Historical and biographical sketches of the progress of botany in England, from its origin to the introduction of the Linnæan system: By Richard Pulteney, ... [pt.1]

CHAP. 9.

Account of Dodoens, and his Pemptades, as intro|ductory to the Herbal of Gerard—Circumstances of the times favourable to Gerard.

Account of Gerard—The catalogue of his garden—Account of his Herbal; a popular work for more than a century—Contemporary Botanists: Hes|keth—Garet: the correspondent of Clusius—Lete, and others.

GERARD.

LOBEL's writings, howsoever esteem|ed by the learned, having never been translated into English, could not become popular; and, at the conclusion of the six|teenth century, TURNER's book was, pro|bably no less obsolete, than LYTE's was imperfect. These circumstances, conspiring with the growing taste of the times for gar|dening, it may be presumed, incited GE|RARD to undertake his Herbal: a work which maintained its credit and esteem for more than a century; and, pleasing as it is to reflect on the rapid progress and im|provement of Botany, within the last half century, yet there are many now living who

can recollect, that when they were young in science, there was no better source of Bota|nical intelligence, in the English tongue, than the Herbals of GERARD and PARK|INSON.

It has been observed, that the early edi|tion of DODOENS's book, as translated by CLUSIUS, had been the basis of LYTE's Herbal; and, as the last edition of the same author became the foundation of GE|RARD's, this circumstance renders it not unsuitable here to take some notice of an author, although a foreigner, to whom he owed so much of that credit, which has preserved his memory to the present times.

Rembert DODOENS, or DODONAEUS, was born in 1517, near Mechlin in Flanders. He became conspicuous for his various eru|dition when young; was physician for some time to the Emperor Maximilian, and his son Rodolph II. The importunity of his friends procured his dismission from the Emperor's service, and he settled at Ant|werp; was afterwards professor at Leyden, and died in 1586. He wrote on astronomy, geography, and physic; but is remembered

now, principally, by his botanical works. His attachment to this study, and the op|portunities he enjoyed of gratifying it, en|abled him to turn it to the most advantage|ous purposes. He began to publish in 1552, and continued his accessions and improve|ments to the year 1583, when he collected all his writings, on this subject, into one volume, under the following title, "STIR|PIUM HISTORIAE PEMPTADES Sex, sive Libri XXX. Ant. ex officin. Plant." in folio. cum icon. 1341. pp. 872. Each Pemptade is divided into five books.

The 1st comprehends a number of dis|similar plants in alphabetic order.

2. Flower-garden plants; and the um|belliferous tribe.

3. Medicinal roots: purgative plants: climbing and poisonous plants: ferns, mosses, and fungi.

4. Grain: pulse: grasses: water and marsh plants.

5. Edible plants: gourd plants: esculent roots: oleraceous: thistles and spinose plants.

6. Shrubs and trees.

It was reprinted in 1612 and 1616, with

some small additions, and being translated also into Dutch, with great enlargement, became a popular book in that language.

The judicious selection of all that was useful, relating to the supposed plants of the Materia Medica of DIOSCORIDES, and of the Arabians, the introduction of all the new species from CLUSIUS, and other dis|coveries of the time, added to the instruction and embellishment derived from the figures, which exceeded in number those of any preceding author, rendered Dodoens's book useful to the medical profession throughout the world. It still preserves some value, as being referred to by LINNAEUS, for the illustration of the European plants.

As GERARD could not attempt an entire new work, there was then extant no other to which he could give the preference, as a basis to his design; for as such only it must be considered, since the interval of time between the publication of DODO|NAEUS's work in 1583, and the printing of his own "Herbal," had given him opportuni|ties to intersperse large additions, both in exotic, and indigenous Botany. In this in|terval

the science had been augmented, and not less enriched, by the writings of CAE|SALPINUS, in 1583; by the Epitomé of CAMERARIUS, in 1586; by the Historia Lugdunensis of DALECHAMP, in 1587; by the Sylva Harcynia of THALIUS; and es|pecially by the Historia and Icones of TA|BERNAEMONTANUS, in 1588 and 1590.

To these may be added, a number of collateral resources, which the growing commerce and spirit of the times rendered favourable to his purposes. I will briefly mention the following: the Materia Me|dica had, for a series of years, been per|petually augmenting, by a variety of new drugs, which were eagerly sought after, the origin of which, notwithstanding, was in many instances obscure, and in others as yet unknown. At length the publication of GARCIAS ab HORTO on the simples of the East Indies, of MONARDES on those of the West, and afterwards of Christopher à COSTA's book, satisfied, for a time, the impatience of the public.

