THE LITERATURE OF BOTANY. 129 



A stone, erected by his widow, is let into the corner of 

 the east wall, and bears an inscription easily legible." His 

 Herbal is very rare. He published it in three several 

 parts, and republished these early in 1588, collected in one 

 volume, which he dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, who had 

 always stood his powerful friend even when he was 

 suspended for nonconformity in 1564. The copy I have 

 is, I am sorry to say, not quite perfect, but it is the best 

 I have met with. The imprint reads thus " Imprynted 

 at London, by Stephen Wyrdman, and to be Sold in Paule's 

 Churchyard, at the sign of the Spread Eagle, by John 

 Gybken, 1557." The book is in black letter, and the 

 initial letters and printer's marks are fine. 



A very worthy successor of Turner was John Gerarde, 

 well known by his famous " Herbal, or General Historic 

 of Plants, gathered by John Gerarde, Master in Chirurgerie," 

 and printed in London in 1597. This book will certainly 

 take the first place in the early literature of botany : it 

 is so quaint, so full of descriptive power, and is written 

 in such fine English that it is really delightful to read, 

 not only to the botanist but to the antiquarian and bibli- 

 ophile, and will long hold high rank among the treasures 

 of early English books. The best edition is the one 

 published in 1636, "enlarged and amended by Thomas 

 Johnson, Citizen and Apothecarie of London," of whom 

 more anon : this edition is profusely illustrated, and is 

 dedicated to Sir William Cecil, the great Lord Burleigh. 

 It is divided into three books : 1, Grasses, weeds, flags, 

 bulbous-rooted plants, &c. 2, Herbs, meat, medicine, or 

 sweet-smelling. 3, Trees, shrubs, fruit-bearing, heath 

 mosses, &c. 



I must ask your indulgence in calling your attention to 

 K 



