Page:Reflections upon ancient and modern learning (IA b3032449x).pdf/300

 which is the only Political Use that I know of that is to be learnt by Travel. What other Advantages might have been made, is hard to tell, unless such as may conduce to the Compleating of Natural History; the Benefits whereof are agreed upon of all Hands to be very great. The Subject now before me is Botanics, which has been so far from being neglected, that all imaginable Care has been taken to compleat it. Monsieur Van Rheed, the noble Collector of the Plants that are so magnificently printed in the Eleven Volumes of the Hortus Malabaricus, has added more to the Number of those formerly known, than are to be found in all the Writings of the Ancients. When (o) Prince Maurice of Nassaw, who gave Sir William Temple the wonderful Account of the Parrot which he mentions in his Memoirs, was in Brasil, he ordered Pictures and Descriptions to be taken of all the Beasts, Birds, Fishes and Plants that could be found in that Country: They are now in the Elector of Brandenburgh's Library, fit for the Press. Every Day new Additions are made to this Part of Natural History. Breyniuss, Plukenets, and Herman's Collections, are Modern to those of Clusius, Rauwolfius, and Prosper Alpinus; as theirs are to those of