.
We also found notably ana uterus with the bladder and other parts appertaining thereto; all had been excellently preserved, so that all the veins, ligaments, nerves, etc. were clearly
to be seen.
We also noticed the four black boards, on which all the venae arteriae
and nerves of the human body are very
well arranged, v. Vieu of London, p. 666, n. 3. But because these
boards hang quite unprotected on the wall, they are ruined by dust and smoke, so
that they look utterly black and wretched, which is indeed a pity.
We also saw an incomparably fine Nautilum petrefactum.
But there
is no need to mention anything more, for all is described in detail in the works to
which I have referred, especially in that of Grew. I only wish that all had been in good condition and that we could
have observed it at our leisure.
Then I asked to be shown the Library. Like the Museum
102it is shut away in small
cupboards in a very long narrow passage. As is known and can be read in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 686, it was presented by the Duke of Norfolk, and I have the printed
catalogue in quarto. There are some good manuscripts which I found in two cupboards
standing together. But we could scarce glance at them—in such haste was the operator
in his English fashion, thinking indeed that he
had already spent too much time with us in the Museum.
We saw also, standing on one
of the book cupboards, the iron oven with which Dr
HoockHooke had succeeded in hatching out some eggs in the Egyptian manner, v. Vieu of London, Vol.
II, p. 683, n. 253. This too was spoiled.
On the ground lay the
prodigiously large antlers of a fallow deer, which had been found in a bog in Ireland. On either side there were eight wide
branches and the antlers were seven feet one inch apart in diameter.
We also saw here the model of a fortress which a clergyman called
Christner had made extremely accurately and well. It was very large and,
when all had been put together, would probably measure two surveyor's rods.
Finally we were shown the room where the Society usually meets. It is very small and
wretched and the best things there are the portraits of its members, of which the
most noteworthy are those of Boyle and HoockHooke.[*]ROBERT
HOOKE, the experimentalist, astronomer, inventor and chemist;
F.R.S., 3 June, 1663. He was
perpetual Curator of the Royal Society. In 1667 he was appointed surveyor of the City of London. He was an extraordinarily able mechanic.
He was Secretary of the Royal Society from October 1677 to November 1682.
John Aubrey wrote: 'He is but of middling
stature, something crooked, pale faced, and his face but little belowe, but
his head is lardge: his eie full and popping, and not quick; a grey eie.'
Aubrey had the highest opinion of Hooke, eccentric as Aubrey's views were.
He was born on 19 July, 1635,
according to John Aubrey.
Hooke was a leading inventor of
balance-springs for watches. The Posthumous
Works of Robert Hooke, by RichardWailerWaller, 1705, should be referred
to.
We saw
103
here also two fine
globosglobes
and a wooden model of an invention by which one man can move two oars with the help of a cord as swiftly and evenly as two men could. This was done by means of
half a wheel fastened to an axle, which lies on two bars. It will be described in
the Transactions and engraved there in copper, so there is no need for me to remark
on it further here. At the side of this room stood a large and handsome
pendulum-clock, on which this inscription might be read:
Societati Regali Ad Scientiam Naturalem
promovendam institutae
dono dedit
Reverendus in Christo Pater Sethus Episcopus
Exon.
ejusdem societatis Sodalis in memoriam
Laurentii Rook,
viri omnium litterarum genere instructissimi
inCollegio
Greshamensi primum astronomiae
dein Geometriae Professoris
dictaequae societatis nuper Sodalis qui obit
1662.
In the afternoon we were atMareschall's, where my
brother cut glass.
[... The following is a selection ...]
[19 July 1710. Visit to Petiver]
On
19 July, Saturday morning, we drove
to the house of the apothecary Petiver [*]JAMES PETIVER of Hillmorton, b. 1663. He was an apothecary and practised in Aldersgate Street from 1692 to 1718. He was a noted naturalist and entomologist. He was elected
F.R.S. in 1695. He died in 1718 and was buried in St. Botolph's Church, Aldersgate Street. See 24 July as to von
Uffenbach's later visit. in Aldersgate-street, to whom I had
127to deliver a letter from
Dr Kissner of Frankfurt and packet of Eisleben
ichthyolites. Since he is one of the most renowned members of the
English Society and has won a great name for
himself with his collection we expected to see a paragon of learning and refinement;
but he was quite deficient in both. For he appeared to be wretched both in looks and
actions and he had no parts, speaking very poor and deficient Latin and scarce able
to string a few words together. I have nothing to note of his collection and natural
curiosities, for as soon as he gets any object of the least value he immediately has
printed a short and insipid description of it, dedicating it to any person with whom
he has some slight acquaintance; and then he takes a present for it. Everything is
kept in true English fashion in prodigious
confusion in one wretched cabinet and in boxes. The best thing he has is possibly
his plants, of which lie has several volumes; he also showed us a fresh packet of
them that had just come from Spain. He also had
some charming insects that he had got from Mad.
Merian. He offers all foreigners who come to him a sample of his
collection; but he takes care to ask a vast sum for it, so I declined with thanks.
Moreover, he was in a great hurry on the pretext that he had to be in the Hall of
the Society by nine o'clock; considering that we had a special introduction to him,
this vexed us extremely. Although he invited us to come again, we doubted whether we
should be able to come another time, since he lives at some distance from us. I
should here observe that letters of introduction are often of little service, and
that people are frequently just as amiable, in fact even more so, when one is not so
provided. For a great many people imagine that
128they are bound to be vastly obliging
and on that account are very annoyed, especially men of great distinction, to whom
such introductions are much too frequently sent, so that they often find that their
bearers are quite unworthy of any favour. Upright persons of good parts are
delighted when a man, whom they hold to be worthy of their acquaintance and
patronage, waits on them without any such letter.
[... The following is a selection ...]
135
[24 July 1710. Second visit to Petiver]
On 24 July, Thursday, we again waited on
the apothecary Petiver, who at last showed us
his natural curiosities. There is no need to speak much of them here, for there is a
printed description of his museum with copper engravings. As soon as he obtains a
fresh specimen he immediately has a copper engraving of it made and dedicates it in
English fashion (for each copper engraving in
a volume is dedicated to a different person, as you can see in
Listreo de Conchyliis, Willugbejo and other works)
to some compatriot or stranger, who is forced to give him a couple of guineas for
it, as Dr Karger and others who have been thus
incommoded complained. Petiver has nevertheless
some handsome specimens
136of conchyliis and insectis, but they are far from being as perfect, clean
and well arranged as those one sees at Vincenz's or elsewhere in Holland.
The best thing he has is a handsome collection of plants, which entirely fill twelve
thick volumes, which he showed us. One contained Spanish plants, which he had just received. But I have been assured that
many complaints have been made concerning this Petiver; they say that he has the charge of the Hortum medicum of the apothecaries but treats it right scurvily,
allowing no plants to multiply but either sticking them into his books or sending
them away in exchange for others.
[... The following is a selection ...]
152[23 Oct 1710. A visit to Mr. Buddel]In the afternoon we saw at the house of Herr
Beathel or Buddel, a preacher
living in Gray's Inn, a handsome collection of
plants. For he has about twenty large volumina, all
very well kept, although they are only stitched with thread so that they may be
changed with ease.
The most curious of all was a volume containing nearly three
hundred varieties of all kinds of muscis or mosses.
