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Period herb books. Modern translations and reprints.

 

NOTE: See also the files: herbs-msg, seeds-msg, herb-uses-msg, lavender-msg, rue-msg, spices-msg, garlic-msg, Basic-Herbs-art, herb-mixes-msg, p-agriculture-bib.

 

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NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I  have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I  have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with separate topics  were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the  message IDs  were removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make  no claims  as  to the accuracy  of  the information  given by the individual authors.

 

Please  respect the time  and  efforts of  those who have written  these messages. The  copyright status  of these messages  is  unclear at this time. If  information  is  published  from  these  messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

 

Thank you,

    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

                                          Stefan at florilegium.org

************************************************************************

 

Date: Thu, 20 Nov 1997 16:49:34 -0600

From: khkeeler <kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: Re- Beans in a Period Recip

 

DianaFiona  at aol.com wrote:

> <<

>  Carob is mentioned in the Dioscorides' herbal (AD 64 and the most

>  important medicinal herbal across all of Period)

>   >>

>       OK, next question---anyone know where to get a modern translation of

> this? Or, for that matter, any other of the numerous period herbals. I have

> Culpeper's and an abreviated edition of Gerard, but I haven't seen any others

> offered. But they are quoted freqently, so I tend to think that they are

> around--somewhere......

>   Ldy Diana

 

I don't think its' easy.  What are the sources--

Dioscorides is out of print.  There is an English translation from the

1930's in older university libraries. I admit to xeroxing it but I'd buy

a copy if one were available.  

 

Galen and Pliny on plants anyone?

 

The Tacunium Sanitatis --Medieval Health Handbook.  two very different

editions were printed about 10 years ago, doubtless both are out of

print--tho I found one at a used book store on at trip to Minneapolis

recently.  I can get you the ISBN's if you want.

 

Macer's the Virtues of Herbs (1000 AD I think) was translated by D.P.

O'Hanlon about 1980 and published by Hemkunt Press, Delhi. I think it's

still in press through obscure New Age importers--I can provide an

address.

I would like to find a copy of the original Latin.  Anyone know a

source?

 

Hildegard of Bingen's medical writings.  Because noone in Period quoted

her, I haven't hunted, but I think they are available in recent

translations.

 

There are a variety of mid Period herbals in various languages based on

Dioscorides.

Anyone have sources for those?

 

By late Period

Gerard and Culpeper, both reprinted.

There was a facsimile edition of Turner's herbal published in England in

the last decade--I lusted after it but wasn't willing to pay the price.

 

Banks' herbal, the Grete Herbal--those I think are still only available

at the big libraries.

 

I found Cockayne on Leechcraft (complex title, but a translation of all

the AngloSaxon Medieval stuff he could find) in a library but I don't

think there's a version in print.  Anyone know?

 

Other things for an herbalist?

 

Agnes deLanvallei

Mag Mor, Calontir

 

 

Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 15:26:42 -0700

From: Evelyn Alden <katriana  at chanute-ks.com>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Herbals

 

Dover has reprinted the complete Gerard's herbal, most any bookseller who

carries Dover books should be willing to order it for you. Last time I

checked it was $85 dollars, or thereabouts.  weight is 10-15 lbs hardbound.

Dover also publishes _The Garden of Pleasant Flowers" by Parkinson, orig.

published in 1629, just under $25.

 

katriana

Calontir

 

 

Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 18:12:58 -0600

From: theodelinda  at webtv.net (linda webb)

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: Herbals

 

I believe DIoscorides is one of the many Greek & Roman authors whose

works are available in the Loeb editions, which are published by the

Harvard University Press.  You can get ordering information through your

bookeller, or by calling HUP's 800 number, which is available through

directory assistance.  For those who are unfamiliar with this useful

series, they are facing-page translations of ancient authors (Greek or

Latin on the left-hand page, and English on the right-hand one), which

are (for this sort of thing) reasonably priced (the last time I bought

one, about $23)  (This may seem high to people who don't know this

field, but I have seen books in the original language only sell for $60

hb, and $30pb...)  They are hardbound, the Greek ones in Green and the

Latin ones in red.  In addition to the more common authors, like Caesar,

Plato, and Cicero, the Loeb editions include a lot of more obscure

material, like the scientific writers.  For those who are interested in

ancient and medieval farming, they have both Cato and Columella, for

example.  The one drawback is that, because the books are small, a text

might require three or four volumes.

                                                  Theo

 

 

Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 21:20:28 -0500 (EST)

From: Carol Thomas <scbooks  at neca.com>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Beans in a Period/herbals

 

>Tacunium Sanitas - Medieval Health Handbook

 

This is still in print, in paperback, by Ratti, pub. by Braziller.

