MEMOIR OF PLINY. 67 



funerall fire, two miles without the city, in a certain 

 open field called Rediculi." 



The eleventh book treats of Insects in general ; 

 bees, wasps, silkworms, spiders, scorpions, grass- 

 hoppers, beetles, locusts, ants, moths, and gnats. It 

 contains also an anatomical description of the human 

 body, and of various parts of animals, which, though 

 not remarkable for accuracy, is nevertheless inte- 

 resting to the student. 



The next seventeen books are devoted to Botany, 

 and give an account of trees, shrubs, and plants ; 

 their cultivation and uses in domestic economy and 

 the arts ; and the remedies that are obtained from 

 them. The products of India and Arabia incense, 

 spices, gums, oils, perfumes, &c. ; timber-trees, fruit- 

 trees, the sugar-cane, the vine, and the different kinds 

 of wine used by the ancients ; agriculture, horticul- 

 ture, the rearing of flowers, pot-herbs and vegeta- 

 bles of all sorts ; together with their natural proper- 

 ties and medicinal virtues, are described at great 

 length. These curious subjects form the most ex- 

 tensive portion of Pliny's writings ; but they are dis- 

 cussed in so irregular and unscientific a manner, that 

 it is impossible, in most cases, to determine the spe- 

 cies of which he speaks ; and as to the cures alleged 

 to be accomplished by means of herbs, they are bet- 

 ter suited to the rude pharmacy of the Romans, 

 than to the advanced state of medicine in our day. 



The twenty-eighth book treats of Dietetics ; reme- 

 dies derived from various animals ; and the nature 



