Ii6 C H A P T E R 9. 
foever familiarized in ours, was in that age 
moft interefting and fruitful occafion of 
enquiry. 
The return of Rale I GHy and the fame 
of his manifold difcoveries and colledlions^. 
brought over from the continent the cele- 
brated Clusius, then in the 55th year of 
his age. He, who added more to the ftock 
©f Botany in his day,, than all his contem- 
poraries united^ vifited England, for the 
third time,, to partake, at this critical junc- 
ture,, in the general gratification. 
At this eventful period, Gerard was m 
the vigour of life, and without doubt felt 
the influence, and reaped the advantage of 
all the circumftances I have enumerated. 
jfo/rd Gerard was born at Nantwkb, 
in Chejhi?'e^ in the year 1545, and was edu- 
cated a furgeon. He removed to London^ 
where he obtained the patronage of the 
great Lord Burleigh^ who was himfelf a 
lover of plants, and h-ad the beft colledioii. 
in his garden of any nobleman in the king- 
dom. Gerard had the fuperintendance 
of this fine garden, and retained his em- 
ployment, as he tells us himfelf;, for twenty 
years*. 
