Gerard i, jtj 
fome fmall additions, and being tranflated 
alfo into Dutch, with great enlargement, 
became a popular book in that language. 
The judicious feled:ion of all that was 
iifeful, relating to the fuppofed plants of* 
the Materia Medica of Dioscorides, and 
of the Arabians, the introdudion of all the 
new Ipecies from Clusius^ and other dif- 
coveries of the time, added to the inftrudlioa 
and embellifhment derived from the figures, 
which exceeded in number thofe of any- 
preceding author, rendered Dodoens\ book 
ufeful to the medical profeffion throughout 
the v/orld. It jftill preferves fome value, as 
being referred to by Linnjeus, for the 
illuftration of the European plants. 
As Gerard could not attempt an entire 
new work, there was then extant no other 
to which he could give the preference, as 
a bafis to his defign ; for as fuch only it 
muft be confidered, fince the interval of 
time between the publication of Dodo^ 
N iE u s's work in 1 5 8 3 , and the printing of h is 
own Herbal,'* had given him opportuni- 
ties to interfperfe large additions, both in 
exotic, and indigenous Botany, In this in- 
_ Vol. I, I, terval 
