much after the English fashion, with wooden houses. I saw St. Voluhran's church, which hath a most stately front with two steeples in it, and a great deal of neat carving both in the stone and in the wood [of] the gates. I layd this night at Pois, a small towne.

April 20. I got to Beauvais, time enough (if I had listed) to heare masse; however, I went to see St. Pierre's church, which is an extream high one, and very stately. The North and South ends are most noble, the church paved with marble, checquered with stone there is is no building westward, beyond the cross isle, which makes the church but short; but if there were a body answerable to the rest, I think it might compare with most churches in Christendome. This night I layd at Tilierre. This day was the first day in which I saw vineyards, pilgrims, or was sprinkled with holy water.

Wee roade this day divers times beteewn rowes of apple trees a great waye; they are likewise set here orderly as the cherrytrees in Kent. Most of the country betwixt Calais and Paris is open, and sewen with corn, so as wee had fine prospects upon the top of every hill.

April 11, St. v. 21, stylo novo. Wee bayted at Beaumont, where after dinner each of us gave a messenger trente solz, for his care of us in our journey.

This after noon wee rode through St. Dinnis, where there is a noted church, in which are a great manye stately tombes of the Kings of France and other nobles. About four of the

clock wee entered Paris, just by Maison des Enfans Trouvés, so through Fauxbourg St. Denis, and other places to the sighne of Ville de Soissons, dans rüe de la Vererie, where the messenger lodges. This night I walked about to see Pont Neuf, upon which standes a noble copper statua of Henry the fourth, the statuas of our Saviour, and the Samaritan woman, by a delicat fountain, made in the shape of a huge cockle-shell, which allwayes runs over. I went to Monsieur Michel de Clere, who lives in Rüe de Chevalier de Guet, and tooke an hundred liures of him, I went and hired a chamber in Rüe St. Zacharie for 7 liures par mois, and so, je vous souhaitte le bon soir.

The following unfortunately is the only letter, which has been met with, from Sir Thomas to his son Edward during his Tour in France and Italy. The letter to which it is a reply is wanting.

Dr. Browne to his Son Edward.

DEARE SONNE EDWARD,-I recaived yours of Sep. 23. I am glad you have seene more cutt for the stone, and of different sex and ages; if opportunitie seemeth, you shall doe well to see some more, which will make you well experienced in that great operation, and almost able to performe it yourself upon necessitie, and where none could do it. Take good notice of their instruments, and at least make such a draught thereof, and especially of the dilator and director, that you may hereafter well remember it, and have one made by it. Other operations you may perhaps see, now the sumer is over; as also chymistrie and anatomie, The sicknesse1 being great still, fewe I presume will hasten over. Present my services and thancks unto Dr. Patin. I hope Dr. Wren is still in Paris.2 I should be glad the waters of Bourbon might benefitt Sir Samuel:3 and those of Vic Mr. Trumbull. God bee praysed that you recovered from the small pox, which may now so embolden you, as to take of, at least abate, the sollicitude and fears which others have. Mr. Briot4 may at his pleasure attempt at translation, for though divers short passages bee altered or added, and one [or] two chapters also added, yet there is litle to be expunged or totally left out; and therefore may beginne without finding inconvenience: in my next I will send you some litle directions for a chapter or two to be left out, and

4 Briot. Peter Briot translated a number of English Works into French-a History of Ireland; an Account of the natural productions of England, Scotland, and Wales; Lord's History of the Banians; Ricault's History of the Ottoman Empire. He appears from the present letter, to have had some intention of translating Pseudodoxia Epidemica, but probably abandoned it: for the only French translation I have seen bears the date of 1738, and is from the seventh edition, viz. that of 1672.

a coppy of the third and fourth editions,5 which are all one, as soone as pleaseth God to open an opportunitie. Whatever your gazette sayth, that the Indian fleet, is come in without seeing any of our ships, wee are sure wee have two of their best in England, beside other shipps, making up in all the number of thirtie; and what shipps ether of warre or merchands came home unto them were such as wee could not meet or not watch, having got the start of us: it holds still that the prisoners amount to about three thousand. Wee here also that a caper of twentie gunnes was taken not far from Cromer, last Saturday, by a frigat, after two howers fight. God blesse you; I rest your loving father,

September 22, styl. v. [1665.]

THOMAS BROWNE.

The sicknesse which God so long withheld from us, is now in Norwich. I intend to send your sisters to Claxton, and if it encreaseth, to remove three or four miles of; where I may bee serviceable upon occasion to my friends in other diseases. Paris is a place which hath been least infested with that disease of such populous places in Europe. Write mee word what seale is that you use.

