GERARD 79 



this edition (Fol. Lond. 1633) " Gerardus emaculatus," 

 i.e. cleansed from blots. Johnson admits that Gerard 

 was incompetent, and that his herbal was an elaborate 

 plagiarism; the story has often been told in detail. ^ 



Gerard is useful to the botanist and gardener, because 

 he tells us what plants were cultivated in English 

 gardens at the time when he wrote. In turning over 

 such books as Alton's Hortus Kewensis, which give 

 the countries from which our garden exotics come, and 

 the year of first introduction, we continually meet with 

 the date 1597, which means that our first knowledge 

 of the plant as an English garden-flower is drawn from 

 Gerard. 



JOHN CAIUS 

 1510-1573 



De Canibus Britannicis. 8vo. Lond. 1570. An English translation ("Of 

 Englishe Dogges") was made by Abraham Fleming, student (4to. Loud. 

 1576). 



This account of the Dogs of Britain, together with 

 chapters on rare animals and plants, on Caius' own 

 books, and on the pronunciation of Greek and Latin, 

 form a small book, of which the dogs occupy only 

 twenty-six pages and a table of breeds. 



John Caius (the name is supposed to be a Latinised 

 form of Kay) is now best known as the second founder 

 of a Cambridge college. In his lifetime he was renowned 

 as a physician, who served in succession Edward the 

 Sixth, Mary and Elizabeth, and wrote what is con- 

 sidered the best contemporary account of the sweating 

 sickness.^ 



^ Dr. Daydon Jaekaon says {Diet. Nat. Biog. ) that nearly all Gerard's figures 

 are taken from the Eiconea of Tabernsemontanus ; only sixteen are original. 



2 A Boke or Counseill against the Disease commonly called the S weate or 

 Sweating Sickness. 8vo. Lond. 1552. 



