In A Line On Each Side Of The Gallery Near The Ceiling Is A
Succession Of Portraits In Chronological Order Of The Grand Dukes Of
Tuscany, The Germanic Emperors, The Kings Of France, Of England, Of Spain,
Of Portugal, Of The Popes And Of The Ottoman Emperors.
Among the
antiquities I particularly noticed a large steel mirror and a Roman Eagle
in bronze of the 24th Legion.
Having passed full four hours in this Museum, I descended the steps,
crossed the Arno and repaired to the building in which is preserved the
Cabinet d'Histoire Naturelle. In this Museum what is most remarkable are
the imitations in wax of the whole anatomy of the human body. It is the
first collection of its kind; indeed it is unique in Europe. These
imitations are kept in glass cases and are so true and so perfectly correct
as to leave nothing to desire to the student in anatomy. These imitations
in wax not only include all the details of anatomy, but also the progress
of generation, gestation, and of almost every malady to which the human
body is liable. They are of a frightful exactitude. There are likewise in
this Museum imitations in wax of various plants and shrubs exotic as well
as indigenous and the collection of stuffed birds, beasts and fishes and
that of insects, mineralogy and conchology scarcely yields to the
collection at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris. Neither here nor at the
Florentine gallery are fees allowed to be taken; on the contrary a strict
prohibition of them is posted up in the French, Italian, German and English
languages.
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