On the Names of Plants

Latin: "Epistle" or "Letter"

This practice ought to become customary, since there is no other reason why the praises of princes and nobles are celebrated by learned men, except so that examples of virtue may be transmitted to posterity. By these examples, posterity may use them as a guide in conducting affairs and be incited toward the pursuit of virtue. It is highly probable that the ancient and classical writers followed this very plan when each inscribed their volumes to the emperors, kings, princes, and other men of great renown of their own time. But to what end, someone will ask, will this speech finally lead? Truly to this: that your Clemency A formal title of address for a high-ranking official or noble may understand, both from these points and from those which we shall add shortly hereafter, that the reasons were by no means vain for which I wished the commentaries of Hieronymus Tragus The Latinized name of Jerome Bock (1498–1554), a pioneer of modern botany on the nature of plants, translated into Latin by me, to go forth into the light under your most illustrious name.

And although—to say something of the final cause—all good men recognize that your Clemency is endowed not only with the distinctions of lineage, but also with very many and very great ornaments of virtue; nevertheless I freely confess, being well aware of my own insignificance, that I am by no means equipped with that faculty of speaking which the magnitude of your most illustrious Clemency’s ornaments seems to require. For there is no one who does not know that your mind is kindled with an incredible love and a most burning zeal for the Christian and purer religion, and for good letters Refers to the humanities and classical literature. How bright and truly worthy of the glory of eternity these two things make Princes, both sacred and secular literature can sufficiently teach us. Nor do I wish to enumerate here your other virtues: that is, loftiness of mind, prudence, justice, clemency, humanity, and the gifts of fortune (for these belong to the soul, and can truly be attributed to few, especially in this our century) with which the King of kings and Lord of lords,