Philosoph\ of Botany. ^'^1 



Dioscorides and Plinins were brought up from the dust of ob- 

 livion and put in circulation amono^ the literary world by the 

 aid of the recently discovered art of printing. 



.Soon it b.ecomes evident that to understand the botanical 

 books the knowledge of the ancient languages alone was not 

 sufficient, and that one had to be conversant with the objects 

 themselves which were treated of in these writings. Now, at 

 last, turned the scholars of Italy (which in every science and 

 art was far in advance of the rest of Europe) with great fervor 

 to the observation of nature, that they might find the plants 

 with which the ancients were occupied. 



Reuchlin and Erasmus had, meantime, north of the Alps, 

 kindled the torch of classical learning, which was soon to 

 blaze up into the purifying flame of the reformation. The 

 movement soon extended to the Netherlands, and over Ger- 

 many. The most prominent, indeed, of the fathers of botany 

 in the sixteenth century, who, in careful observation and de- 

 scription of the native plants, rank foremost, had their homes 

 in that memorable corner, the southwestern plain, through 

 Avhich flows the upper course of the Rhine, where also stands 

 the cradle of the art of printing, and where a lively intercourse 

 was cultivated between the ancient towns of Erankfurt, 

 Mainz, and Strassburg. 



Botany, however, as cultivated by these men was not the 

 free and independent science of Aristotle. It was once for all 

 the helpmate of philosophy and medicine, for the only problem 

 which they tried to solve was to find again the plants of which 

 Theophrastus, Plinius, and Dioscorides had spoken, and to 

 discover the virtues which, according to ancient suoerstitions, 

 are thought to be inherent in every plant, either beneficial or 

 injurious to man. Nevertheless the morning had dawned, the 

 day grew lighter, and the scientific thought, which had been 

 captive in the gloomy monasteries during medisii^val times, 

 moved about again amongst thinking people, in the open day- 

 light. 



Since that time botany continued, uninterruptedly, to de- 

 velop, although the solution of the problems with which she 

 was occupied were, at different times, diversely attempted, 



