JOHN PARKINSON 151 



plums, "apricockes" and nectarines, of figs and peaches and 

 almonds, of quinces, walnuts, mulberries and vines (ending with 

 the Virginian vine, of which he says, " we know of no use but 

 to furnish a Garden and to encrease the number of rarities"), 

 until, hke the Queen of Sheba, we feel that, with all we have heard 

 of the comfortable splendour of Elizabeth's reign, the half has 

 not been told us. " And thus," Parkinson concludes, " have I 

 finished this worke, and furnished it with whatsoever Art and 

 Nature concurring could effect to bring delight to those that 

 live in our Climate and take pleasure in such things; which 

 how well or ill done, I must abide every one's censure; the 

 iudicious and courteous I onely respect, let Momus bite his Hps 

 and eate his heart; and so Farewell." 



Parkinson's monumental work, Theatrum Botanicum, was 

 completed, as already mentioned, in his seventy-third year. 

 In it about 3800 plants are described (nearly double the number 

 of those in the first edition of Gerard's Herbal). In the Theatrum 

 he incorporated nearly the whole of Bauhin's Pinax, besides 

 part of the unfinished work by de I'Obel mentioned before. The 

 book remained the most complete English treatise on plants 

 until the time of Ray. Parkinson originally intended to entitle 

 it " A Garden of Simples " ^ and, had he done so, it is at least 

 possible that this work, to which he devoted the greater part 

 of his life, would have achieved the popularity it deserved. 

 Except in the illustrations, it is a finer book than Gerard's, but 

 the latter remained the more popular. In fact, this herbal of 

 Parkinson's is an outstanding proof that a good book may be 

 ruined by a bad title. Theatrum Botanicum sounds hard and 

 chilling, whereas Gerard's Herball has an attractive ring. The 

 fact that the former never attained the popularity achieved by 

 the latter seems the more pathetic when we read the author's 



^ This he tells us at the end of the preface to the Paradisus. " Thus have 

 I shewed you both the occasion and scope of this Worke, and herein have 

 spent my time, paines, and charge, which if well accepted, I shall thinke well 

 employed, and may the sooner hasten the fourth Part, A Garden of Simples ; 

 which will be quiet no longer at home, then that it can bring his Master newes 

 of faire weather for the iourney." 



