PREFACE. XXI 



&quot; superbise dedicamus aut condimus, sed Templum 

 &amp;lt;( sanctum ad exemplar mundi in intellects humano 

 &quot; fundamus. Itaque exemplar sequimur. Nam 

 &quot; quicquid essentia dignum est, id etiam scientia 

 &quot; dignum ; quae est essential imago. At vilia aeque 

 &quot; substitunt ac lauta. Quinetiam, ut e quibusdam 

 &quot; putridis materiis, veluti Musco et Zibetho, ali- 

 &quot; quando optimi odores generantur ; ita et ab instan- 

 &quot; tiis vilibus et sordidis, quandoque eximia lux et 

 &quot; informatio emanat. Verum de hoc nimis multa ; 

 &quot; cum hoc genus fastidii sit plane puerile et effoemi- 



&quot; natum.&quot;* 



And again, &quot; with relation to this contempt of 



&quot; natural history, on account of its containing things 

 &quot; that are vulgar, ignoble, subtile, or useless in their 

 &quot; origins, we should here consider, as an oracle, the 

 &quot; saying of the poor woman to the haughty prince, 



* &quot; But for unpolite, or even sordid particulars, which as Pliny 

 &quot; observes, require an apology for being mentioned ; even these 

 &quot; ought to be received into a Natural History, no less than the 

 &quot; most rich and delicate; for Natural History is not defiled by 

 &quot; them, any more than the sun, by shining alike upon the palace 

 &quot; and the privy. And we do not endeavour to build a Capitol, or 

 &quot; erect a pyramid, to the glory of mankind; but to found a 

 &quot; temple, in imitation of the world, and consecrate it to the 

 &quot; human understanding : so that we must frame our model ac- 

 &quot; cordingly. For whatever is worthy of existence, is worthy of 

 &quot; our knowledge, which is the image of existence : but ignoble 

 &quot; things exist, as well as the noble. Nay, as some excremen- 

 &quot; titious matters, for example, musk, civet, &c. sometimes 

 &quot; produce excellent odours ; so sordid instances sometimes 

 &quot; afford great light and information. But enough of this ; as 

 such a delicacy is perfectly childish and effeminate.&quot; 



