Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants

AN EPISTLE TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE, LORD JOACHIM.

...and other Princes, it is strictly required that you assist these studies with your generosity, so that through their support, public peace and tranquility may be preserved. But there is no reason for me to add spurs to a horse that is already running on its own accordoriginal: "sponte currenti calcaria addam." A classical Latin idiom meaning to urge someone who is already performing well., since among all the Princes of our Germany, there is scarcely another to be found who loves, cherishes, protects, and honors letters and those who are distinguished by a reputation for learning as much as you do.

Reasons for the dedication.

Moved, therefore, by the splendor of your nobility and the many other most distinguished virtues which shine forth in you, I have inscribed to Your Highness these commentaries on the history of plants, which I have prepared with truly great labor and expense. For I clearly perceived that they require no common patronage, but rather some excellent protection, seeing as there is hardly any other field of study more open and exposed to the slanders of many than that which is undertaken to explain the nature of plants. Accordingly, since I was led to the most certain hope that these night-watchesoriginal: "vigilias." This refers to the hours of sleep sacrificed to study and writing. of ours would find no common favor among honest and fair-minded people by the inscription of your most noble name, and that for this reason the insolence of evil-tongued railers would be shattered, I chose you from among so great a number of most distinguished Princes to whom I might especially consecrate these works. Therefore, when you receive them, Most Illustrious PRINCE, you will determine that the defense and preservation of this

The divine presence and kindness shine forth from the plants themselves.

part of medicine—which investigates the natures of plants—is entrusted to you. I know many things will move you to take this up eagerly and willingly, but most especially this: that the divine presence and kindness shine forth from hardly any other thing more than from the great variety of plants, both in their form and their nature, provided that we carefully consider that all of them were created for the use of man by God Himself. If anything else does, certainly the diligent contemplation of herbs awakens, or rather confirms, in our minds the conviction that humans are a care to God, who has labored so anxiously in helping and protecting them, while He decorated the earth with so many most elegant and excellent plants with which they can repel such various diseases. The examples of the most distinguished Kings and Princes which we recited above will also encourage you in no small way to take up this care. But most of all, the immense benefit that will come to everyone from the preservation of this part of medicine. Finally, a wonderful delight, which will enter your mind in contemplating the kinds of herbs, will invite you to both the love and the defense of herbal medicine. For what is more pleasant, what more delightful, than to look upon plants which God, the Best and Greatest, has painted with so many and such various colors, and crowned with so many most elegant flowers, whose color no painter has ever been able to express sufficiently; and finally, which He has adorned with so many seeds and fruits, whose use is greatest both in the kitchen and in medicine? Truly, there is no reason why I should try to draw you further into admiration of this part of medicine, seeing as you are already so held by the study and love of it that there is hardly anything else which delights you more. For you would never place so much effort and expense in laying out gardens planted with so many trees and herbs if the delight of the thing and a singular love did not draw you there. It remains now, Most Illustrious PRINCE, that in accordance with your excellent humanity, which is innate to your family, you accept this gift of ours with a smooth and happy broworiginal: "exporrecta lætaq; fronte." A Latin expression meaning to receive something with a cheerful and welcoming facial expression. as a specimen and witness of my love and respect toward Your Highness, and that you embrace me with your favor and defend me by your authority from the slanders of the envious. There is good hope that this "garden" which we give to Your Highness will be most pleasing, not only because you can find in it almost every kind of herb most elegantly depicted, but also because you may pick from it remedies for any kind of disease. May God, the Best and Greatest, keep you and your dominion safe, so that you may be able to serve the Christian Commonwealth and letters for a very long time. At Tübingen, on the Calends of March, in the year from