Here we take our leave of the elder son till towards the autumn of 1668, when we shall again find him indulging his roaming propensities in fresh adventures. The following are the only letters which have been preserved from Sir Thomas to the younger son Thomas during his short and brilliant career in the service of his country. He entered the English in the close of 1664, just when the nation was rushing, 5 The third, fol. 1658, but published with Religio Medici, Hydriotaphia, and Garden of Cyrus, in 1659: the fourth, 4to. 1658, with the two latter pieces only.

navy

6 The Dutch East India fleet, of which the greater part reached their own ports in safety, in consequence of the failure of an attack on them in August, 1665, by an English squadron, under Sir Thomas Tyddiman, at Bergen in Norway, where they had taken refuge. Lord Sandwich soon afterwards captured some of the larger Indiamen, and a number of others. Sir Thomas Browne's younger son, Thomas, distinguished himself on board the Foresight, at Bergen.

7 A privateer, or private ship.

with the utmost enthusiasm, into the Dutch war, and when Charles II., to gratify the public eagerness, as well as to further his own views, was making every possible exertion to equip and man a fleet capable of meeting the powerful navy of Holland, assisted, as it was expected to be, by that of France. The moment was auspicious for our young adventurer; who appears to have obtained his commission without delay, and made his first voyage up the Mediterranean on board the Foresight, commanded by Captain Brookes, the brother of Sir Robert Brookes,8 an intimate friend of his father's. He returned in time to join the grand English fleet under the command of James, Duke of York, assisted by Prince Rupert and the Earl of Sandwich; and was present, on the third of June, 1665, at the first great action, off Lowestoft, with the Dutch, under Opdam, which terminated in the total defeat of the enemy, who lost four admirals, seven thousand men, and eighteen ships. Browne had the good fortune soon afterwards to distinguish himself in the unsuccessful attempt made, by Lord Sandwich and Sir Thomas Tyddiman, to seize the two rich Dutch East India fleets which had taken shelter in the neutral Danish harbour of Bergen, on the coast of Norway ;9 and was engaged in the subsequent capture of a portion of those fleets, in September. In the winter of the same year he made his second voyage up the Mediterranean, with Sir Jeremy Smith, during which period Louis XIV. declared war against the English, and fitted out a fleet to assist the States General. Browne, on his return from the Streights, took a share in all the actions of 1666. In the unexpected and unequal conflict between the entire Dutch fleet, under De Ruyter and Van Tromp, and one division of the English fleet, under the Duke of Albermarle, during the unfortunate absence of Prince Rupert with the other divison in quest of the French fleet under the Duke of Beaufort, his ships was in the duke's division. In that furious engagement, and during the subsequent four days' fight in July, after the junction of Prince Rupert, he acquired, as will be seen, a character for the most able con

8 Lord of the Manor of Wanstead, and M.P. for Aldboro', Suffolk. 9 See "Sir Gilbert Talbot's Narrative of the Earl of Sandwich's Attempt upon Bergen in 1665;" from MS. Harl. 6859. Archæologia, xxii. 33.

duct, and the most undaunted bravery. He was present, in the following month, at the destruction of the town of Brandaris, with a hundred and fifty Dutch merchantmen and some line of battleships; and, in the close of the year, was again sent as convoy to the Mediterranean, on board the Marie Rose, in the fleet under Admiral Kempthorne. From thence he returned to Portsmouth in about May, 1667. And here, unfortunately, all traces of him are lost.-The most diligent inquiries have not hitherto enabled me to discover the sequel of his history: a solitary allusion, in a letter written many years after, adverts to him in terms which prove that he had been long dead. But how and when he died, I have, to my great mortification, not as yet been able to ascertain. His career was brief and splendid; but of its close we know nothing. Enough appears, however, to prove, beyond all doubt, that he possessed a character and talents of no ordinary calibre; which, had he not been early cut off, would have secured to him, in the profession he had chosen, a distinction not inferior to that which his amiable father attained through the more quiet paths of philosophy and science.

Dr. Browne to his son Thomas.

Toм,-I presume you are in London, where you may satisfie yourself in the buisinesse; do nothing rashly, but as you find just grounds for your advantage, wch will hardly bee at the best deservings, without good and faythfull friends; no sudden advantage for rawe though dangerous services. There is another and more safe way, whereby Capt. Brookes and others come in credit, by going about 2 yeares before they were capable of places; [with] which I am not well acquainted. God and good friends advise you. Bee sober and complacent. If you cood quit periwigs it would bee better, and more for your credit. If Mr. Rand live in London informe him of Ñed. Hee would teach you Latin quickly, by rule and speech. God blesse you.-Your loving father, TH. BROWNE.

If you are not in hast for the present, it would bee of advantage to learne of Mr. Goulding or others, the practicall mathematicks and use of instruments.