44 HISTORY O^ BOTANY. 



Lobell's anger was that Gerarcle's work, being in English, 

 had a preferable sale to that of his own works in Latin, and 

 might thus injure his i^urse, however the complaisance of 

 Gerarde might flatter his self love." There would seem to 

 be either some mistake in this account or Lobel was a great 

 hypocrite, else how can we account for finding amoiigst the 

 introductory matter of the ' General Historic of Plants ' a 

 highly commendatory article by " Matthias de L'Obel to 

 John Gerard greeting,"* in which our author is addressed 

 as "Dearest friend Gerard." f To consider Gerard's 

 'Herbal' a mere translation of Dodoens, with Lobel's 

 arrangement, would be a great mistake ; as our author would 

 probably express it * They are no more alike than things that 

 are most unlike.' 



" There is a good and pleasant foode or bread made of the 

 rootes of Parsneps as my friend master Plat hath set foortli 

 in his booke of experimenes, which I have made no triall of, 

 nor meane to do." That is Gerard's st3de of writing, a 

 quaint, quiet humour, with abundance of local allusions ; at 

 one time to plants in his physic garden, at another to the 

 remarkable effects he had found to be produced by some 

 plant, then again how some of his friends at different times 

 had found particular benefit from some remedy, or pointing 

 out particular habitats for plants, gossiping, entertaining, 

 and I think instructive throughout. As Gerard will be fre- 

 quently quoted in the second part of this work, one other 

 illustration shall suffice in this j)lace. It is in relation to 

 the "Yertues" of "Panax Coloni," or Clown's Woundwort 

 [Stachys iialiistTis of Linneus). " The leaues heerof stamped 

 with Axungia, or Hogs grease, and applied vnto green 

 wounds in maner of a pultis, doth heale them in such short 

 time and in such absolute maner, that it is hard for any that 



■■ " Matthias de L'Obel Joliaiiiii Gerardo ielicilatem." 

 i ''Gerarde amicissime." 



