However, many of the settlers became restless, and with mutiny in the air, one boat was sent back to France with the most unhappy among them. Nevertheless, others became dissatisfied and left with their boats. Local Indians turned against the settlers and refused to continue supplying provisions, leading to near starvation. Next, another fleet arrived from France, and Laudonniere was informed that French authorities now questioned his loyalty and were removing him as Florida Governor. This was followed by the arrival of the Spanish fleet, which attacked their fort and killed many of the settlers. Laudonniere and a few others managed to escape into the woods. They made their way to a French ship, abandoning the colony and attempting to return to France. However, the ship was driven onto the English coast in a storm. Laudonniere had to spend time in England before finally making it back to France, where he was coldly received. He spent the remainder of his life in retirement in France. Laudonniere's book, published in 1586, is L'Histoire notable de la Floride... Item 24. $120,000.

From French attempts at colonization we turn to the more successful Spanish endeavors. This title is Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva Espana, by Bernal Diaz del Castillo. Diaz accompanied noted conquistador Hernan Cortes in his sweep through Central America. He was an eyewitness to many historic events, including Cortes' meeting with Montezuma. Thomas-Scheler describes this book as "the most prominent source for all historiographers writing on this subject [Cortes' conquest] ever since its publication." Diaz wrote his book many years after the conquest, but died in 1584 unpublished. The original manuscript was finally published in 1632. Item 17. $30,000.

Item 22 is Dell Uso e dell Arco Conduttore nelle Contrazioni dei Muscoli, by Luigi Galvani. Galvani discovered something that every beginning biology student has learned in his or her lab. He discovered that electrical forces could move animal tissues. This is the finding you recreated when you touched a battery to a dead frog and watched its legs twitch. Before Galvani, no one knew about this. Galvani's name is memorialized in the term "galvanize," whose origin you probably did not know until now. His book was published in 1794. $25,000.

Librairie Thomas-Scheler can be reached by phone at +33 1 43 26 97 69 or by email at basane@thomas-scheler.fr.