We were amazed that he managed to keep them so well in a book, since they are not so
easily crushed and better preserved in drawers; this is all the more necessary,
since most varieties cling firmly to pieces of wood and are thus not very suitable
for a book. He had a microscopium so that we might
be better able to observe the structure. It is truly remarkable.
Another volume
containing a hundred and fifty varieties of different graminibus indigenis was also well worth seeing.
In the other
handsome voluminibus there are not a few exotica. He is, indeed, an amiable and polite man, of
some fifty years of age.
[... The following is a selection ...]
153
[24 Oct 1710. At Hampton Court]
This palace has three courtyards, of which the
two first are tolerably large, but with poor old buildings. They are not unlike an
ancient Oxford college, although a great deal is
made of them in the Délices d' Angleterre, where they say
that two kings might well be lodged in these quadrangles. The back courtyard was
built by King William III in brick; it is
square and not very large, with small buildings. In it are
153several yews and a
fountain. Behind this courtyard is the great garden, semi-circular in form; it is
flat and consists entirely of gazons, though there are some elegant statues of metal
and alabaster, of which one, representing a gladiatorem, is matchless. They say that
it formerly stood in the park in London. To the
right of the house is another large garden divided into two parts. In it are the
orangeries—that is to say, two large and one smaller one with numbers of handsome
plants, among which we saw two flourishing aloes twenty-four years old. They had,
indeed, a tolerable quantity of yellow blossoms, but, since they lacked sufficient
care and warmth, the stem was barely two ells high. In the smaller garden opposite
the water is a small building called the banquetin or summer-house, under which
there is a pheasantry. On the left hand of the main building is another section of
menageries, consisting entirely of hedges and paths, star-shaped, with several walks
meeting at a single point. On both sides are two mazes, one in the form of a circle
and the other of a triangle. This was the largest and best. We saw in the garden
various wooden rollers made of thick trunks of oak, which are used to roll the lawns
when they have been mown. After we had seen enough of the garden we went into the
house and first looked at the staircase, so elegantly painted by Vario with all manner of tales from Roman history.
The anteroom for the guards was ornamented with arms like that at Windsor.
Then we came to several rooms tolerably, though scarce
magnificently, furnished, many of them having elegant
studies of flowers over the
doors.
We also observed a special kind of barometer and thermometer in the form of a
clock, which are made by TomsonTompion.[*]Von
Uffenbach evidently meant to write Tompion, 1638-1713; see earlier note.
Tomson
Tompion
the London
watchmaker worked fifty years later.
In King William's apartment there were
155two cupboards full of miniatures and carvings, and above some books.
On the walls hung two excellent pen-and-ink sketches of Marly and Meudon.
We were also shown several lacquered block-houses, which are said to be a present from the Great Mogul.
Then we were taken into the so-called Hall of Triumph, because in it hang nine great paintings
representing the triumph of Julius Caesar, with
the words: Veni, vidi, vici. They were painted by
Julio Romano, Andrea Mantegna or Montagnia, with matchless elegance and tolerable delicacy of execution,
especially as far as the garments are concerned.
Opening out of this room is the
gallery in which hang the seven famous paintings of
Raphael Urbino. They consist entirely of Bible stories from the Acts of
the Apostles. On the second picture is the following inscription: P. Sergius Paulus
Asiae Pro Cos.
Christianam fidem
amplectitur
Pauli praedicatione.
The woman who was showing us round assured us that theKing of
France once offered thrice a
hundred thousand pounds sterling for these seven paintings.
Next we walked through
some rooms which are not yet finished. On the ceiling of one of them was a painting
of the Queen.
In the last was a great painting
of the antlers of a stag, below which the following words were to be read:
Le vray Portrait du Cerf dans leChateau d'Amboise en France.
Lequel a onze pieds de hauteur & neuf de largeur & cinq pieds & demy
d'Espace entre les deux branches.
Downstairs we saw two small rooms with about sixty 156 superbly fine paintings. Among them were several excellent perspective-pieces and also a vastly elegant and well-painted picture ofChrist and St
John as two small children.
There was also an incomparable night-scene on
the door. They say that these paintings were collected by King William.
After this we were taken into a room of moderate
size in which are to be seen paintings of the nine so-called Beauties of England or Dames of Queen Mary. They are all done life-size but are remarkable neither for
beauty of appearance nor for the execution of the artist. Madame
Kent is the best of all.
When we had seen all the sights of the palace we
went to get a meal and then drove in the afternoon to RICHMONTRichmond, which lies on a fairly high hill in truly agreeable country by
the Thames, though the prospect from Hampstead is yet more charming. The spring, the
Assembly Room and other public rooms for those taking the waters lie rather low down
in the direction of the town and are most elegant buildings. The place itself is
tolerably pleasant. One can take one's diversion here, as in all such places and
medicinal springs in England, and the life is
fairly unconstrained. We remained here so long that we set off for London quite late in the evening in considerable
terror of being robbed. For the footpads know that people return to London very late from such places, so the roads are
very unsafe. It is no small scandal that in so mighty a realm and such a capital one
can feel no security even in the vicinity of the town. It is even the less to be wondered at since such robberies take
place at night in the town itself and even in
the neighbourhood of St James' Palace.
[... The following is a selection ...]
[25 Oct 1710. Kensington Palace]On the morning of 25 Oct. we drove to
Kensington. The house is not very large but
new and regular, having many handsome and well-furnished rooms.
In several we saw various
157
pictures of Holbein and other fine
paintings, of which the Birth of Christ, a
night-piece, and the Sacrifice of Elijah were
the most elegant.
We saw also here a barometer of Tompion with a round disc as a clock.
We were taken into a room where
paintings of the English admirals,
fourteen of them, were hung.
This opened into a small room in which were portraits of the four
Indian kings who some time ago paid a visit
to London.
In another we saw a curious screen
before the fireplace, on which there were all manner of Indian birds in relief with their natural feathers stuck on it.
The so-called Great Hall is narrow and long but adorned with handsome paintings. Above the
chimney-piece in this room stands an anemoscope.
The paintings in this room are
fifty-nine in number. By the door is a large painting by Tintoretto with several nude figures. Over one door is the
Beheading of St John and over the other a Cupid drawing his bow, both remarkably well
painted. There are, moreover, several portraits by famous artists, some
perspective-pieces, a Lucretia, a Susanna, which are all very excellent.
In one corner stands a curious striking clock with a fine black case ornamented with gilt
figures. The clock does not only tell the time but also the course of the sun.
Above stands the knight St. George in silver-gilt of the most excellent workmanship. We were told that it was presented to King William by the Frenchman who made it, and that the latter received a hundred guineas
for it.
On the table lay a small box of amber with several figures on it, extremely well wrought.
The paintings hung high on the walls all
round the room are of little
account.
In one corner was the bust of a Moor very well done from life—made, indeed, of nothing but coloured stones, with great skill.
In another room we saw a prodigiously fine bed of red velvet and costly stuffs;
in yet another, in which hung
the Czar's portrait,
was a most curious clock,
of which a description with copper engravings
158has appeared in London. It has four great round dials, in the middle being a
small one showing the hours. Above one sees the course of the sun and moon according
to Ptolemy's system and next it the system of
Copernicus, with the course of all the
planets. The lowest discs have all manner of special divisions. In one of these was
written: Samuel Watson, now in London; and in the other: Coventriae fecit.
