122 C H A P T K H 9 J 
N^MONTANUs in 1 588. In this manner,' 
Gerard, with Dodoens for his founda-r 
tion, by taking in alfo many plants from 
Clusius, and from Lobel, by the addition 
of fome from his own ftock, pubhfhed a 
volume, which, from its being well timed, 
from its comprehending almoft the whole 
of the fubjefts then known, by being writ- 
ten in Engliili, and ornamented with a more 
numerous fet of figures than had ever ac- 
companied any work of the kind in this 
kingdom, obtained great repute. To this 
we muft add the fortunate circumftancc of 
its acquiring afterwards fo learned an edi- 
tor as Johnson, which eftablifhed the cha- 
rafter of it, and gave it precedence as a po* 
pular book, for more than a century. And 
notwithflanding his manifefl inferiority to 
Lobel in point of learning, it muft yet be 
owned, that Gerard contributed greatly 
. to bring forward the knowledge of plants 
in England. His conneftion with the great, 
and his fituation in Londojiy favoured an ex- 
tenfive correfpondence, both with foreigners 
and his own countrymen i and his fuccefs 
in procuring new erotics, as well as fcarcc 
indigenous 
