Tournefort in 1700, to travel into Greece, Afia, and Africa. He was likewife ordered to write as often as he could to the Count de Pontchartrain, who procured him all poffible Accommodations in his Voyage.

M. Tournefort, accompanied by M. Gundelfcheimer, a confiderable Phyfician, and by M. Aubriet, an eminent Painter, paffed as far as the Frontiers of Perfia, gathering Simples, and making Obfervations all the Way. Other Travellers go by Sea as much as they can, because the Sea has more Conveniencies; and when they go by Land, they chuse the most beaten Roads: Contrariwife, M. Tournefort and his Companions went by Sea as little as poffible, and on Land they always chofe untrodden-Paths, and struck into Places, till then deemed impracticable. You will by and by read, with a Pleasure mixed with Horror, an Account of their Descent into the Grotto of Antiparos; that is to fay, into three or four frightful Abyffes one under another. M. Tournefort was highly delighted to fee therein a new kind of Garden, whofe Plants were all different Pieces of growing Marble, and which, according to all the Circumftances their Formation was attended with, must needs have vegetated.

In vain had Nature withdrawn herself into fuch deep and inacceffible Places to work on the Vegetation of Stones: these bold Curiofo's of ours caught her, one may fay, in the very Fact.

Africa was comprised in the Defign of M. Tournefort's Voyage; but the Plague then raging in Egypt, obliged him to return from Smyrna into France in 1702. This was the firft Obftacle that put a ftop to his Progress. He came home, as was faid by a great Wit on a brighter, though lefs ufeful Occafion, laden with the spoils of the Eaft. He brought away, befides an Infinity of different Obfervations, 1356 new Species of Plants, great Part whereof came

naturally

naturally under fome one of the 673 Genera, he had eftablished for all the reft he was obliged to create but twenty-five new Genera, without any Increase of Claffes; and this fhews the Conveniency of a Syftem, wherein fo many exotick unexpected Plants, fo easily entered. Of these he made his Corollarium Inftitutionum Rei Herbaria, printed in 1703.

When he was returned to Paris, he had Thoughts of refuming the Practice of Phyfick, which he had facrificed to his Voyage into the Levant, at a Time when he began to be at the Top of the Profeffion. Experience fhews, that in all Things which depend on the publick Taste, especially in this Kind, Interruptions are dangerous: the Approbation of Men must be forced, and requires nothing less than perfevering to the End. Mr. Tournefort therefore found it no eafy Matter to renew the Thread he had dropt; befides, he was obliged to perform his former Exercises belonging to the Royal Garden to these he joined alfo thofe of the Royal College, where he had the Place of Profeffor in Medicine; the Functions. of the Academy too required fome time: laftly, he was defirous to perfect the Relation of his Voyage into the Levant, of which he had only made a rough Draught, intelligible to none but himself. The Hurry and Labours of the Day, which made the Repose of the Night more neceffary to him, did on the contrary oblige him to pass the Night in other Labours and if one may fo fay, it was his Misfortune to be of a ftrong Conftitution, which allowed him to take a great deal on himself for a long Time together, without feeling any fenfible Inconvenience. But at length his Health began to fail, and yet he did not favour himfelf e'er the more. When he was in this bad State, he happened to receive a very violent contufion on his Breaft, which he prefently conceived would fhorten his Days. He languifhed

a few

a few Months, and then died, the 28th of December 1708.

By his laft Will and Teftament he bequeathed to the King his Cabinet of Curiofities, for the Ufe of the Learned his Books of Botany he left to the Abbot Bignon. This fecond Article, no less than the firft, demonftrates his Love of the Sciences: 'tis making a Present to the Sciences, to make one to him that watches over them fo carefully, and favours them fo tenderly.

In the Relation of his Voyage into the Levant, you will find, befides all the Learning we have hitherto represented M. Tournefort to be Mafter of, a vaft Knowledge of Ancient and Modern Hiftory, and an unbounded Erudition, which we have faid nothing of, fo far are our Elogiums from Flattery, One prevailing Quality oftentimes makes us overlook others, which yet deserve their Share of Praise, and to be fet in a proper Light,

VOL. I.

1

The

The CONTENTS of the Letters in the

First Volume.

HE Occafion and Defign of this Voyage. page 1

TH

Defcription of the Islands of Argentiere, Milo, Si-

phanto, and Serpho.

LET. V.

152

Description of the Islands of Antiparos, Paros, and

Naxia.

LE T. VI.

197

Defcription of the Islands of Stenofa, Nicouria, Amor-

gos, Caloyero, Cheiro, Skinofa, Raclia, Nio,

Šikino, Policandro, Santorin, Nanfio, Mycone.

LET. VII.

241

Defcription of the Islands of Delos.

302

A

PONTUS

Penderachs

or Heraclea

or

Angoral