268 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 54 



CORDUS. I am willing, and the more so as hoping to learn some- 

 thing from all of you. 



NIGER. You learn from us? 



CORDUS. Why not? I have sometimes learned botany from 

 illiterate women and peasants. I am not ashamed of gaining in- 

 formation from a child even, much less from you, men of learning. 

 So whenever it pleases you let us go forth. I will not keep you 

 back; nevertheless I, just as if none of you were here, shall follow 

 my usual practice of taking along a little book or two. I take the 

 greatest delight in these sallyings into the country, where I can 

 have before me fresh and growing those herbs which I have read 

 about at home, and may compare them with the pictures of others 

 which I carry in memory ; also taking such note of their names and 

 reputed virtues, as I may gather such from old women whom I meet 

 upon the way. By the use of all these means I am the better able 

 to arrive at a sound conclusion, or at least a more probable opinion, 

 about the identity of a thing. 



GALLUS. I wish that Brunfelsius had followed your course; for 

 concerning a good part of his plants it will have to be said that he 

 named them not according to their descriptions, but after the opin- 

 ions of the ignorant vulgus. 



CORDUS. How do you know that? 



GALLUS. I have read his two volumes, and have compared them 

 with Dioscorides. 



CORDUS. That was advisedly done ; and if there are errors, we must 

 overlook them, and stand by the things that are well and rightly said. 



GALLUS. What if, in the meantime, by virtue of that authority 

 which a new and plausible work must carry with the unlearned, 

 those old errors which ought to have been eradicated, are only 

 made to strike root still more deeply ? I do not think this a matter 

 to keep silence about. 



CORDUS. Speak out, then; and if you wish to, cry aloud. 



GALLUS. This should be your province rather than mine. 



CORDUS. Cordus himself is too unlearned to undertake that 

 piece of criticism. Let him address himself to the task who may 

 choose to; I shall only indicate, with all candor and open-hearted- 

 ness, some things which I do know and stand by; yet all the while 

 ready at any moment, and without a blush, to be taught by any of 

 you who may know better than I. 



RALLA. What are we waiting for? 



CORDUS. Young man, lay aside that genteel cloak, and carry 

 this little volume of Dioscorides. 



