26 
The history of BOTANY. 
his writings. Actuarius appeared foon after, an author of a new kind : 
a tranflnor of the Arabian knowledge into its fundamental Greek. Such 
changes fcience knows, and fiich flrange journeys. The charader of Ac- 
tuarius is formed of learning, diligence, and modedy. He feledcd 
from the earlier Greeks, as well as the Arabians, and from the whole 
fornud a iuJic'ous body of medicine ; in which the Materia Medica, and 
Plants, as a part of it, have their place: but if he has added any thing on 
this head, it is lefs than his predeceflbrs. Mesue, a prince, next applied 
himfclf to the dudy of medicine among this people. He lived about the 
middle of the twelfth century ; and to a very perfedl knowledge of the 
former writers, added many things, from an extenfive and well confidered 
experience. Averrhoes was cotemporary with Mesue; and, like the 
red, he compiled with care, and added his own knowledge. Galen was 
his oracle concerning the virtues of Plants ; but he feems alfo to have 
known them from his o.vn obfervation. 
Ebenbitar, a more didinguifhed name than all the red, followed thefe 
in the beginning of the thirteenth century ; and clofed the Arabian cata- 
logue. He dudied the whole Materia Medica, but was didinguidied mod 
for Botany j and he not only increafed the knowledge of it greatly, but 
gave the icience itfelf a new and more refpe<5fed edimation. He travelled, 
as Galen had done, to obtain perfed knowledge; and he wrote down 
at' large his obfervations and difcoverics. As the Botanic part of the Ma- 
teria xMedica, had employed his greated attention, and he had feen the 
Plants themfelves, in long and repeated journies, and as he fpeaks of them 
from what he faw, his writings have a merit beyond thofe of all his 
countrymen. He at the fame time extended and afeertained the objeds 
of the fcience : from him may be known the Plants, not of the Arabi- 
ans only, but many of thofe of the old Greeks : which we trace elfewhere 
in vain. 
PERIOD 