These authors were translated into Eng|lish. James FRAMPTON, a merchant of

London, who had resided long at Seville, from whence he returned in 1576, trans|lated MONARDES into English the next year, under the title of "Joyful News out of the New Founde World, from the Spa|nish of Monardus," in 4^o. CLUSIUS put GARCIAS ab HORTO into Latin, in 1567; and James GARET had also translated from the Spanish the work of à COSTA. These books were incentives to curiosity; and the thousand novelties which were brought into England by our circumnavigators, RA|LEIGH and CAVENDISH, in 1580 and 1588, excited a degree of attention, which at this day cannot, without the aid of con|siderable recollection, be easily conceived. RALEIGH himself appears to have pos|sessed a larger share of taste for the curious productions of nature, than was common to the seafaring adventurers of that period. And posterity will rank these voyagers among the greatest benefactors to this kingdom, in having been the means, if tradition may be credited, of introducing the most useful root that Providence has held forth for the ser|vice of man. A voyage round the globe, how|soever

familiarized in ours, was in that age a most interesting and fruitful occasion of enquiry.

The return of RALEIGH, and the fame of his manifold discoveries and collections, brought over from the continent the cele|brated CLUSIUS, then in the 55th year of his age. He, who added more to the stock of Botany in his day, than all his contem|poraries united, visited ENGLAND, for the third time, to partake, at this critical junc|ture, in the general gratification.

At this eventful period, GERARD was in the vigour of life, and without doubt felt the influence, and reaped the advantage of all the circumstances I have enumerated.

John GERARD was born at Nantwich, in Cheshire, in the year 1545, and was edu|cated a surgeon. He removed to London, where he obtained the patronage of the great Lord Burleigh, who was himself a lover of plants, and had the best collection in his garden of any nobleman in the king|dom. GERARD had the superintendance of this fine garden, and retained his em|ployment, as he tells us himself, for twenty

years. He lived in Holborn, where also he had a large physic garden of his own; which was probably the first of the kind in Eng|land, for the number and variety of its pro|ductions. It should seem, that in his younger days he had taken a voyage into the Baltic, since he mentions having seen the wild pines growing about Narva.

GERARD appears also to have been fa|voured by the college of physicians, and is highly extolled by Dr. BULLEYN. Both LOBEL, and Dr. BROWNE, physician to the queen, wrote, in Latin, commendatory letters to him, on the publication of his Herbal. He attained to such eminence in his profession, as to be chosen master of the company. He died about the year 1607.

There is a half sheet print of GERARD prefixed to his own edition of the "Her|bal," done in the 53d year of his age, and a small oval one at the bottom of a full half sheet frontispiece, before JOHNSON's edi|tion.

The earliest publication of GERARD was the list of his own garden in Holborn,

under the following title, "Catalogus Ar|borum, Fruticum, ac Plantarum, tam indige|narum quam exoticarum, in horto JOHANNIS GERARDI, civis ac chirurgi Londinensis nas|centium. Impensis J. Norton, 1596." 4^o. and again in 1599.

The first edition was dedicated to Lord BURLEIGH; but that nobleman dying be|fore the publication of the second, it was inscribed to his patron, Sir Walter RA|LEIGH.

This little piece, from the nature of the publication, is become very scarce. I be|lieve there is only a manuscript copy of it in the collection of Sir JOSEPH BANKS.

We are informed, in the life of Dr. BUL|LEYN, that GERARD's Garden contained near eleven hundred sorts of plants, of fo|reign and domestic growth; from whence, says Mr. Oldys,

"it may appear, that our ground would produce other fruits be|sides hips and haws, acorns and pignuts;"

for at this time,

"kitchen-garden wares were imported from Holland, and fruits from France."

There are one thousand

and thirty-three species in this Catalogue, and the following attestation, written by LOBEL, is annexed.

"Herbas, stirpes, frutices, suffrutices, et ar|busculas hoc catalogo recensitas, quamplurimas ac fere omnes me vidisse Londini in horto Jo|hanni GERARDI, chirurgi et botanici per|optimi (non enim omnes eodem sed variis tem|poribus anni pullulascunt, enascuntur et flo|rent). Attestor Matthias De LOBELL, ipsis calendis Junii 1596."

In 1597, came out his "HERBAL, or GENERAL HISTORY OF PLANTS;" printed by John Norton, in folio; and some authors mention another impression in 1599.

That the foundation of this work was a translation of DODOENS's Herbal, a compa|rison of the two ascertains beyond a doubt. LOBEL, both in his animadversions on RON|DELETIUS, and in his Stirpium Illustratio|nes, informs us, that Dr. PRIEST, at the expence of Mr. Norton, had been engaged to make a translation of DODONAEUS's Pemp|tades; and, dying soon after he had finished it, the manuscript came into GERARD's

hands; who has been censured for having endeavoured to conceal his possessing these papers, and for assuming to himself the me|rit of the translation, when it is generally agreed, that his knowledge of the Latin language was not equal to such an under|taking. LOBEL, indeed, judged the same of Dr. PRIEST, and points out instances of his insufficiency. It must, however, be al|lowed, that GERARD is not backward in confessing his want of skill in the learned languages. LOBEL farther informs us, that when the work was in the press, and that part of the first book printed relating to grasses, his friend, James GARET, a person eminently skilled in flowers and exotics, ad|monished Norton of some gross errors; on which, the printer engaged LOBEL to su|perintend the work; that he actually did correct it "in a thousand places;" and that there were many other mistakes, which GERARD would not allow him to alter, alleging that it was sufficiently correct, and that

"LOBEL had forgotten the English language."

