An ornate woodcut headpiece features symmetrical foliage, scrolls, and two central human figures flanking a central pedestal or tree, with birds and other creatures integrated into the floral patterns.

ANOTHER

PREFACE

TO THE

READER.

You receive here, friendly Reader, the Malabar Garden, in the preparation of which the Noble and Generous Lord HENRICUS VAN RHEEDE expended every effort, as did D. JOANNES CASEARIUS, who was uniquely intent upon the accurate execution of the description of the plants that this garden contains. As for myself, who also have a part in their works, as is evident from the previous preface, I congratulate myself that those gentlemen, whether from their own zeal or from the work I had put into describing the plants, were stirred to the exact and accurate description—which I could not attend to for completion due to my Ecclesiastical duties, as those gentlemen indeed wished to be arranged—and especially that my writings on these plants came into the hands of these gentlemen. In order that their work might be more complete, they deigned to insert into their writings that which I had gathered by long experience regarding the virtues of the plants, for the promotion of both the public good and the convenience of the Order of the Indian Company, and thus to make public my work, which perhaps otherwise would have been obscured, useless, and imperfect; in which I testify that they have acted most faithfully with me. Truly, the more I had previously lamented that I could not assist my friends—especially the most learned Professor JACOBI GOLII among the Dutch, to whom I was the more devoted because Reverend Father, Brother COELESTINUS à S. LUDOVINA, a Discalced Carmelite of the Order of the Prophet Saint Elijah, as well as myself, my former Vicar on Mount Lebanon, were bound by persistent requests by which they inquired of me concerning these plants and their virtues.