In most of the rooms stood very elegant inlaid
tables. The garden round this palace is large, and in it hedges alternate with
lawns, yews and flower-beds. The prospect from this garden and the zoological garden
next it is most agreeable. On the left hand is the orangery, which is very well and
elegantly planned in a straight line with round vaulted chambers at either end. The
shrubs were for the most part laurels, but among them were some fine plants. There
are no statues here, and only a very wretched and paltry fountain and some mere
basins. The walks are extraordinarily large and handsome, especially the middle one.
The open space, which is laid out like an amphitheatre, is vastly elegant, though
the hedges and bushes on both sides are not fully grown. After we had seen all we
drove back to London.
[25 Oct 1710. Afternoon visit to the coffee shop]
In the afternoon we visited some bookshops and intended to wait on a mathematician
called Rohly, but we did not find him at home.
In the evening we had much conversation at the coffee-house. Herr Karger spoke of the famous Joh. Joachim Becher, who had planned and laid out the waterworks here,
being, however, wretchedly paid for it. Generally he was highly respected and had
earned a great deal of money; but he had been such a rake that he had died quite
poor and his daughter was even now in service as a maid at the house of a
schoolmaster in London. When the conversation
turned on books and the libraries here, Herr
Karger assured us that there were several connoisseurs who collected with
so little wit that he had seen with his own
159eyes how a noble lord, taking a piece of
string from his pocket, had measured off a row of books (most of the books in the
shops here being tied together in bundles) and bargained for them by the yard or
ell, without glancing at their titles or contents. Baron von Nimptsch told us that the author of The True Born Englishman and the RevieuwReview of London had been pilloried because these works were such bitter
satires against England. We also heard that Herr Hautsch of Nürnberg could make steel red-hot in his forge. First he forges a piece
of good steel a finger thick, square and with pointed end. He lets it get red-hot in
the coals and lie there until they have burnt out and become cold. Then he gives
rapid blows with the hammer at all the four corners as if he wished to weld it
towards the point, and thus it becomes red-hot. But, as I said, the steel must be
constantly turned and the blows follow each other with great swiftness. We also
learnt the following experiments and pieces of artifice: If one dissolves a grain of
phosphori in two ounces of spiritus vini rectificatiff. and lets fall only two
drops of this solution into a glass containing a thimbleful of spring water, a
brightly gleaming vapour will result, which remains for a long time if the glass is
immediately sealed with cucumber. Again, if one takes a ducat or plate of silver and
places on it a piece of good glass and allows the ducat or silver to become red-hot
over coals, fine plana convexa vitra will be
formed. Moreover, if one distils oleum vitrioli and
nitrum and mixes this spiritum with oleo caryophyllorum or
cinnamomi, a bright flame will result. If no
more than a few drops of the olei caryophyllorum
are let fall on cotton-wool and it is placed in the distilled solution described
above, it will catch fire all the better. To prepare phosphorum so that it may be used without harm and not burn, take an
ounce of liquid aloes in a vessel and place this in
hot water (this prevents it being set on fire); add to it half a fifth of phosphori, stir energetically
160and then everything can be
smeared with it without danger of burning, and this without lessening the effect of
the phosphorus. Again: if one buys pulverised emerald mineral or stone from the
apothecary and, mixing or rubbing it with gum, paints or smears anything with it,
this will gleam strongly; but it must only be painted on copper or sheet-iron, and a
lamp should be held below during the process, so that the metal may be warm. It has
an excellent effect, gleaming most elegantly, and it does not wear off. At last Herr
Benedetti came and showed us the following handsome gold medals. One, on which was
Caesaris Caput
velatum with the superscription: Caesar Cos.
Ter.; on the reverse: Scrupulum; with
the inscription: A Hirtius Pr. (i.e Praetor);
this he valued at fifteen guineas. A Caput August laureatum. Inscription:
Caesar Augustus Divi F. Pate Patriae. Reverse:
Cajus & Lucius cum clypeis. Inscription
Princ. Juvent. below C. L. Caesar. Finally
Herr Karp showed us yet another rare book
entitled: A Centuns of the, names and Scantlings of such
inventions as at present &c., by Worcester, London
1663, in duod. In it were described all kinds
of excellent inventions and machines invented by this man Worcester. [*]EDWARD SOMERSET, second
Marquis of Worcester (1610-1667), the general, politician and inventor, who
was sharply criticized by Robert
Hooke. Baron von
Nimptsch protested, moreover that the Duke
of Buckingham had in his possession
several other sketches of all kinds of machines invented by till above-mentioned
author, which he had himself drawn but never published.
[26 Oct 1710. Visit to the physic garden of the Society of Apothecaries]
On 26 Oct., Sunday afternoon, we first
drove to Chelsea in order to see Mylord Renlo's [*]RENLO. The house of Richard Earl of Ranelagh, built in 1691; it was destroyed in 1805. house
there; this, however we were unable to do as he was himself residing there at the
moment. So we drove back and went into the herb garden of
161the London apothecaries. It is fairly large and made vastly pleasant
by the fine clipped hedges and all manner of figures of yew. But they were not able
to show us many curious and rare plants. The green-house also is small and wretched,
with few plants in it. In the garden itself are one or two tolerably high and
well-grown cedars of Lebanon, which are more or
less similar to our fir-trees, but thicker and with closer needles. We saw,
moreover, a cucumber-tree, whose bark forms the cucumbers that are used as stoppers.
It resembled a lime-tree with three knots or crowns.
From hence we went somewhat
further up into the coffee-house famed for its curiosities. It looks more like a
museum of art and natural curiosities than a coffee-house. For both standing round
the walls and hanging from the ceiling are all manner of exotic beasts, such as
crocodiles and
turtles,
as well as Indian and other strange costumes and weapons.
It is a pity that these things, of which many are truly curious, should hang there in
the tobacco smoke and become spoilt. In the evening we were with our usual circle in
the Paris coffee-house; among other matters we
heard from Herr Kerchern that if tin is well
rubbed with Cyprian vitriol and saliva, it looks like copper.
[... The following is a selection ...]
172
[30 Oct 1710. Visit with Dr. Woodward]
On the morning of 30 Oct. we again
waited on Dr Woodward, this being the fifth
occasion. At last we found him at home, though we were taken into an anteroom. After
we had waited there for a good quarter of an hour he sent his apprentice to ask our
names. It was another quarter of an hour before he returned to say that his master
was still in bed, having been up somewhat late on the preceding night; and would not
get up for another half-hour and inquired whether we wished to wait so long. We left
our interpreter and servant there, so that, as soon as it was convenient to the
gentleman to see us, they might fetch us from the nearest coffee-house, where in the
meantime we might drink a cup of coffee. As soon as one of them came and told us to
come, we went without any delay, but had to wait again in the anteroom for nearly
half an hour. At last we were fetched by the apprentice and led through two rooms
into the presence of this high and mighty doctor. He stood there stiffly in his silk
dressing-gown and in a vastly forced manner with rolling eyes asked us who we were
and where we came from. But when we requested to see his collection he made excuses,
saying that in half an hour's time he had a consultation with one of his patients
which could not possibly be delayed; so he prayed us to come the next afternoon at
three o'clock. Although we had now become somewhat indignant and pointed out that we
had so often waited on him in vain, he said: 'It is impossible at the moment.' But
when we were about to go he entreated us to delay a little, calling out to his
apprentice: 'Make hast,' so that we thought he meant to offer us chocolate, as was
his habit. For we had been told by Dr Karger
and others that he is accustomed to honour all strangers in this way, presenting it,
indeed, with such ridiculous airs and graces that one can scarce prevent
173oneself
from laughing. For he gives the boy a hundred orders until the chocolate is brought.
