LIFE AND WRITINGS OF PLINY.

is not a 'Natural History' in the modern acceptation of the term, but rather a vast encyclopedia of ancient knowledge and belief upon almost every known subject—"not less varied than Nature herself," as his nephew says. It comprises, within the compass of thirty-seven books, matters of importance collected from about 2,000 volumes (nearly all of which have now perished), the works, as he himself states, of 100 writers of authority, together with a vast number of additional matters unknown to those authorities, and many of them the results of his own experience and observation. Hardouin has drawn up a catalogue of the authors quoted by Pliny; they amount in number to between 400 and 500.

The following is a brief sketch of the plan of this wonderful monument of human industry. After a dedicatory Epistle to Titus, followed by a table of contents of the other books, which together form the First Book, the author proceeds to give an account of the prevailing notions as to the universe, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the more remarkable properties of the elements (partes naturæOriginal: "parts of nature."). He then proceeds to a geographical description of the face of the earth known to the ancients. After the geography comes what may in strict propriety be termed "Natural History," including a history of man, replete indeed with marvels, but interesting in the highest degree. Having mentioned at considerable length the land animals, fishes, birds, and insects, he passes on to botany, which in its various aspects occupies the larger portion of the work. At the same time, in accordance with his comprehensive plan, this work includes a vast amount of information on numerous subjects: the culture of cereals and the manufacture of oil, wine, paper (papyrus), and numerous other articles of daily use. After treating at considerable length of medical botany, he proceeds to speak of medicaments derived from the human body, from which he branches off into discussions on the history of medicine and magic, which last he looks upon as an offshoot from the medical art; and he takes this opportunity of touching upon many of the then-current superstitions and notions on astrology. He concludes this portion of his work with an account of the medicinal properties of various waters and of those of fishes and other aquatic animals.