The Works of Sir Thomas Browne Volume III Part 32

That is, When African Countries shall no longer make it a common Trade to sell away the people to serve in the drudgery of American Plantations. And that may come to pa.s.s when ever they shall be well civilized, and acquainted with Arts and Affairs sufficient to employ people in their Countries: if also they should be converted to Christianity, but especially unto Mahometism; for then they would never sell those of their Religion to be Slaves unto Christians.

_When_ Batavia _the Old shall be contemn'd by the New._

When the Plantations of the Hollanders at _Batavia_ in the _East Indies_, and other places in the _East Indies_, shall, by their conquests and advancements, become so powerfull in the Indian Territories; Then their Original Countries and States of _Holland_ are like to be contemned by them, and obeyed onely as they please. And they seem to be in a way unto it at present by their several Plantations, new acquists and enlargements: and they have lately discovered a part of the Southern Continent, and several places which may be serviceable unto them, when ever time shall enlarge them unto such necessities.

_And a new Drove of Tartars shall_ China _subdue._

Which is no strange thing if we consult the Histories of _China_, and successive Inundations made by Tartarian Nations. For when the Invaders, in process of time, have degenerated into the effeminacy and softness of the Chineses, then they themselves have suffered a new Tartarian Conquest and Inundation. And this hath happened from time beyond our Histories: for, according to their account, the famous Wall of _China_, built against the irruptions of the Tartars, was begun above a hundred years before the Incarnation.

_When_ America _shall cease to send forth its treasure, But employ it at home for American Pleasure._

That is, When _America_ shall be better civilized, new policied and divided between great Princes, it may come to pa.s.s that they will no longer suffer their Treasure of Gold and Silver to be sent out to maintain the Luxury of _Europe_ and other parts: but rather employ it to their own advantages, in great Exploits and Undertakings, magnificent Structures, Wars or Expeditions of their own.

_When the new World shall the old invade._

That is, When _America_ shall be so well peopled, civilized and divided into Kingdoms, they are like to have so little regard of their Originals, as to acknowledge no subjection unto them: they may also have a distinct commerce between themselves, or but independently with those of _Europe_, and may hostilely and pyratically a.s.sault them, even as the Greek and Roman Colonies after a long time dealt with their Original Countries.

_When Men shall almost pa.s.s to_ Venice _by Land, Not in deep Waters but from Sand to Sand._

That is, When, in long process of time, the Silt and Sands shall so choak and shallow the Sea in and about it. And this hath considerably come to pa.s.s within these fourscore years; and is like to encrease from several causes, especially by the turning of the River _Brenta_, as the learned _Castelli_ hath declared.

_When_ Nova Zembla _shall be no stay Unto those who pa.s.s to or from_ Cathay.

That is, When ever that often sought for Northeast pa.s.sage unto _China_ and _j.a.pan_ shall be discovered; the hindrance whereof was imputed to _Nova Zembla_; for this was conceived to be an excursion of Land shooting out directly, and so far Northward into the Sea that it discouraged from all Navigation about it. And therefore Adventurers took in at the Southern part at a strait by _Waygatz_ next the Tartarian Sh.o.r.e: and, sailing forward they found that Sea frozen and full of Ice, and so gave over the attempt. But of late years, by the diligent enquiry of some Moscovites, a better discovery is made of these parts, and a Map or Chart made of them. Thereby _Nova Zembla_ is found to be no Island extending very far Northward; but, winding Eastward, it joineth to the Tartarian Continent, and so makes a _Peninsula_: and the Sea between it which they entred at _Waygatz_, is found to be but a large Bay, apt to be frozen by reason of the great River of _Oby_, and other fresh Waters, entring into it: whereas the main Sea doth not freez upon the North of _Zembla_ except near unto Sh.o.r.es; so that if the Moscovites were skilfull Navigatours they might, with less difficulties, discover this pa.s.sage unto _China_: but however the English, Dutch and Danes are now like to attempt it again.

But this is Conjecture, and not Prophecy: and so (I know) you will take it. I am,

_Sir_, etc.

MUSaeUM CLAUSUM

or

Bibliotheca Abscondita:

Containing some remarkable Books, Antiquities, Pictures and Rarities of several kinds, scarce or never seen by any man now living.

TRACT XIII

SIR,

With many thanks I return that n.o.ble Catalogue of Books, Rarities and Singularities of Art and Nature, which you were pleased to communicate unto me. There are many Collections of this kind in _Europe_. And, besides the printed accounts of the _Musaeum Aldrovandi_, _Calceolarianum_, _Moscardi_, _Wormianum_; the _Casa Abbellitta_ at _Loretto_, and _Threasor_ of S. _Dennis_, the _Repository_ of the Duke of _Tuscany_, that of the Duke of _Saxony_, and that n.o.ble one of the Emperour at _Vienna_, and many more are of singular note. Of what in this kind I have by me I shall make no repet.i.tion, and you having already had a view thereof, I am bold to present you with the List of a Collection, which I may justly say you have not seen before.

