150 Aster History; D1ioscoRIDES 
bic synonym and often by others, and with other Greek synonyms 
ina 15th century hand. Dodoens * reproduced some of these fig- 
ures; and in 1897 Wellmann reproduced one of Moly. Spren- 
gel remarks that “the figures occasion little expectation of skill 
or art; but Swieten and Kollar entreated the empress Maria 
Theresa to have them reproduced in copper-plate. She assented 
and not a few were prepared. But from the more learned mind 
of Jacquin the work received arrest. The copper plates lie now 
in the second Bibl. Caesarea, unworthy to be published. All the 
figures are rude, many are made according to the imagination or 
the pleasure of the painter, and many are monstrous.”’ See also 
Pritzel’s Thesaurus, p. 335, for reference to Jacquin’s gift of plates to 
Linnaeus and to Sibthorp, and destruction of the remainder. _ Pritzel 
speaks of these figures in C as “‘ pulcherrima,” and even Sprengel 
refers to the praises they had received. But considering the rude- 
ness of plant figures already familiar to us from the 15th century, 
it would be surprising if these Dioscoridean figures were not rude. 
Their chief value undoubtedly lies in their part-expression of just 
what the ancient conception of the plant was; and that is reason 
enough for their publication. I would repeat Wellmann’s dictum 
of 1897, ‘ The illustrations of Codex C ought to be published.” 
N, Codex Neapolitanus, now also at Vienna, more mutilated 
than the preceding ; and *‘ supposed to be more ancient,”’ says Pul- 
teney (1:41). Its age was stated by Sprengel as ‘equal to C oF 
earlier,” by Pritzel placed in the 5th century, but by Wellmann in 
the 7th ; is alphabetical ; « generally agrees with C, but has many 
better readings, better written synonyms, and more Roman 
synonyms,” Sprengel; has 409 painted figures, 2 or even 4 0n4 
page. Both Cand N are evidently copied from the same original 
text, and from one with the same figures, which must have dated 
* Dodoens, in his Pemptades, of 1583, copied 10 of these figures, poorly exe 
cuted, and causing those of Codex C to fall, as Pulteney suggests, into undeserved dis- 
paragement. Some were reproduced by Gerarde, 1 597, and one by Parkinson. Pulteney 
lists them as follows, using the 1583 edition : Coronopus, Dod. 179 (109); Gerarde 
Tigo, Arction, Dod. 849 (149), Park. 1374. Hyssopus, Dod. 286 (288). Hippo- 
phaés, Dod. 373 (377). Aconitum Lycoctonum, Dod. 437 (439), Ger. 572- Stoebe, 
Dod 123. (123), Ger. 731. Lotus sylvestris Dod. 562 (572). Lotus Aegyptiac®, 
Dod. 563 (573). Tithymalus dendroides, Dod. 368 (372), Ger. sor. _ I introduce in 
