EDWAUD IJAVLls's " IJOTAXIC PJIYSIC " 58 



(1913, 256) an account of J. F. Miller's work, confirms the belief 

 that they were executed for this book. At the same time it must be 

 acknowledged that drawings and dei3criptions do not always correspond, 

 as with the above Centanrea ; the plant figured is almost certainly 

 C montcnia, and the text accompanying tlie tigure of Sant/uisorba 

 officinalis figured relates to Poterium. 



The publishei's' name appears on the title-page, and on the first 

 twelve plates : " published as the Act directs by Stace and Maids 

 No. 11 Hay Market," with the dates for the 1st of the month, 

 beginning March 1791 to August of the same year, omitting June 

 (two plates for each month) ; this shows the book Avas issued in 

 parts. From September 1791 onwards the plates bear the name of 

 J. Bew, No. 28 Patei-noster Kow ; the last dat^ed on 1st Nov. 1792. 

 This issue completes the volume, which the author says he cannot 

 close Avithout paying respeotfid acknowledgements to lus nunienjus 

 subscribers. 



The book was issued from Clifton, Bristol ; the dedication to 

 George III. is dated 1st Januar}', 1791, with oljservations " to the 

 candid reader " in praise of the Avork by " B. L., an eminent Physician, 

 M.D. London, and Fellow of the Royal Society." The lioyal 

 Society's list affords no clue to the identity of the Fellow indicated by 

 tiiese initials. 



Enquiries at Bristol show Baylis's name in the list of physicians 

 and sm"geons in the earliest local Dii'ectory extant, for 1792, with 

 tJie address of Jacob's Well, a district on the outskirts of the best 

 residential parts of the City. He was not attached to the Bristol 

 Infirmary, and I cannot trace his name beyond 1795. There is no 

 knowledge of his garden,- which Avas pi-obabl}^ a private one, nor can 

 I obtain any other information about liis residence in the city. 

 From remarks he makes in the Treatise it would seem that Bay lis 

 had medical experience in London ; most of his localities for the wild 

 plants are from near the Metropolis, including Blackfriars. He 

 apparently had no personal knowledge of the plants near Bristol, as 

 he does not even record the presence in quantity of his favourite 

 "Alexanders" on St. Vincent's liocks, although he refers to the 

 Hotwell Waters and the mild air of Clifton. 



Baylis Avas probably of middle age at the time of jmblication, as 

 he gives advice to "young 2)ractitioners," and tells of his familv, and 

 of his secret gout remedy Avhich had been dispensed for twelve years. 



His name is not in the lists of Aluumi at Oxford or Cam- 

 bridge, but he refers to "our College of Physicians" and to a 

 " fellow-collegiate " which need not imply that he was a member ; 

 and although he uses the title of M.D. does not appear on the lioU 

 of the Koyal College of Physicians. 



The plants whose medicinal properties are d«;scribed are ari'anged 

 in alphabetical order, 19 plants having common English names 

 beginning with the letter A, 27 with B, and 10 with C. The author, 

 Avhose literary style leaves something to be desired, after describing 

 the first few under each letter states that he had intended to stop 

 there, but "thought it more advisal)le to render the work comj)leat by 

 adding the virtues of those i>lants I was unacquainted with of our 



