162 COMMENTARY ON THE PLANTS IN 
in many instances allowed to remain hidden in the archives*, and if at 
length printed, found their way but tardily into the eastern parts of 
Europe. This will account for those misconceptions which have pre- 
vailed in Europe, even up to recent times, concerning Nature, and her 
productions, in those newly discovered territories; founded as they 
were on the stationary and unsettled information, derived from those 
early writings, and to which we would add, as a very influential autho- 
rity, the * Historia natural y moral de las Indias’ of Joseph d’Acostaf. 
The bearings of those early chroniclers, rather than historians, ma- 
nifold in their Aristotelian, or else Arabian views, discoloured still 
more, sometimes, by certain monastic leanings, and bequeathed unal- 
tered by any critical improvement from one generation to the other, 
have been productive of various erroneous notions and prejudices, 
which have only recently yielded to sounder judgment and more accu- 
rate researches. The writings, however, of Marcgrav and Piso distin- 
guish themselves from all the earlier authors, by their containing little 
of hearsay matters, but reporting mostly from personal observation, 
and displaying great and rare candour and impartiality, as well as 
a strict love of truth. On this account alone they deserve, even at. 
this present time, when we possess the guidance of more matured 
researches, to be reviewed and made tributary to our common stock 
of knowledge. 
It must be considered, besides, that, before the period of Marcgrav 
and Piso, the New World had never yet been visited by men of letters 
avowedly and principally in order to enrich natural history. This was 
especially the object of the former; Piso having purposely engaged 
him, for the sake of instituting scientifie researches, while he himself 
accompanied the Count Moritz of Nassau in the capacity of body phy- 
sician, and as director of medical affairs of the new colony and of the 
troops. Since the mutual relation of these two men, towards each 
other and to their scientific mission, is so intimately connected with their 
writings and other labours, it seems proper to premise here, by way 
of an introduetion to this memoir, the essential features of the history 
of their mission. We avail ourselves on this occasion, of the historical 
statement furnished by M. Lichtenstein, in his admirable commentary 
* For example, the meritorious labours of the Jesuit, Barnabas Cobo. 
+ The oldest edition at Sevilla, 1590, 4to; the second already in 1591, at Barce- 
„ona, in 19mo. 