To our disgust we also had to listen to all this cackle for a good half-hour. But on
this occasion we were not to have the honour of drinking with him, for although the
apprentice brought a silver jug and a cloth, it was only for the purpose of shaving,
so that we might be favoured with this sight. We had already heard of more than four
strangers who had been treated in the same way. We therefore declined with thanks
and, saying that we would not delay him, took our departure, although he went on
praying us to remain a little longer.
[... The following is a selection ...]
176
[30 Oct 1710. Return visit to Dr. Woodward]In the afternoon we again drove to Dr Woodward's,
where we at last attained our object of seeing his things. He again after his manner
kept us waiting for a good half-hour in the anteroom, afterwards regretting that we
had not arrived on the stroke and come half an hour earlier. This is the
discourteous little ceremony that this affected and pedantic mountebank makes a
habit of going through with all strangers who wait on him. He first showed us a
considerable number of all manner of lapidibus
pretiosis, which are to be found here and there in England. After this we saw some minerals and then the petrefacta, which are the most
177elegant of all his
collections. He had not a vastly amazing quantity of them, but they were choice and
handsome.
Among other things he showed us shells filled and partly encrusted with
all kinds of stones, even with the hardest flints.
We found especially curious the
collection illustrating prodigiously elegantly the whole generation of shells from
beginning to end in complete sequence.
He had also many varieties of stones figured
with all kinds of plants.
Further, shells encrusted with all manner of metals and
minerals, part of them being also entirely filled with them. Among the latter were a
large quantity of fine cornua Hammonis.
He had a
cupboard filled with all sorts of urns and ancient vases.
In another were large
mineral-snails and great cornua Hammonis, which
were certainly handsome, though their size did not equal those we saw in Limburg at Herr
Reimer's.
In a cabinet he had a considerable number of manuscripts
dealing with English natural philosophy, which,
so he told us, he had for the most part written himself. As he shut this cabinet he
said that he would now prove to us that he was not 'idle'. We could not immediately
recall the meaning of the word in English and thought, from the pronunciation, that
he meant to say that he was not 'eitel' (vain). Since he was making such a boast of
his own works we could scarce restrain our laughter. Among these books was a volume
in which he had had all his shells tolerably well drawn. Further, an elegant
herbarium vivum Anglicanum collected by him,
where the plants were extraordinarily fresh and well preserved.
In another room in a
lacquered cabinet he had a tolerable collection of all manner of shells, where we
saw one vastly curious thing, namely the Muscovy vegetable sheep, which is described
in detail by Adam Olearius in his
book
of travels. It was not quite a span high, light brown, and the wool did
not so much resemble ordinary long wool as the fibres that grow in a reed, though
they are somewhat more
178woolly and have longer hair, as you might say; this plant
takes nourishment through the feet that it has in place of roots. This was one of
the greatest curiosities that we saw here, or, indeed, in the whole of our travels.
Dr Woodward showed us all his things with
such affected gestures and rolling eyes that we could not restrain our laughter,
although he dislikes this just as much as being interrupted; indeed he requires
everyone to hang on his words like an oracle, assenting to and extolling everything.
One has to listen ad nauseam to his opinions
de diluvio & generatione antediluviana & lapidum
postdiluviana. He recites whole pages of his writings, accompanying
them with continuous encomiums. The most ridiculous thing of all is that he never
ceases looking at himself in the mirrors, of which several hang in each room. In
every respect he behaves like a female and an insolent fool. For a pedant he is much
too gallant and elaborate. He is a man in the thirties, unmarried, but criminis non facile nominandi suspectus. Very ridiculous
stories are told of him, and Herr Erndel gave
a most diverting account of him in his Epistle de
itinere Anglicano. This angered him greatly, and he is continually
railing against this German. It is thought that for this reason he has taken a
dislike to Germans and raises a great many difficulties about showing them his
things, which was certainly our experience.
[... The following is a selection ...]
185[Visit with Hans Sloane]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
186
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
188and 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.
Gresham ColledgeCollege.[*]Gresham
College. This, in 1710,
was the former dwelling-house of the
98founder, Sir Thomas Gresham, in Bishopsgate
Street. The work of the college began in 1597. The old house was demolished in 1768. Dr.
Robert Hooke, the renowned mathematician, lived thirty-nine years
in the old college and died there on 3
March, 1703.The Royal Society met in the college from
1660 to 1710, in which year the Society removed to 2 Crane Court, Fleet Street, and carried
on its affairs there till 1780, the
date of the Society's removal to Somerset
House. It is really a Grammar School, named after its
founder, Gresham, v. Vieu of London, Vol.
II, p. 664 sq. Many excellent persons of good
parts have been professors there, and, as is well known, the Royal Society uses it
as its headquarters. It is an old building, extensive and irregular; and the inner
part, where the Society has its apartments, is still the best. Both in Germany and elsewhere an exalted idea of this
Society has been formed, both of it and of the collections they have in their
Museum, especially when one looks at the Transactions of this Society and the fine
description of the Museum by Grew.[*]GREW. This was Nehemiah Grew, 1641-1712, the professor of the anatomy of
plants. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 30 November, 1671. In 1672 he was appointed Curator to the
Society. He had taken his degree as a doctor of medicine at Leyden in 1671. Thus foreigners have just grounds for amazement
when they hear how wretchedly all is now ordered. But it is the sight of the Museum
that is most astounding. It consists of what appear to be two long narrow chambers,
where lie the finest instruments and other articles (which Grew describes), not only in no sort of order or tidiness but
covered with dust, filth and coal-smoke, and many of them broken and utterly ruined.
If one inquires after anything, the operator who shows strangers round—v. Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 687—will usually say: 'A rogue had
it stolen away,' or he will show you pieces of it, saying: 'It is corrupted or
broken'; and such is the care they take of things! Hardly a thing is to be
recognized, so wretched do they all look. But that is the way with all public
societies. For a short time they flourish, while the founder and original members
are there to set the standard; then come all kinds of setbacks, partly from envy and
lack of unanimity and partly because all kinds of people of no account become
members; their final state is one of indifference and sloth. This has been the case
with this Society too. The first six years of its Transactions are better and
contain more than all the rest put together. They can be purchased complete for
twelve pounds.
99Now scarcely anything is done by them. The Society does not meet
during the whole of the summer and very little from Michaelmas onwards. The present
Secretary, Dr Sloane,[*]Von Uffenbach refers shortly
here to SIR HANS SLOANE, who was
Secretary of the Royal Society from 30
November, 1693, till 1712,
and to SIR ISAAC NEWTON, 1642-1727, who was President of
the Society from 1703 to 1728. He mentions the name of the noted
Dr. John Woodward here, and
interviews and describes him later. is certainly an honest fellow
of great parts, but he is very much occupied by his own extensive Praxi medica as well as with his own great collection.
The President, Newton, is an old man and is
prevented both by his office as Director of the Mint and by the management of his
own affairs from concerning himself much about the Society. For the rest, if one
excepts Dr Woodward[*]JOHN WOODWARD, 1665-1728, the physician and geologist;
F.R.S., 30 November, 1693;
F.R.C.P., 22 March, 1703. He
died at Gresham College on 25 April, 1728. Von Uffenbach was greatly edified with
Woodward's characteristics and
peculiarities. and one or two other Englishmen as well as the foreign members, there are none but
apothecaries and other such people who know scarce a word of Latin. Such members
contribute little to the honour and usefulness of the Society. But to return to the
subject of the Museum, I will mention one or two of the things that pleased us most,
although they have all been described by Grew,
and some of them also in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 666.