The t.i.tle is, as above,

_Musaeum Clausum_, or _Bibliotheca Abscondita: containing some remarkable Books, Antiquities, Pictures and Rarities of several kinds, scarce or never seen by any man now living_.

1. Rare and generally unknown Books.

A poem of _Ovidius Naso_, written in the Getick Language,[282] during his exile at _Tomos_, found wrapt up in Wax at _Sabaria_, on the Frontiers of _Hungary_, where there remains a tradition that he died, in his return towards _Rome_ from _Tomos_, either after his pardon or the death of _Augustus_.

[282] _Ah pudet et scripsi Getico sermone Libellum._

2. The Letter of _Quintus Cicero_, which he wrote in answer to that of his Brother _Marcus Tullius_, desiring of him an account of _Britany_, wherein are described the Country, State and Manners of the Britains of that Age.

3. An Ancient British Herbal, or description of divers Plants of this Island, observed by that famous Physician _Scribonius Largus_, when he attended the Emperour _Claudius_ in his expedition into _Britany_.

4. An exact account of the Life and Death of _Avicenna_ confirming the account of his Death by taking nine Clysters together in a fit of the Colick; and not as _Marius_ the Italian Poet delivereth, by being broken upon the Wheel; left with other Pieces by _Benjamin Tudelensis_, as he travelled from _Saragossa_ to _Jerusalem_, in the hands of _Abraham Jarchi_, a famous Rabbi of _Lunet_ near _Montpelier_, and found in a Vault when the Walls of that City were demolished by _Lewis_ the Thirteenth.

5. A punctual relation of _Hannibal's_ march out of _Spain_ into _Italy_, and far more particular than that of _Livy_, where about he pa.s.sed the River _Rhoda.n.u.s_ or _Rhosne_; at what place he crossed the _Isura_ or _L'isere_; when he marched up toward the confluence of the _Sone_ and the _Rhone_, or the place where the City _Lyons_ was afterward built; how wisely he decided the difference between King _Brancus_ and his Brother, at what place he pa.s.sed the _Alpes_, what Vinegar he used, and where he obtained such quant.i.ty to break and calcine the Rocks made hot with Fire.

6. A learned Comment upon the _Periplus_ of _Hanno_ the Carthaginian, or his Navigation upon the Western Coast of _Africa_, with the several places he landed at; what Colonies he settled, what Ships were scattered from his Fleet near the aequinoctial Line, which were not afterward heard of, and which probably fell into the Trade Winds, and were carried over into the Coast of _America_.

7. A particular Narration of that famous Expedition of the English into _Barbary_ in the ninety fourth year of the _Hegira_, so shortly touched by _Leo Africa.n.u.s_, whither called by the Goths they besieged, took and burnt the City of _Arzilla_ possessed by the Mahometans, and lately the seat of _Gayland_; with many other exploits delivered at large in Arabick, lost in the Ship of Books and Rarities which the King of _Spain_ took from _Siddy Hamet_ King of _Fez_, whereof a great part were carried into the _Escurial_, and conceived to be gathered out of the relations of _Hibnu Nachu_, the best Historian of the African Affairs.

8. A Fragment of _Pythaeas_ that ancient Traveller of _Ma.r.s.eille_; which we suspect not to be spurious, because, in the description of the Northern Countries, we find that pa.s.sage of _Pythaeas_ mentioned by _Strabo_, that all the Air beyond _Thule_ is thick, condensed and gellied, looking just like Sea Lungs.

9. A _Sub Marine_ Herbal, describing the several Vegetables found on the Rocks, Hills, Valleys, Meadows at the bottom of the Sea, with many sorts of _Alga_, _Fucus_, _Quercus_, _Polygonum_, _Gramens_ and others not yet described.

10. Some Ma.n.u.scripts and Rarities brought from the Libraries of _aethiopia_, by _Zaga Zaba_, and afterward transported to _Rome_, and scattered by the Souldiers of the Duke of _Bourbon_, when they barbarously sacked that City.

11. Some Pieces of _Julius Scaliger_, which he complains to have been stoln from him, sold to the Bishop of _Mende_ in _Languedock_, and afterward taken away and sold in the Civil Wars under the Duke of _Rohan_.

12. A Comment of _Dioscorides_ upon _Hyppocrates_, procured from _Constantinople_ by _Amatus Lusita.n.u.s_, and left in the hands of a Jew of _Ragusa_.

13. _Marcus Tullius Cicero_ his Geography; as also a part of that magnified Piece of his _De Republica_, very little answering the great expectation of it, and short of Pieces under the same name by _Bodinus_ and _Tholosa.n.u.s_.