218 Britain's Heritage of Science 



This treats of all phases of nature, and contains a record 

 of all natural knowledge up to the time of the younger Pliny. 

 Nor must it be forgotten that the writings of Pliny and the 

 " Georgics " of Virgil were in constant use in the schools. 



In the middle of the thirteenth century Roger Bacon 

 had pointed out that " There are two ways of knowing, 

 viz., by means of argument and by experiment," but for 

 three centuries onward it was " argument " which held the 

 field. Not that the sixteenth century failed to produce 

 enlightened men who were to preach a new doctrine. In 

 his educational work " De Tradendis Disciplinis " (1523) 

 Vives 1 advocates " nature study " and even uses the expres- 

 sion. He tells us " That although the writings of the old 

 Greeks and Romans are the opinions of learned men, yet 

 not even all these opinions and judgments are to be accepted." 

 Vives recommends that the pupil should first be shown what 

 he can most readily perceive by the senses : 



" So will he observe the nature of things in the 

 heavens, in clouds and in sunshine, in the plains, on the 

 mountains, in the woods. Hence he will seek out and 

 get to know many things from those who inhabit those 

 spots. Let him have recourse, for instance, to gardeners, 

 husbandmen, shepherds, and hunters, for this is what 

 Pliny and other great authors undoubtedly did ; for any 

 one man cannot possibly make all observations without 

 help in such a multitude and variety of directions. But 

 whether he observes anything himself, or hears any- 

 one relating his experience, not only let him keep eyes 

 and ears intent, but his whole mind also, for great and 

 exact concentration is necessary in observing every part 

 of nature." 



We can but judge the state of zoology in Queen Elizabeth's 

 time by the books and writings that have come down to us, 

 and if we inquire what books and writings were available, 

 they will be found to fall under the three headings, Medicine, 

 Meldcraft, and Heraldry. From these subjects the paths 

 of progress in that science were advancing and converging. 



1 A Spanish educationalist who came to England in 1523 and was 

 attached to Henry VIII. 's Court. Later he lectured at Oxford and 

 became a Fellow of Corpus Christi College there 