The great magnet
with thirty-two compasses made by Dr Wren for
the purpose of research on variationes and delineationes is one of the most
remarkable articles. The magnet itself is round and nearly six inches in diameter
and is not mounted. The two poles are marked with a cross. The operator did two
charming experiments for us with this magnet. First he took a paper of filings and
held the north pole of the magnet over it, so that for the moment the filings piled
themselves up on top of each other and stood up on
100end, being also churned up like
water. The other was more notable: having placed the magnet in a hole cut in a
board, he strewed this with file-dust; when he struck the lower side of the board in
one or two places, all the filings divided themselves into lines, which stretched
from each pole round the circumference of the magnet to the middle point of the
pole; and in this position they remained, however much and often he might strike the
board. It looked exactly like the copper engraving made by the Cartesians to
illustrate their hypothesis of the effect of the magnet, for which they have been
mocked by Thomasio and others. This is much
more clearly shown by Fig. XLII and the following description and elucidation of it:
the letter a refers to a great round figure which represents
a table with thirty-two small holes in its circumference, c,
in which there are placed magnetic needles, these being covered with glasses like
other compasses. In the middle a round hole had been cut, and in this was placed a
spherically cut loadstone, 6, the two poles of which are
marked with a cross, d. After this stone had been set in
position with its north pole, all the needles standing round revolved towards e along the lines f and e. The dots round the loadstone represent filings, m, which had been thinly sprinkled about; and these range
themselves neatly in accurate semi-circles when one knocks underneath the table, so
that they move and raise themselves. Straight lines radiated from either pole; but
the nearer it was to the sides, the better was the semi-circle formed—better,
indeed, than it is here represented. If one then altered the stone with the poles,
setting them for example by the line gh, having been formerly
on that from ef, and knocked again on the table, the
semicircle and figures made by the filings altered their position and lay in the
former order with lines due north and south along the line gh, which was all prodigiously curious. We also noticed the chair made of some special root, which is
101spoken of in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 319p. 685 n.319. There was a label hung on it with these words: 'This Chair
given by John Lord Sommers Baron of Evesham President
of the Royal Society from Chusan in
China, 30
Juny
June
1702'. The root looks almost as full of veins as our walnut
wood, of which cupboards are made. Moreover it is maintained both in that passage in
Vieu of London and by the operator that the chair is not jointed but
made from a single block of wood, so it is certainly very curious; but I cannot
possibly believe that art did not come to assist, so elegantly is it carved.
We saw also the ovula
of a female who had died of the dropsy, some of them being as big as
a cherry. They were in glasses filled with spirit.
There were other things there
too, mostly of a common sort; I was delighted at the way in which all these things
were fastened to small glass balls and floated in the spirit, so that all may be
seen with ease. Even when the spirit is somewhat evaporated, the things sink with
the balls and do not hang without moisture and perish, which they do when fastened
to the glass or the stopper, as they usually are.
We also found notably ana uterus with the bladder and other parts appertaining thereto; all had been excellently preserved, so that all the veins, ligaments, nerves, etc. were clearly
to be seen.
We also noticed the four black boards, on which all the venae arteriae
and nerves of the human body are very
well arranged, v. Vieu of London, p. 666, n. 3. But because these
boards hang quite unprotected on the wall, they are ruined by dust and smoke, so
that they look utterly black and wretched, which is indeed a pity.
We also saw an incomparably fine Nautilum petrefactum.
But there
is no need to mention anything more, for all is described in detail in the works to
which I have referred, especially in that of Grew. I only wish that all had been in good condition and that we could
have observed it at our leisure.
Then I asked to be shown the Library. Like the Museum
102it is shut away in small
cupboards in a very long narrow passage. As is known and can be read in Vieu of London, Vol. II, p. 686, it was presented by the Duke of Norfolk, and I have the printed
catalogue in quarto. There are some good manuscripts which I found in two cupboards
standing together. But we could scarce glance at them—in such haste was the operator
in his English fashion, thinking indeed that he
had already spent too much time with us in the Museum.
We saw also, standing on one
of the book cupboards, the iron oven with which Dr
HoockHooke had succeeded in hatching out some eggs in the Egyptian manner, v. Vieu of London, Vol.
II, p. 683, n. 253. This too was spoiled.
On the ground lay the
prodigiously large antlers of a fallow deer, which had been found in a bog in Ireland. On either side there were eight wide
branches and the antlers were seven feet one inch apart in diameter.
We also saw here the model of a fortress which a clergyman called
Christner had made extremely accurately and well. It was very large and,
when all had been put together, would probably measure two surveyor's rods.
Finally we were shown the room where the Society usually meets. It is very small and
wretched and the best things there are the portraits of its members, of which the
most noteworthy are those of Boyle and HoockHooke.[*]ROBERT
HOOKE, the experimentalist, astronomer, inventor and chemist;
F.R.S., 3 June, 1663. He was
perpetual Curator of the Royal Society. In 1667 he was appointed surveyor of the City of London. He was an extraordinarily able mechanic.
He was Secretary of the Royal Society from October 1677 to November 1682.
John Aubrey wrote: 'He is but of middling
stature, something crooked, pale faced, and his face but little belowe, but
his head is lardge: his eie full and popping, and not quick; a grey eie.'
Aubrey had the highest opinion of Hooke, eccentric as Aubrey's views were.
He was born on 19 July, 1635,
according to John Aubrey.
Hooke was a leading inventor of
balance-springs for watches. The Posthumous
Works of Robert Hooke, by RichardWailerWaller, 1705, should be referred
to.
We saw
103
here also two fine
globosglobes
and a wooden model of an invention by which one man can move two oars with the help of a cord as swiftly and evenly as two men could. This was done by means of
half a wheel fastened to an axle, which lies on two bars. It will be described in
the Transactions and engraved there in copper, so there is no need for me to remark
on it further here. At the side of this room stood a large and handsome
pendulum-clock, on which this inscription might be read:
Societati Regali Ad Scientiam Naturalem promovendam institutae
dono dedit
Reverendus in Christo Pater Sethus Episcopus
Exon.
ejusdem societatis Sodalis in memoriam
Laurentii Rook, viri omnium litterarum genere instructissimi
in
Collegio
Greshamensi primum astronomiae dein Geometriae Professoris
dictaequae societatis nuper Sodalis qui obit
1662.
In the afternoon we were at
Mareschall's, where my
brother cut glass.
[... The following is a selection ...]
