2S0 
HISTORY OF BOTANY. 
The elder Pliny, who lived in the reign of Nero, treated of 
the history of plants, but he neglected nature and derived his 
science from the works of his predecessors. False systems of 
philosophy seemed to fetter the noblest minds, and prevent their 
pursuing those methods of investigation which would have led 
to a true knowledge of nature. The genius of Pliny was vast 
and active ; he consecrated to scientific researches and literary 
works, the leisure which public duties left him. His “ History 
of the World,” which was a compilation of all the knowledge 
of the ancients, upon the subject of natural history, the only 
one of his writings which has escaped the ravages of time and 
barbarians, is but a small portion of his labors. He is consider- 
ed faulty in recording both truths and errors, often transmitting 
them without observation or criticism, and sometimes favoring 
absurd traditions ; but his work is justly admired for the great- 
ness of its plan, which embraced the whole of nature, for the 
elegance of its style, for the wonderful art with which the high- 
est considerations of practical philosophy are associated with 
natural history. 
In the year 79 after Christ, Pliny fell a sacrifice to his desire 
of knowledge; in an eruption of Mount Vesuvius, wishing to 
contemplate as near as possible so sublime a spectacle, he per- 
ished, suffocated by the sulphureous exhalations. 
Galen in the 2d century wrote upon the medicinal qualities 
of plants, but gave no descriptions. The love of the sciences, 
seemed in the prosperous days of Rome, to be extinguished ; 
the “ Mistress of the world,” corrupted by victories, and by 
tyrants, had abandoned herself to luxury. The false philosophy 
of the vanquished Greeks reigned in the schools of victorious 
Rome, chasing away every trace of true knowledge. Religious 
fanaticism had also its influence ; Christians and Pagans des- 
troyed libraries, and the monuments of literature sacred and 
profane. 
At this time the barbarians of the north and west, precipita- 
ted themselves upon a country weakened by effeminacy. Italy 
ravaged by the Huns and the Vandals, became successively the 
prey of the Heruli, of the Goths and Vandals. These people, 
nursed in war, abhorred the sciences and arts, believing they 
enervated courage, and they allowed not their children to culti- 
vate them. 
The Latin ceased to be the common language, but a corrupt 
mixture of barbarous languages took its place; the population 
was greatly diminished ; the country formerly fertile and culti- 
vated became sickly marshes and overgrown forests, inhabited 
by wild beasts. 
9 
Pliny — Galen — The false philosophy of the Greeks received at Rome — 
Barbarians ravage Italy — Language corrupted — 
