THEOPnRASTUS 229 



Theophrastus Enquiry into Plants and 3Iinor WorJcs on Odours 

 and Weather-Signs with an English Translation by Sir Arthur 

 HoRT, Bart., M.A., formerh^ Fellow of Trinity College, Cam- 

 bridge. London : William Heinemann : mcmxvi. In two 

 volmiies, cloth, feap. 8vo, pp. xxviii, 475, ix. 499. Price 5s. 

 net each. 



These two A'olumes are recent additions to the Loeb Classical 

 Library of translations, a series in which the original and the English 

 version occup}" opposite pages. The volumes are attractive in every 

 respect : the binding, tjqDe, and paper are excellent, and the price is 

 reasonably cheap. The majority of the books included in the series 

 are more or less familiar in translation ; but it has been left to 

 Sir Arthur Hort to present for the first time the works of Theo- 

 phrastus in English. He expresses a modest doubt whether his work 

 Avill be found " entirely satisfactory^," as he " is not, as he should be, 

 a botanist " ; but anv deficiencies on this head are supplied by 

 Sir William Thiselton-Dyer, Prof. D'Arcy Thompson, Mr. A. W. 

 Hill and others. To the first-named Sir Arthur is indebted for the 

 identifications in the very full and scholarly index, which occupies 

 nearly fifty pages in double columns and small type, and is indeed an 

 epitome of the information contained in the work concerning each 

 plant : a key to this contains a list of plants mentioned under 

 botanical Latin names and another of those having popular English 

 names, the Greek equivalent being supplied in each case. There is 

 an admirable bibliographical and biographical introduction, and a 

 portrait of Theophrastus from the bust in the Villa Albani. Of the 

 Enquiry itself, every page is annotated — nothing in fact has been 

 overlooked which can add to the completeness of the volumes, and 

 the author's " hope that this translation may assist some competent 

 scholar-botanist to produce an edition worthy of the author " is really 

 fulfilled by his own undertaking. 



The translator points out that Theophrastus (b.c. 370-285) was 

 the first to apply the principle of classification to the vegetable Avorld ; 

 the first book begins b}'- discussing "how plants are to be classified," 

 and the subject is of constant recurrence. " Throughout his botanical 

 works the constant implied question is ' What is the difference ? ' 

 ' What is its essential nature ? ' viz. What are the characteristic 

 features in virtue of which a plant may be distinguished from other 

 plants, and which make up its own 'nature ' or essential character? " 

 It was doubtless in the garden in the grounds of the Lyceum be- 

 queathed to him by Aristotle, whose favourite pupil he was, "that the 

 first systematic botanist made many of the observations which are 

 recorded in his botanical works." In his will Theophrastus "made 

 provision for the maintenance of the garden ; it is bequeathed to 

 certain specified friends and to those who will spend their time with 

 them in learning and philosophy ; the testator is to be buried in 

 it without extravagant expense, a custodian is appointed, and pro- 

 vision is made for the emancipation of various gardeners, so soon as 

 they have earned their freedom by long enough service." 



The nine books deal respectively with the parts of plants and with 



