66 History of Luminescence 



(or Unguie) , the luminous mollusc. However, Wotton mostly re- 

 peated the statements of Aristotle and Pliny, without adding new 

 material. There were no illustrations, and the work was not as 

 comprehensive as that of the continental writers whose fame is 

 acknowledged by all. 



Among the above-mentioned men, Conrad Gesner (1516-1565) 

 took most interest in luminescence, describing not only luminous 

 animals and plants but luminous stones. To Gesner belongs the 

 honor of preparing the first book wholly devoted to luminescence. 

 It was a short treatise entitled, De raris & admirandis Herbis quae 

 sive quod noctu lucenat, sive alias ob causas lunariae nominantur & 

 obiter de aliis etiam rebus, quae in tenebris lucent, commentariolus , 

 published at Tiguri (Zurich) in 1555. The title page is reproduced 

 as figure 1. A second edition was published by T. Bartholin at 

 Copenhagen in 1669. An excellent idea of the contents is given by 

 the title: A short commentary on rare and marvelous plants that 

 are called lunar either because they shine at night or for other rea- 

 sons; and also on other things that shine in darkness. The book was 

 primarily written to call attention to allegedly luminous plants men- 

 tioned by Aelian and already described in Chapter I. However, 

 Gesner, who had translated Aelian's complete work from Greek into 

 Latin, discoursed on many other types of luminescence. Needless 

 to say, he leaned heavily on classical writers but expressed his own 

 opinions freely. Gesner's book is frequently referred to as De 

 Lunariis. 



For example he was definitely skeptical concerning the stories of 

 luminous plants and wrote: ^^ " the lunar plants to which recent 

 authors assign preternatural powers and which they say shine in 

 darkness seem fictitious " but " it is possible that plants as yet 

 unknown to us shine throughout the night just as among other 

 natural phenomena certain things are known to shine." After quot- 

 ing Aristotle on the distinction between those things that depend 

 on light for visibility, and those which in light are invisible, in dark- 

 ness stimulate the sense; that is " things that appear fiery or shining " 

 Gesner concluded: 



If any plants shine at night, they will shine either because the rays 

 of the moon are reflected by something in them that is smooth and 

 bright and like a mirror, ... or else they will shine as do the eyes and 

 scales of fish or as decaying wood and things of that sort, which are very 

 dry, and as the pygolampides [glowworms], that is, by some light proper 

 to themselves, not however, of the nature of fire nor burning. 



^^De lunariis (1669 edition) , translation by R. A. Applegate. 