In order further to conceal his plagiarism,

LOBEL adds, that he has inverted the distri|bution of the chapters in DODOENS's book, and adopted that of the Adversaria. This may be considered as a futile objection, and even turned into an approbation of LOBEL's method; but he charges him also with largely plundering the Adversaria, without any acknowledgment.

GERARD comprises the whole vegetable kingdom in three books. The first con|tains the grasses, grain, rushes, reeds, flags, and bulbous-rooted plants. The second, all herbs used in diet, physic, or for ornament and pleasure. The third, trees, shrubs, fruit|bearing plants, rosins, gums, roses, heaths, mosses, mushrooms, and sea plants. The whole divided into upwards of eight hun|dred chapters, which, in the arrangement of that time, may, if the expression is al|lowable, be considered as so many genera.

In each chapter the several species are described; then follow the place, time of flowering, names, and virtues.

The figures Mr. Norton procured from Frankfort, being the same blocks which had been used for the Dutch Herbal of TABER|NAEMONTANUS

in 1588. In this manner, GERARD, with DODOENS for his founda|tion, by taking in also many plants from CLUSIUS, and from LOBEL, by the addition of some from his own stock, published a volume, which, from its being well timed, from its comprehending almost the whole of the subjects then known, by being writ|ten in English, and ornamented with a more numerous set of figures than had ever ac|companied any work of the kind in this kingdom, obtained great repute. To this we must add the fortunate circumstance of its acquiring afterwards so learned an edi|tor as JOHNSON, which established the cha|racter of it, and gave it precedence as a po|pular book, for more than a century. And notwithstanding his manifest inferiority to LOBEL in point of learning, it must yet be owned, that GERARD contributed greatly to bring forward the knowledge of plants in England. His connection with the great, and his situation in London, favoured an ex|tensive correspondence, both with foreigners and his own countrymen; and his success in procuring new exotics, as well as scarce

indigenous plants, was equal to his diligence and assiduity. In fact, we owe to GERARD and his friends the discovery of many new English plants; and his name will be re|membered by botanists with esteem, when the utility of his Herbal is superseded. That he was considered as possessing a very extensive share of this science, we are justified in believing, on the testimony of Mr. George BAKER, chief surgeon to the queen, who assures us, that he saw him

"tried with one of the best strangers that ever came into England, and was ac|counted in Paris the only man, being recommended to me," says BAKER, "by that famous man, AMBROSE PAREY; and he being here, was desirous to go abroad with some of our herbarists, for the which I was the mean to bring them together, and one whole day we spent therein, searching the rarest simples: but when it came to the trial, my French|man did not know one to his four* 1.1."

Among the many who promoted GE|RARD's work by their communications, I must not omit the names of Thomas HES|KETH, of Lancashire; Thomas EDWARDS, apothecary, at Exeter; both skilled in the knowledge of English plants.

James GARET, of London, apothecary, "a curious searcher of simples." He was the correspondent of CLUSIUS, to whom he communicated a great number of natu|ral curiosities, particularly of exotic growth, and is mentioned with great respect by that learned foreigner, in numerous places of his Libri Exoticorum. He seems to have been one of the principal cultivators of tulips, which he propagated by seeds and bulbs for twenty years, every season bringing forth, as GERARD observes,

"new plants of sun|dry colours not before seen, all which to describe particularly, were to roll Sisi|phus's stone, or number the sands."

I find three persons of the same name, James GARET the father, and James the son, and Peter, as I suppose, the brother of James the elder. PARKINSON, speaking probably of the last, informs us, that he was originally a druggist in Lime-street.

He was, I believe, the translator of à COS|TA, as hath been before noted.

Mr. Bredwell,

"practitioner in physic, a learned and diligent searcher of simples,"

in the west of England.

Mr. Nicholas LETE, a merchant of Lon|don,

"greatly in love with rare and faire flowers, for which he doth carefully send into Syria, having a servant there at Aleppo, and in many other countries; for which myself and the whole land are much bound unto him."

Dr. John MERSHE, of Cambridge.

Mr. James COLE, a merchant of London,

"a lover of plants, and very skilful in the knowledge of them."

Among those of eminent station, who patronised the science, GERARD does due honour to Sir Walter RALEIGH; Lord Ed|ward ZOUCH, the patron of LOBEL, who brought plants and seeds with him from Constantinople; and to Lord HUNSDON, Lord High Chamberlain of England, who, he says,

"is worthy of triple honour for his care in getting, as also for his curi|ous keeping, such rare and strange things from the farthest parts of the world."

Notes

• * 1.1

  PLUMIER gave the name GERARDIA to a plant of the didynamous class, discovered in thetropical regions of America; to which LINNAEUS has since added five spe|cies.