 

Hildegard of Bingen's "Medicine" is also in print, pb, authors Dr. Wighard

Strehlow and Gottfried Hertzka, MD, publisher is Bear & Co.

It combines exerpts from Handbuch der Hildegard-Medizin with the authors'

ideas on folk medicines and commentary on her recommendations.

 

Lady Carllein

 

 

Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 03:18:42 -0500 (EST)

From: <DianaFiona  at aol.com>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: Re- Beans in a Period Recip

 

<<

The Tacunium Sanitatis --Medieval Health Handbook.  two very different

editions were printed about 10 years ago, doubtless both are out of

print--tho I found one at a used book store on at trip to Minneapolis

recently.  I can get you the ISBN's if you want.>>

 

Hummmm, just checked Small Churl Books

(http://www.neca.com/~scbooks/)--they do have it! Here's the blurb:

 

MEDIEVAL HEALTH HANDBOOK

Luisa Cogliati Arano (Braziller)

Selected from five important illuminated manuscripts on health, this

delightful book explains the effects which plants, foods, winds, flowers,

seasons and other factors were believed to have on a person's medical status.

Some examples: beets cure dandruff, roses cure inflamed brains, spinich is

good for a cough, and pinecones stimulate the libido. 153 pages, softcover.

291 illustrations, 48 in color. Size: 6.5 x 9.

Price: $19.95

   Ldy Diana

 

 

Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 20:48:45 -0600

From: kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu (Kathleen H. Keeler)

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: herbals

 

>The only version I know of is:

>

>Author:         Cockayne, Thomas Oswald, 1807-1873.

>Title:          Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England : Being

>                   a collection of documents, for the most part never before

>                   printed, illustrating the history of science in this country

>                   before the Norman conquest

>Published:      London : Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green, 1864-66.

>

>Unless there is a much more recent edition, good luck finding it (and if

>you find 2 copies -- let me know!) and it is a tad too early for an ISBN.

>If you are neat a large library do look for it.  It is great fun.

>Ailene ingen Aedain

 

There's a more recent version--same title, 1961 The Holland Press, London.

So there should be an ISBN, but I don' have it recorded.

Agnes

kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu

 

 

Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 20:49:00 -0600

From: kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu (Kathleen H. Keeler)

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Herbals (was Re Beans in a Period Recip

 

An Arab "health handbook" made its way into Europe, translated at least

four different times and places.  The Four Seasons of the House of Cerruti

is a very pretty edition of one of the copies (14th Century, Po Valley, Italy,

apparently commissioned for some member of the House of Cerruti.  ) Judith

Spencer, tr. The four seasons of hte House of Cerruti, Facts on File

Publications, New York andBicester, England. 1983. ISBN 0-8160-0138-3,

originaly $17.95!)  Its more accessible than the Arano book because its a

single whole, with very useful commentary at the end.

Arano's is pretty clearly the core of a PhD thesis which studied all the

extant copies.  It assumes you know more about the 4 humours theory and not

all the names are translated (look for lettuce under under lactuce (the

Latin?)

        Both versions are simply wonderful for the illustrations--which can

be used in all sorts of contexts you never planned.  I used one to document

serving wine from small jugs.  And sent someone else to it for the pictures

of a hen house. The Arano version has more pictures, tho smaller and in

black and white, and so there are more items documentable or that can be

studied from that version.

 

> Macer's the Virtues of Herbs (1000 AD I think) was translated by D.P.

> O'Hanlon about 1980 and published by Hemkunt Press, E 1/15 Patel Rd. New

>Delhi--110008, but I got it from Auromere (booksellers) 1291 Webster St.

>Pomona CA 91768.  (714) 629-8255 (that's from a sticker in the book, may

>not be current).Its a small book and was under $20. The translation was

>done with New Age use of herbs in mind (the footnotes link to American

>Indian uses) but its close to being a primary source, being a full

>translation of Macer's work.

 

Agnes

kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu

 

 

Date: Sun, 23 Nov 1997 01:35:33 -0500 (EST)

From: <DianaFiona  at aol.com>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: herbals

 

<<

Author:         Cockayne, Thomas Oswald, 1807-1873.

Title:          Leechdoms, wortcunning, and starcraft of early England : Being

                    a collection of documents, for the most part never before

                    printed, illustrating the history of science in this country

                    before the Norman conquest

Published:      London : Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green,

1864-66.

Unless there is a much more recent edition, good luck finding it (and if

you find 2 copies -- let me know!) and it is a tad too early for an ISBN.

If you are neat a large library do look for it.  It is great fun.

  >>

 

   Yeeeehaaa! Just on a whim, I did a search on the author's name, and found

a site at the Un. of Alberta library

(http://gate.library.ualberta.ca/MARION/AME-8994) that lists it---and says

that the one they have is a *1965* reprint of the original!

