Corsi Collection of Decorative Stones

Preface to the Supplement

[suppl.p3] At the beginning of the current month January, the collection described in my catalogue, published in 1825, was visited by the Honourable Stephen Jarrett of England who became so charmed with it, that he decided to acquire and make a gift of the collection to the celebrated University of Oxford. He wished to increase the size of the collection, and ordered me to add to the nine hundred specimens forming the collection, another hundred bringing the whole to one thousand. There are only very few Italian marbles among the new specimens, for I was not able in so short a time to fill the commission in any place, except near Rome where the greater part of the marbles are antique. The praiseworthy Mr. Jarrett wished that the description forming the supplement and the following catalogue should be published at his expense. Here it is, but as there is no new species among the last stones [suppl.p4] I have only described their varieties, which in truth are very interesting. I have added to the descriptions of the stains and colours of each stone such information as I have thought opportune, and also indicated the grade of rarity. Finally I have made a new list of all the varieties of the one thousand stones, which form the entire collection.