PREFACE. XI 



spond with those which Pliny has introduced in his 

 own work. 



Narratives of similar stamp and character gained 

 equal credit in Europe during the middle ages : the 

 famous traveller, Maundeville, believed what he nar- 

 rated, and found, as he expected, readers ready to be- 

 lieve him ; and the more so, perhaps, for the marvels 

 which the history of his tour contains. Indeed, in the 

 infancy of observation, when the Causes of Natural 

 Phenomena were little known, so much was seen as to 

 render every thing probable, and so little understood, 

 that any explanation was alike satisfactory. 



Rapid as is the foregoing sketch of the great natu- 

 ralist's life and character, enough, it is hoped, has been 

 glanced at to commend the revival of the volume be- 

 fore us, and to secure for its author among ourselves a 

 reverence as great as is the undying interest given by 

 his name to the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii, 

 which perished with him. 



The following translation may be regarded as that 

 of Dr. Philemon Holland, who flourished in the reign 

 of Elizabeth, and is the only writer who has given a 

 complete rendering of Pliny's works in English. Some 

 liberties have been taken with the original translation. 

 An attempt has been made to reduce its verbosity, and 

 to approximate it more closely to the brevity and terse- 

 ness of the Latin text ; while the Editor has been at 

 the same time studious of not interfering unnecessarily 

 with the simplicity of style by which writers of that day 

 were distinguished. The notes are given by various 

 members of the Club, to whom application has been 

 severally made by the general Editor, according to 

 the department in which each may be found most 