[19 July 1710. Visit to Petiver]
On
19 July, Saturday morning, we drove
to the house of the apothecary Petiver [*]JAMES PETIVER of Hillmorton, b. 1663. He was an apothecary and practised in Aldersgate Street from 1692 to 1718. He was a noted naturalist and entomologist. He was elected
F.R.S. in 1695. He died in 1718 and was buried in St. Botolph's Church, Aldersgate Street. See 24 July as to von
Uffenbach's later visit. in Aldersgate-street, to whom I had
127to deliver a letter from
Dr Kissner of Frankfurt and packet of Eisleben
ichthyolites. Since he is one of the most renowned members of the
English Society and has won a great name for
himself with his collection we expected to see a paragon of learning and refinement;
but he was quite deficient in both. For he appeared to be wretched both in looks and
actions and he had no parts, speaking very poor and deficient Latin and scarce able
to string a few words together. I have nothing to note of his collection and natural
curiosities, for as soon as he gets any object of the least value he immediately has
printed a short and insipid description of it, dedicating it to any person with whom
he has some slight acquaintance; and then he takes a present for it. Everything is
kept in true English fashion in prodigious
confusion in one wretched cabinet and in boxes. The best thing he has is possibly
his plants, of which lie has several volumes; he also showed us a fresh packet of
them that had just come from Spain. He also had
some charming insects that he had got from Mad.
Merian. He offers all foreigners who come to him a sample of his
collection; but he takes care to ask a vast sum for it, so I declined with thanks.
Moreover, he was in a great hurry on the pretext that he had to be in the Hall of
the Society by nine o'clock; considering that we had a special introduction to him,
this vexed us extremely. Although he invited us to come again, we doubted whether we
should be able to come another time, since he lives at some distance from us. I
should here observe that letters of introduction are often of little service, and
that people are frequently just as amiable, in fact even more so, when one is not so
provided. For a great many people imagine that
128they are bound to be vastly obliging
and on that account are very annoyed, especially men of great distinction, to whom
such introductions are much too frequently sent, so that they often find that their
bearers are quite unworthy of any favour. Upright persons of good parts are
delighted when a man, whom they hold to be worthy of their acquaintance and
patronage, waits on them without any such letter.
[... The following is a selection ...]
135
[24 July 1710. Second visit to Petiver]
On 24 July, Thursday, we again waited on
the apothecary Petiver, who at last showed us
his natural curiosities. There is no need to speak much of them here, for there is a
printed description of his museum with copper engravings. As soon as he obtains a
fresh specimen he immediately has a copper engraving of it made and dedicates it in
English fashion (for each copper engraving in
a volume is dedicated to a different person, as you can see in
Listreo de Conchyliis, Willugbejo and other works)
to some compatriot or stranger, who is forced to give him a couple of guineas for
it, as Dr Karger and others who have been thus
incommoded complained. Petiver has nevertheless
some handsome specimens
136of conchyliis and insectis, but they are far from being as perfect, clean
and well arranged as those one sees at Vincenz's or elsewhere in Holland.
The best thing he has is a handsome collection of plants, which entirely fill twelve
thick volumes, which he showed us. One contained Spanish plants, which he had just received. But I have been assured that
many complaints have been made concerning this Petiver; they say that he has the charge of the Hortum medicum of the apothecaries but treats it right scurvily,
allowing no plants to multiply but either sticking them into his books or sending
them away in exchange for others.
[... The following is a selection ...]
152[23 Oct 1710. A visit to Mr. Buddel]In the afternoon we saw at the house of Herr
Beathel or Buddel, a preacher
living in Gray's Inn, a handsome collection of
plants. For he has about twenty large volumina, all
very well kept, although they are only stitched with thread so that they may be
changed with ease.
The most curious of all was a volume containing nearly three
hundred varieties of all kinds of muscis or mosses.
We were amazed that he managed to keep them so well in a book, since they are not so
easily crushed and better preserved in drawers; this is all the more necessary,
since most varieties cling firmly to pieces of wood and are thus not very suitable
for a book. He had a microscopium so that we might
be better able to observe the structure. It is truly remarkable.
Another volume
containing a hundred and fifty varieties of different graminibus indigenis was also well worth seeing.
In the other
handsome voluminibus there are not a few exotica. He is, indeed, an amiable and polite man, of
some fifty years of age.
[... The following is a selection ...]
153
[24 Oct 1710. At Hampton Court]
This palace has three courtyards, of which the
two first are tolerably large, but with poor old buildings. They are not unlike an
ancient Oxford college, although a great deal is
made of them in the Délices d' Angleterre, where they say
that two kings might well be lodged in these quadrangles. The back courtyard was
built by King William III in brick; it is
square and not very large, with small buildings. In it are
153several yews and a
fountain. Behind this courtyard is the great garden, semi-circular in form; it is
flat and consists entirely of gazons, though there are some elegant statues of metal
and alabaster, of which one, representing a gladiatorem, is matchless. They say that
it formerly stood in the park in London. To the
right of the house is another large garden divided into two parts. In it are the
orangeries—that is to say, two large and one smaller one with numbers of handsome
plants, among which we saw two flourishing aloes twenty-four years old. They had,
indeed, a tolerable quantity of yellow blossoms, but, since they lacked sufficient
care and warmth, the stem was barely two ells high. In the smaller garden opposite
the water is a small building called the banquetin or summer-house, under which
there is a pheasantry. On the left hand of the main building is another section of
menageries, consisting entirely of hedges and paths, star-shaped, with several walks
meeting at a single point. On both sides are two mazes, one in the form of a circle
and the other of a triangle. This was the largest and best. We saw in the garden
various wooden rollers made of thick trunks of oak, which are used to roll the lawns
when they have been mown. After we had seen enough of the garden we went into the
house and first looked at the staircase, so elegantly painted by Vario with all manner of tales from Roman history.
The anteroom for the guards was ornamented with arms like that at Windsor.
Then we came to several rooms tolerably, though scarce
magnificently, furnished, many of them having elegant
studies of flowers over the
doors.
We also observed a special kind of barometer and thermometer in the form of a
clock, which are made by TomsonTompion.[*]Von
Uffenbach evidently meant to write Tompion, 1638-1713; see earlier note.
Tomson
Tompion
the London
watchmaker worked fifty years later.
In King William's apartment there were
155two cupboards full of miniatures and carvings, and above some books.
On the walls hung two excellent pen-and-ink sketches of Marly and Meudon.
We were also shown several lacquered block-houses, which are said to be a present from the Great Mogul.
Then we were taken into the so-called Hall of Triumph, because in it hang nine great paintings
representing the triumph of Julius Caesar, with
the words: Veni, vidi, vici. They were painted by
Julio Romano, Andrea Mantegna or Montagnia, with matchless elegance and tolerable delicacy of execution,
especially as far as the garments are concerned.
Opening out of this room is the
gallery in which hang the seven famous paintings of
Raphael Urbino. They consist entirely of Bible stories from the Acts of
the Apostles. On the second picture is the following inscription: P. Sergius Paulus Asiae Pro Cos.
Christianam fidem
amplectitur
Pauli praedicatione.
The woman who was showing us round assured us that the
King of
France once offered thrice a
hundred thousand pounds sterling for these seven paintings.
Next we walked through
some rooms which are not yet finished. On the ceiling of one of them was a painting
of the Queen.
In the last was a great painting
of the antlers of a stag, below which the following words were to be read: Le vray Portrait du Cerf dans le
Chateau d'Amboise en France.
Lequel a onze pieds de hauteur & neuf de largeur & cinq pieds & demy
d'Espace entre les deux branches.
Downstairs we saw two small rooms with about sixty 156 superbly fine paintings. Among them were several excellent perspective-pieces and also a vastly elegant and well-painted picture of
Christ and St
John as two small children.
There was also an incomparable night-scene on
the door. They say that these paintings were collected by King William.
