Epistle Dedicatory 13 



most amenable to learning, embrace with open arms 

 every kind of noble literature, learn and drink it in, 

 and hereafter you will surely not repent of the labour 

 expended upon this noble literature. But that you 

 may be able to reach with less trouble the goal that 

 is laid before you 1 have compiled from Aristotle and 

 Pliny and all the best writers this little book on ' The 

 History of Birds,' in which I have placed for your 

 pleasure the Greek, German, and British names side 

 by side with the Latin. This I dedicate and offer 

 to the glory of your name : again and again praying 

 you to receive this little gift, such as it is, with fair and 

 favourable consideration. And if I understand that 

 you will do this, I will shortly, God willing, bring to 

 the light of day a further edition of this little book 

 with figures of the birds, their habits, and curative 

 properties, as well as another book on plants. Fare- 

 well. May the Lord Jesus preserve you as long as 

 possible unharmed to us, trained in most holy ways 

 and filled with the best of learning. 



Cullen [Cologne]. February 9th, 1544. 



