THE FIRST BOTANISTS 15 



Dioscorides, Army Surgeon to the Roman 

 troops about the time of Nero of which a copy 

 is to be seen in Vienna with Arabic notes to 

 its illustrations, probably made in Constanti- 

 nople in the ages when Europe slept down to 

 the herbal of our own John Gerard, who 

 practised medicine in Holborn in Shakespeare's 

 day. A book full of well-drawn, simple wood- 

 cuts, showing the infinite variety and beauty 

 of the outlines of leaves and flowers. 



So the Apothecaries were rightly lineal 

 descendants of these old botanists, and their 

 botanic garden at Chelsea is linked with the 

 whole history of botany during the last two 

 centuries. 



The Apothecaries' Society has an interesting 

 history. It had a stormy beginning. It was 

 born when James the First was King his 

 own child and the King stood by it like a 

 father in all its early struggles. In 1617 it 

 broke away from the great Grocers' Company, 

 and the reasons for its declaration of independ- 

 ence are given in its charter, which runs thus : 



James, by the grace of God, King, 

 Defender of the Faith. . . . To all whom 

 these presents shall come greeting. Where- 

 as ... very many Empiricks and un- 

 skilful and ignorant Men ... do abide 

 in our City of London . . . which are 

 not well instructed in the Art or Mystery 

 of Apothecaries, but ... do make and 

 compound many unwholesome, hurtful, 

 deceitful, corrupt and dangerous medi- 

 cines and the same do sell . . and 