After this we were taken into a room of moderate
size in which are to be seen paintings of the nine so-called Beauties of England or Dames of Queen Mary. They are all done life-size but are remarkable neither for
beauty of appearance nor for the execution of the artist. Madame
Kent is the best of all.
When we had seen all the sights of the palace we
went to get a meal and then drove in the afternoon to RICHMONTRichmond, which lies on a fairly high hill in truly agreeable country by
the Thames, though the prospect from Hampstead is yet more charming. The spring, the
Assembly Room and other public rooms for those taking the waters lie rather low down
in the direction of the town and are most elegant buildings. The place itself is
tolerably pleasant. One can take one's diversion here, as in all such places and
medicinal springs in England, and the life is
fairly unconstrained. We remained here so long that we set off for London quite late in the evening in considerable
terror of being robbed. For the footpads know that people return to London very late from such places, so the roads are
very unsafe. It is no small scandal that in so mighty a realm and such a capital one
can feel no security even in the vicinity of the town. It is even the less to be wondered at since such robberies take
place at night in the town itself and even in
the neighbourhood of St James' Palace.
[... The following is a selection ...]
[25 Oct 1710. Kensington Palace]On the morning of 25 Oct. we drove to
Kensington. The house is not very large but
new and regular, having many handsome and well-furnished rooms.
In several we saw various
157
pictures of Holbein and other fine
paintings, of which the Birth of Christ, a
night-piece, and the Sacrifice of Elijah were
the most elegant.
We saw also here a barometer of Tompion with a round disc as a clock.
We were taken into a room where
paintings of the English admirals,
fourteen of them, were hung.
This opened into a small room in which were portraits of the four
Indian kings who some time ago paid a visit
to London.
In another we saw a curious screen
before the fireplace, on which there were all manner of Indian birds in relief with their natural feathers stuck on it.
The so-called Great Hall is narrow and long but adorned with handsome paintings. Above the
chimney-piece in this room stands an anemoscope.
The paintings in this room are
fifty-nine in number. By the door is a large painting by Tintoretto with several nude figures. Over one door is the
Beheading of St John and over the other a Cupid drawing his bow, both remarkably well
painted. There are, moreover, several portraits by famous artists, some
perspective-pieces, a Lucretia, a Susanna, which are all very excellent.
In one corner stands a curious striking clock with a fine black case ornamented with gilt
figures. The clock does not only tell the time but also the course of the sun.
Above stands the knight St. George in silver-gilt of the most excellent workmanship. We were told that it was presented to King William by the Frenchman who made it, and that the latter received a hundred guineas
for it.
On the table lay a small box of amber with several figures on it, extremely well wrought.
The paintings hung high on the walls all
round the room are of little
account.
In one corner was the bust of a Moor very well done from life—made, indeed, of nothing but coloured stones, with great skill.
In another room we saw a prodigiously fine bed of red velvet and costly stuffs;
in yet another, in which hung
the Czar's portrait,
was a most curious clock,
of which a description with copper engravings
158has appeared in London. It has four great round dials, in the middle being a
small one showing the hours. Above one sees the course of the sun and moon according
to Ptolemy's system and next it the system of
Copernicus, with the course of all the
planets. The lowest discs have all manner of special divisions. In one of these was
written: Samuel Watson, now in London; and in the other: Coventriae fecit.
In most of the rooms stood very elegant inlaid
tables. The garden round this palace is large, and in it hedges alternate with
lawns, yews and flower-beds. The prospect from this garden and the zoological garden
next it is most agreeable. On the left hand is the orangery, which is very well and
elegantly planned in a straight line with round vaulted chambers at either end. The
shrubs were for the most part laurels, but among them were some fine plants. There
are no statues here, and only a very wretched and paltry fountain and some mere
basins. The walks are extraordinarily large and handsome, especially the middle one.
The open space, which is laid out like an amphitheatre, is vastly elegant, though
the hedges and bushes on both sides are not fully grown. After we had seen all we
drove back to London.
[25 Oct 1710. Afternoon visit to the coffee shop]
In the afternoon we visited some bookshops and intended to wait on a mathematician
called Rohly, but we did not find him at home.
In the evening we had much conversation at the coffee-house. Herr Karger spoke of the famous Joh. Joachim Becher, who had planned and laid out the waterworks here,
being, however, wretchedly paid for it. Generally he was highly respected and had
earned a great deal of money; but he had been such a rake that he had died quite
poor and his daughter was even now in service as a maid at the house of a
schoolmaster in London. When the conversation
turned on books and the libraries here, Herr
Karger assured us that there were several connoisseurs who collected with
so little wit that he had seen with his own
159eyes how a noble lord, taking a piece of
string from his pocket, had measured off a row of books (most of the books in the
shops here being tied together in bundles) and bargained for them by the yard or
ell, without glancing at their titles or contents. Baron von Nimptsch told us that the author of The True Born Englishman and the RevieuwReview of London had been pilloried because these works were such bitter
satires against England. We also heard that Herr Hautsch of Nürnberg could make steel red-hot in his forge. First he forges a piece
of good steel a finger thick, square and with pointed end. He lets it get red-hot in
the coals and lie there until they have burnt out and become cold. Then he gives
rapid blows with the hammer at all the four corners as if he wished to weld it
towards the point, and thus it becomes red-hot. But, as I said, the steel must be
constantly turned and the blows follow each other with great swiftness. We also
learnt the following experiments and pieces of artifice: If one dissolves a grain of
phosphori in two ounces of spiritus vini rectificatiff. and lets fall only two
drops of this solution into a glass containing a thimbleful of spring water, a
brightly gleaming vapour will result, which remains for a long time if the glass is
immediately sealed with cucumber. Again, if one takes a ducat or plate of silver and
places on it a piece of good glass and allows the ducat or silver to become red-hot
over coals, fine plana convexa vitra will be
formed. Moreover, if one distils oleum vitrioli and
nitrum and mixes this spiritum with oleo caryophyllorum or
cinnamomi, a bright flame will result. If no
more than a few drops of the olei caryophyllorum
are let fall on cotton-wool and it is placed in the distilled solution described
above, it will catch fire all the better. To prepare phosphorum so that it may be used without harm and not burn, take an
ounce of liquid aloes in a vessel and place this in
hot water (this prevents it being set on fire); add to it half a fifth of phosphori, stir energetically
160and then everything can be
smeared with it without danger of burning, and this without lessening the effect of
the phosphorus. Again: if one buys pulverised emerald mineral or stone from the
apothecary and, mixing or rubbing it with gum, paints or smears anything with it,
this will gleam strongly; but it must only be painted on copper or sheet-iron, and a
lamp should be held below during the process, so that the metal may be warm. It has
an excellent effect, gleaming most elegantly, and it does not wear off. At last Herr
Benedetti came and showed us the following handsome gold medals. One, on which was
Caesaris Caput
velatum with the superscription: Caesar Cos.
Ter.; on the reverse: Scrupulum; with
the inscription: A Hirtius Pr. (i.e Praetor);
this he valued at fifteen guineas. A Caput August laureatum. Inscription:
Caesar Augustus Divi F. Pate Patriae. Reverse:
Cajus & Lucius cum clypeis. Inscription
Princ. Juvent. below C. L. Caesar. Finally
Herr Karp showed us yet another rare book
entitled: A Centuns of the, names and Scantlings of such
inventions as at present &c., by Worcester, London
1663, in duod. In it were described all kinds
of excellent inventions and machines invented by this man Worcester. [*]EDWARD SOMERSET, second
Marquis of Worcester (1610-1667), the general, politician and inventor, who
was sharply criticized by Robert
Hooke. Baron von
Nimptsch protested, moreover that the Duke
of Buckingham had in his possession
several other sketches of all kinds of machines invented by till above-mentioned
author, which he had himself drawn but never published.
