AN ECLECTIC LIBRARY.

Historic Botanical Works.

Ortus Sanitatis. [Qui continet:]

De herbis et plantis.

De animalibus et reptilibus.

De Avibus et volatilibus.

De piscibus et natatilibus.

De Lapidibus & in terre venis nascentibus.

De Urinis et earum speciebus.

Printed by Johann Prüss in about 1499. —More than half the book—about four hundred pages—is filled with the treatise on herbs and plants, each with an accompanying woodcut. The other sections are similarly illustrated, except, fortunately, for the section on urine.
A 1497 edition, with hand-colored initials.

Plantarum effigies, è Leonartho Fuschio, ac quinque diversis linguis reddita. —A book of pictures of plants, each labeled in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, and German. A Lyon, Chez Balthazar Arnoullet.

A Niewe Herball, or Historie of Plantes: wherein is contayned the whole discourse and perfect description of all sortes of herbes and plantes: their diuers and sundry kindes: their straunge Figures, Fashions, and Shapes: their Names, Natures, Operations, and Vertues: and that not onely of those whiche are here growyng in this our countrie of Englande, but of all others also of forrayne realmes, commonly used in physicke. First set foorth in the Doutche or Almaigne tongu,/by that learned D. Rembert Dodoens, Physition to the Emperour: and now first translated out of French into English, by Henry Lyte, Esquyer. At London by me Gerard Dewes, dwelling in Pawles Churchyarde at the signe of the Swanne, 1578. —With very accurate illustrations. The number of surviving copies suggests that this book amply repaid Mr. Dewes’ investment in printing this luxurious blackletter folio.
Another copy.
Another copy.
Another copy.

Herbario nuovo di Castore Durante Medico & Cittadino Romano. Con figure che rappresentano le vive Piante, che nascono in tutta Europa, & nell’Indie Orientali, & Occidentali. In Roma ,Appresso Bartholomeo Bonfadino, & Tito Diani, 1585. —With excellent illustrations.

Eicones plantarum, seu stirpium, arborum nempe, fructicum, herbarum, fructuum, lignorum, radicum, omnis generis; tam inquilinorum, quam exoticorum: quae partim Germania sponte producit: partim ab exteris regionibus allata, in Germania plantantur: in gratiam medicinae reique herbariae studiosorum, in tres partes digestae. Adiecto INDICE gemino locupletissimo. Curante Nicolao Bassaeo, Typographo Francofurtensi. Francofurti ad Moenum, 1590. —More than 1100 pages of fine and very accurate illustrations of various wild and garden plants.

Icones Stirpium, seu Plantarum tam exoticarum quam indigenarum, in gratiam rei herbariae studiosorum in duas partes digestae. Cum septem linguarum Indicibus, ad diversarum nationum usum. Antuerpiae: Ex Officina Plantiniana, apud Viduam et Ioannem Moretum. 1591. —Nearly 1300 pages of exceptionally fine illustrations of native and exotic plants.

Ioyfull Newes Out of the New-Found Worlde. Wherein are declared, the rare and singuler vertues of divers herbs, trees, plantes, oyles and stones, with their applications, as well to the use of phisicke, as of chirurgery: which being well applyed, bring such present remedie for all diseases, as may seeme altogether incredible: notwithstanding by practice found out to be true. Also the portrature of the said hearbs, verie aptly described: Englished by John Frampton Marchant. Newly corrected as by conference with the olde copies may appeare. Whereunto are added three other bookes treating of the Bezaar stone, the herb Escuerconera, the properties of iron and steele in medicine, and the benefit of snow. London, Printed by E. Alde, by the assigne of Bonham Norton. 1596. —The original work is credited by the librarian to Nicolás Monardes. As a primarily medical treatise, this is printed in blackletter, which was the rule for English medical works at the time.
Another copy.

The Herball, or, Generall Historie of Plantes. Gathered by John Gerarde of London, Master in Chirurgerie. Imprinted at London by Iohn Norton, 1597. —Nearly 1400 pages of engravings and descriptions, followed by a very copious index of Latin names and other references.
Another copy.
Another copy.

Herbarium Blackwellianum emendatum et auctum; id est E. Blackwell Collectio Stirpium quae in pharmacopoliis ad medicum usum asservantur, quarum descriptio et vires ex Anglico idiomate in Latinum conversae sistuntur, figurae maximam partem ad naturale exemplar emendantur… Norimbergae: Typis Io. Iosephi Fleishmanni. 1750. —Beautiful colored illustrations; unfortunately we have not found the second century.

Centuria I.

Centuria II.

Centuria III.

Centuria IV.

Centuria V ultima.