306 HISTORY OF BOTANY. 



great number of learned works ; among others " A History of 

 Plants," and " The Causes of Vegetation." He treated sepa- 

 rately of aquatic plants, of parasites, of culinary herbs, and of 

 flowering plants ; he remarked upon the uses of each plant, 

 the place where it grew, and whether it was woody or herbace- 

 ous. He had no idea of genera or species ; his names were 

 merely local, and his descriptions generally indefinite. His 

 views upon the physiology of plants, were superior to his de- 

 scriptions of them ; he remarked upon their different external 

 organs ; distinguished the seed lobes (Cotyledons), from the 

 leaves ; gave just ideas upon their functions, and upon the offi- 

 ces of the root. He explained their anatomy, as well as pos- 

 sible, without the assistance of the microscope, which (as the 

 science of optics was then unknown), had not been invented. 

 Theophrastus seemed too much inclined to compare the struc- 

 ture of vegetables to that of animals ; imagining that he found 

 in plants, bones, veins and arteries. 



Diosco rides, a physician, of Greek extraction, about the com- 

 mencement of the Christian era, travelled over Greece, Asia 

 Minor and Italy, in order to observe the plants of those coun- 

 tries ; his works were written in Greek ; he divided plants into 

 four classes, viz ; 1st, aromatic, 2d, vinous, 3d, medicinal, and 

 4th, alimentary or nutritious. The labours of this botanist 

 were of little value, in after times, on account of want of method 

 in his descriptions. He gave the nann-s ami properties of 600 

 plants, but having no idea of species or genera, his work was 

 but a chaos of facts, which were so imperfectly expressed as to 

 render it impossible to apply them to use. 



The elder Pliny, who lived in the reign of Nero, treated of 

 the history of plants, but he neglected nature, and derived his 

 science from the works of his predecessors. False systems of 

 philosophy seemed to fetter the noblest minds, and prevent their 

 pursuing those methods of investigation which would have led 

 to a true knowledge of nature. The genius of Pliny was vast 

 and active ; he consecrated to scientific researches and literary 

 works, the leisure which public duties left him. His " History, 

 of the World," which was a compilation of all the knowledge 

 of the ancients, upon the subject of natural history, the only 

 one of his writings which has escaped the ravages of time and 

 barbarians, is but a small portion of his labours. He is con- 

 sidered faulty in recording both truths and errors, often 

 transmitting them without observation or criticism, and some- 

 times favouring absurd traditions ; but his work is justly ad- 

 mired for the greatness of its plan, which embraced the whole 

 of nature, for the elegance of its style, for the wonderful art 



Dioscorides Pliny. 



