E P I S T L E

original: "EPISTOLA"

they would not hesitate to prefer these commentaries (may there be no ill will in saying so). We promise ourselves that they will be most welcome to all good men and to those eager for botanical knowledge original: "rei herbariæ studiosis" even among foreign nations. From this, no small amount of praise and esteem may come to Your Highness original: "C. T." or "Celsitudo Tua," a formal title for a prince or high noble. For Tragus The Latinized name of Hieronymus Bock (1498–1554), the famous German botanist is your citizen, and no common one, held in high regard by Your Highness. From this, all will understand that Your Highness loves and cherishes learned men; and they will extol with the highest praise the truly princely mind of Your Highness: who, being not without personal erudition, also greatly values the learned and the more humane letters The "studia humanitatis" or liberal arts. For everyone knows that not only those who perform Ecclesiastical and Scholastic duties in the principality of Your Highness, but also your counselors, excel in prudence, wisdom, and learning. But why do I speak of the learning of the Counselors, schoolmasters, and ministers of the Church? Why do I not rather proclaim the learning of Your Highness, with which we know you have been imbued from an early age in no common way? O happy people, to whom such a prince has been granted: who, being most wise himself, also has wise counselors and men learned in every kind of office. I truly do not know which to congratulate: the people, over whom piety and wisdom itself seem to preside; or indeed Your Highness, who has been adorned with so many and such ample gifts by God, the Best and Greatest. But because, as I said before, the slenderness of my talent and the condition of my life stand in the way of my being able to celebrate the praises of Your Highness in a speech: I shall proceed next to explain the remaining reasons that impelled me to offer to Your Highness these commentaries on the nature of plants original: "de Stirpium natura", which have been gifted with the Latin language by me The translator is explaining that he has translated Bock's original German text into Latin to reach a wider European audience. For let Your Highness be persuaded of this: that I am endowed with such modesty that I would never have approached the most ample court of Your Highness, nor interrupted Your Highness—whom I understand to be occupied now with political and most serious affairs—unless necessity, which I could in no way resist...