[26 Oct 1710. Visit to the physic garden of the Society of Apothecaries]
On 26 Oct., Sunday afternoon, we first
drove to Chelsea in order to see Mylord Renlo's [*]RENLO. The house of Richard Earl of Ranelagh, built in 1691; it was destroyed in 1805. house
there; this, however we were unable to do as he was himself residing there at the
moment. So we drove back and went into the herb garden of
161the London apothecaries. It is fairly large and made vastly pleasant
by the fine clipped hedges and all manner of figures of yew. But they were not able
to show us many curious and rare plants. The green-house also is small and wretched,
with few plants in it. In the garden itself are one or two tolerably high and
well-grown cedars of Lebanon, which are more or
less similar to our fir-trees, but thicker and with closer needles. We saw,
moreover, a cucumber-tree, whose bark forms the cucumbers that are used as stoppers.
It resembled a lime-tree with three knots or crowns.
From hence we went somewhat
further up into the coffee-house famed for its curiosities. It looks more like a
museum of art and natural curiosities than a coffee-house. For both standing round
the walls and hanging from the ceiling are all manner of exotic beasts, such as
crocodiles and
turtles,
as well as Indian and other strange costumes and weapons.
It is a pity that these things, of which many are truly curious, should hang there in
the tobacco smoke and become spoilt. In the evening we were with our usual circle in
the Paris coffee-house; among other matters we
heard from Herr Kerchern that if tin is well
rubbed with Cyprian vitriol and saliva, it looks like copper.
[... The following is a selection ...]
172
[30 Oct 1710. Visit with Dr. Woodward]
On the morning of 30 Oct. we again
waited on Dr Woodward, this being the fifth
occasion. At last we found him at home, though we were taken into an anteroom. After
we had waited there for a good quarter of an hour he sent his apprentice to ask our
names. It was another quarter of an hour before he returned to say that his master
was still in bed, having been up somewhat late on the preceding night; and would not
get up for another half-hour and inquired whether we wished to wait so long. We left
our interpreter and servant there, so that, as soon as it was convenient to the
gentleman to see us, they might fetch us from the nearest coffee-house, where in the
meantime we might drink a cup of coffee. As soon as one of them came and told us to
come, we went without any delay, but had to wait again in the anteroom for nearly
half an hour. At last we were fetched by the apprentice and led through two rooms
into the presence of this high and mighty doctor. He stood there stiffly in his silk
dressing-gown and in a vastly forced manner with rolling eyes asked us who we were
and where we came from. But when we requested to see his collection he made excuses,
saying that in half an hour's time he had a consultation with one of his patients
which could not possibly be delayed; so he prayed us to come the next afternoon at
three o'clock. Although we had now become somewhat indignant and pointed out that we
had so often waited on him in vain, he said: 'It is impossible at the moment.' But
when we were about to go he entreated us to delay a little, calling out to his
apprentice: 'Make hast,' so that we thought he meant to offer us chocolate, as was
his habit. For we had been told by Dr Karger
and others that he is accustomed to honour all strangers in this way, presenting it,
indeed, with such ridiculous airs and graces that one can scarce prevent
173oneself
from laughing. For he gives the boy a hundred orders until the chocolate is brought.
To our disgust we also had to listen to all this cackle for a good half-hour. But on
this occasion we were not to have the honour of drinking with him, for although the
apprentice brought a silver jug and a cloth, it was only for the purpose of shaving,
so that we might be favoured with this sight. We had already heard of more than four
strangers who had been treated in the same way. We therefore declined with thanks
and, saying that we would not delay him, took our departure, although he went on
praying us to remain a little longer.
[... The following is a selection ...]
176
[30 Oct 1710. Return visit to Dr. Woodward]In the afternoon we again drove to Dr Woodward's,
where we at last attained our object of seeing his things. He again after his manner
kept us waiting for a good half-hour in the anteroom, afterwards regretting that we
had not arrived on the stroke and come half an hour earlier. This is the
discourteous little ceremony that this affected and pedantic mountebank makes a
habit of going through with all strangers who wait on him. He first showed us a
considerable number of all manner of lapidibus
pretiosis, which are to be found here and there in England. After this we saw some minerals and then the petrefacta, which are the most
177elegant of all his
collections. He had not a vastly amazing quantity of them, but they were choice and
handsome.
Among other things he showed us shells filled and partly encrusted with
all kinds of stones, even with the hardest flints.
We found especially curious the
collection illustrating prodigiously elegantly the whole generation of shells from
beginning to end in complete sequence.
He had also many varieties of stones figured
with all kinds of plants.
Further, shells encrusted with all manner of metals and
minerals, part of them being also entirely filled with them. Among the latter were a
large quantity of fine cornua Hammonis.
He had a
cupboard filled with all sorts of urns and ancient vases.
In another were large
mineral-snails and great cornua Hammonis, which
were certainly handsome, though their size did not equal those we saw in Limburg at Herr
Reimer's.
In a cabinet he had a considerable number of manuscripts
dealing with English natural philosophy, which,
so he told us, he had for the most part written himself. As he shut this cabinet he
said that he would now prove to us that he was not 'idle'. We could not immediately
recall the meaning of the word in English and thought, from the pronunciation, that
he meant to say that he was not 'eitel' (vain). Since he was making such a boast of
his own works we could scarce restrain our laughter. Among these books was a volume
in which he had had all his shells tolerably well drawn. Further, an elegant
herbarium vivum Anglicanum collected by him,
where the plants were extraordinarily fresh and well preserved.
In another room in a
lacquered cabinet he had a tolerable collection of all manner of shells, where we
saw one vastly curious thing, namely the Muscovy vegetable sheep, which is described
in detail by Adam Olearius in his
book
of travels. It was not quite a span high, light brown, and the wool did
not so much resemble ordinary long wool as the fibres that grow in a reed, though
they are somewhat more
178woolly and have longer hair, as you might say; this plant
takes nourishment through the feet that it has in place of roots. This was one of
the greatest curiosities that we saw here, or, indeed, in the whole of our travels.
Dr Woodward showed us all his things with
such affected gestures and rolling eyes that we could not restrain our laughter,
although he dislikes this just as much as being interrupted; indeed he requires
everyone to hang on his words like an oracle, assenting to and extolling everything.
One has to listen ad nauseam to his opinions
de diluvio & generatione antediluviana & lapidum
postdiluviana. He recites whole pages of his writings, accompanying
them with continuous encomiums. The most ridiculous thing of all is that he never
ceases looking at himself in the mirrors, of which several hang in each room. In
every respect he behaves like a female and an insolent fool. For a pedant he is much
too gallant and elaborate. He is a man in the thirties, unmarried, but criminis non facile nominandi suspectus. Very ridiculous
stories are told of him, and Herr Erndel gave
a most diverting account of him in his Epistle de
itinere Anglicano. This angered him greatly, and he is continually
railing against this German. It is thought that for this reason he has taken a
dislike to Germans and raises a great many difficulties about showing them his
things, which was certainly our experience.
[... The following is a selection ...]
185[Visit with Hans Sloane]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
186
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
188and 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.