x Introduction. 



preflions. Later hiftorians were willing to believe 

 the marvels fet forth by their predeceffors, and, 

 fo long as they did not deem it a part of their 

 duty to make original inquiries, it was inevitable 

 that hippogryphs, harpies, chimasras, and many 

 more fabulous monfters were handed on from 

 generation to generation as creatures which pof- 

 fefTed a real exiftence. Readers, for their part, 

 were glad to believe all that was ftriking and awe- 

 infpiring. They, no more than authors, dreamt 

 of weighing authorities. 



Turning to Greek writers or retailers of natural 

 hiftory, Homer and Hefiod alluded to many fables, 

 and mentioned many plants and animals in words 

 which fucceeding Greek writers feized upon and 

 amplified. Hippocrates, B.C. 460, may be termed 

 the firft regular writer of natural hiftory, although 

 much has been attributed to him which belongs to 

 writers of the fame name. Ariftotle, B.C. 356, is 

 fuperior to all other Greek writers in copioufnefs 

 and method. Several of his treatifes on natural 

 hiftory have been loft, but what remains gives a 

 high idea of his fagacity. His royal pupil Alex- 

 ander is faid to have fent him fpecimens from the 

 Eaft. Theophraftus, B.C. 322, has left behind 

 valuable writings on botany. Strabo, B.C. 30, is 

 ufeful for geography. Ctefias, who was a con- 

 temporary of Herodotus, wrote on the produds 

 of Perlia and India. Xenophon's work on the 

 chafe was fupplemented by Arrian's book at the 

 beginning of the fecond century after Chrift. 

 Materia medica was handled about the fame time 



