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Cargando... The Herbal or General History of Plants (1597)por John Gerard, John Gerard
   Ninguno Actualmente no hay Conversaciones sobre este libro.  Chica3000 | Dec 11, 2020 |    ) AgedPeasant | Sep 17, 2020 | ) north_berendey | Sep 18, 2012 | Woodward begins with a eulogy and biography of John Gerard, born in Nantwich. Gerard was a ship's surgeon on board merchant vessels, and he traveled the coasts of Europe before settling in London in 1577. He superintended the gardens of Lord Burleigh in the Strand and at Theobalds in Hertfordshire. Gerard had a house in Holborn, where he practiced "barbarie and chirugerie", and his garden became famous. He exchanged plants with the keeper of the King's garden in Paris, Jean Robin. Men of every rank sent plants to him from all over the globe. Sir Walter Raleigh was a contemporary botanical collector. Gerard died in 1611 in Holborn, and it is noted that while little is known of his life, his wife had long assisted him professionally. [xiii] He died intestate, without wealth, and with the admiration of his peers. Woodward notes that another herbalist, Miss Rhode, suggested that Shakespeare "may have seen Gerard's garden" and living nearby in the house of a Huguenot refugee almost opposite, they "could scarcely have failed to know one another".[xiv] Shakespeare's plays are full of the same herb-lore. The Herball is written in Elizabethan prose and steeped in folklore. In 1597 the first edition of Gerard's "Historie of Plants" was published. It was a huge heavy folio of some 1630 pages, including 1800 wood block illustrations from Tabernaemontanus' "Eicones" and a few supplied by Gerard, such as the first published cut of the "Virginian" potato. [xv] For Thos. Johnson's 1636 edition, this opus was "distilled" to 236 pages. with many of the laborious arguments about plant names and forgotten plants removed. Johnson's Notes are included in this reprint. Gerard dedicated his work, and his gardens, to his employer, the Treasurer of England. He argues that plants are important -- for food, clothing, medicine, provisions, the outward senses, and "in the mind" to take delight and be "enriched with the knowledge" [1-2]. In the customary mode of flattering the Lord, he points out that his fellow kings have long recognized the wisdom of studying plants -- citing Plutarch's note on Mithridates, Pliny's note on Euax, the "King of Arabia". He remarks the martyrdom of Dioclesian, then invokes Solomon who "was able to set out the nature of all plants from the highest Cedar to the lowest Mosse". Here is yet another reference which shows that the "Western world" was far from ignoring Middle East cultures, but was eager to emulate it. Gerard concludes his Dedication, saying "But, my very good Lord" the study of plants "is now neglected". In the Lord's employment for 20 years, he has collected and grown plants from all over the world. "But because gardens are privat, and many times finding an ignorant or a negligent successor, come soone to ruine"...Gerard first wrote and then published this work "to make my labors common", and to free the work from that danger. The two "buts" are so significant in the prolixity of words. Gerard knew that private gardens were at risk. He was seeking to publish a "Historie" of plants that would make his garden subjects free of the danger of neglect, and he was submitting the gardens and the book "to the support of this State" under "our dread Sovereign". Gerard also wrote a dedication "to the courteous and well willing Readers". More detailed, not as urgent, clearly intended for sale. (  ) keylawk | Mar 18, 2012 | That said, it IS entertaining, and the illustrations are pleasing. ( ) wazookeeper | Oct 28, 2009 | sin reseñas | añadir una reseña
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John Gerard's Herbal or General History of Plants has long been the most famous English herbal. First published in 1597, it was republished in 1633 in an edition in which Thomas Johnson revised and enlarged the original text. A more capable botanist than Gerard, Johnson did not alter the wonderful Elizabethan prose of the earlier edition, but corrected errors in the old text and added much new material ― description and pictures ― to the text itself and in an appendix. This 1633 Gerard-Johnson edition describes about 2,850 plants and has about 2,700 illustrations: in both text and illustrations it is a lasting monument of Renaissance botany. At the same time, it remains what Gerard had made, perhaps unintentionally, of his 1597 work: a remarkable compendium of Elizabethan folklore and naturalistic description. This vast storehouse of information and delightful commentary is divided into three books: the first book containing grasses, rushes, reeds, grains, irises, and bulbs; the second, food plants, medicinal plants, and sweet-smelling plants; the third, roses, trees, shrubs, bushes, fruit-bearing plants, rosin and gum-producing plants, heaths, mosses and fungi (as well as corals and sponges, then thought to be plants). For each plant the authors give its Latin and English name, the kinds (when they exist), a physical description, the place of growth, the time of growth, other names, temper (whether the plant is hot, cold, dry, or moist according to the traditional medical theory of humors), vertues (the medicinal properties, use as food, etc.,) and, in all but a small number of cases, a fine woodcut illustration. In a clear and engaging prose style with large, handsome illustrations, the authors present an incredible harvest of plants: all your favorite flowers such as roses, marigolds, violets, and sunflowers; every kind of herb you can think of including sage, fennel, cumin, ginger, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram (and their medicinal "vertues") all manner of food plants such as oats, potato, and wheat; numerous trees like the cherry, peach, pear, cedar, oak, and map≤ unusual plants like the goose tree and mandrake; a huge variety of medicinal plants including Solomon's seal (for broken bones), St. John's wort (used to treat wounds), and pennyroyal (for pains and giddiness in the head); and many, many more. For the herbal enthusiast truly interested in plants and their lore, this is the one herbal to have in its entirety. No se han encontrado descripciones de biblioteca. |
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4
The librarian said, "So, you're going to the Renaissance Festival dressed up like an - herb??"
"No. . . ."
What's odd is I remember this conversation but couldn't tell you the names of most of the people in my class.
It was an interesting book to look at, though! (