    Then further searches indicated that the original is part of something

called "The Rolls Series" (? Whatever that is.......) and there is a link for

this listing on ORB On-line Referenence Book for Medieval Studies

(http://orb.rhodes.edu/online.html  It's a great site--actually has some

links to period documents on-line!), that has this about the book:

 

. 3 vols. London, 1864-1866.

 

I.Herbarium of Apuleius, with its continuation from other writers, the

Medicina de quadrupedibus of Sextus Placitus, and various leech doms and

charms. II.Leech book, bks. 1-3. III.Recipes, prognostics, starcraft, and

charms, with glossaries; and Anglo-Saxon fragments relating to St. Mildred's

abbey in Minster in Thanet and King Eadger's establishment of monasteries.

      It also lists the other sections in the book (Which for some reason

refuse to paste in :-(, but they include the Leechbooks which I'd love to

read!

 

      I can see that I'll have to hit the ILL hard and heavy once Christmas

is over and I have time to think again. ;-) Thanks for the info!

 

   Ldy Diana

 

 

[submitted by "Philippa Alderton" <phlip  at bright.net>]

From: khkeeler <kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu>

To: herbalist  at Ansteorra.ORG

Subject: Re: HERB - Begining Herbalism 101

Date: Oct 10, 1998 12:05 AM

 

Ghislaine Fontanneau wrote:

> I am Ghislaine Marie Fontanneau, lately of Ansteorra and recently of the

> Outlands.  I've been learning a bit about herbalism mundanely, and now

> I'm itching to find period applications for what I've learned.  Can

> ya'll recommend some good sources for herbalism pre-17th c.?   I want to

> learn the herbalism that my persona would have known.

>

> Ghia

 

We made a pretty good list of authentic sources some time ago: did

anyone keep it?  and, do we have a summary of on-line references?

 

Ghia, here's my overview of the situation (others please fix my

overstatements!)

 

Almost all of the period sources of Italian/French/German/English

tradition are retellings of the Dioscorides' _De Materia Medica_, Latin,

64 AD, out of print or available only in very expensive editions.  But

that is what most period medical people used, in some form.

 

Culpeper's writings and Gerard's (both very end of Period) are

accessible--in print in various versions, some not too expensive.  They

represent additions from the views of earlier times, but are essentially

period sources.

 

Macer "On the virtues of herbs" has a 1970's translation that I

believe is still in print and available (D.P. O'Hanlon translation,

"Macer's on the virtues of herbs" Hemkunt Press, New Delhi, available

through various New Age sources).  This was a poem about 1200.  The

information is largely from Dioscorides.

 

They used classical sources -- Galen, Pliny, Plato, Aristotle, Strabo

-- tho at least some of them were not widely available until late period

and so unknown although technically extant.

 

A different tradition comes out of the Moslem healers: they maintain

some of the classical sources better than the western Europeans, and are

more experimental.  About 1000AD the mainline European tradition starts

to pick up Arab ideas --  the Tacunium Sanitatis is in print in at least

one form and represents the presentation of an Arab healing manual in

France and Italy.  (Somebody said a Georges Brazillier (that's the

publisher) edition is available through Amazon.com)

 

Jewish medicine is quite separate, I think.

 

Dioscorides is southern European (Mediterranean) and the northern

Europeans had different plants available but in Period, the science

didn't understand regional differences in plants as far as I can tell.

There's almost certainly a separate tradition from the local people of

northern Europe but most of that was lost as Christianity took over.

For AngloSaxon herbals: many years ago Cockayne made a translation of

everything he could find, which is not in print in any widely accessible

form. That is a very weird mix of rewritings of Dioscorides, nonsense

(charms in pseudoLatin), and maybe some uniquely northern herbalism.

 

Culpeper in some editions has a section at the back on methods, the

best genuine how-to I know of.

 

Agnes

 

 

From: John Simutis <simutis  at verio.com>

Newsgroups: rec.org.sca

Subject: Re: Renaissance chompie toys

Date: 22 May 1998 18:43:33 GMT

Organization: Verio Northern California's Usenet News Service

 

David Dendy <ddendy  at silk.net> wrote:

: Just to toss in another item of trivia that has risen to the surface of my

: memory. Whole orris root used to be used, and was known as "teething root".

: Sorry, I can't remember where I read this; you'll just have to dig.

 

Couldn't find orris in it, but ran across

 

http://www.med.yale.edu/library/historical/culpeper/culpeper.htm

 

"Culpeper, Nicholas, 1616-1654.

The English physitian: or an astrologo-physical discourse of the vulgar

herbs of this nation.

London : Peter Cole, 1652.

8 p.l., 255 p. (i.e. 159 p.), [5] p., front. (port.)

Pages numbered 1-92, 189-255.

Harvey Cushing's copy.

 

This electronic version was prepared by Richard Siderits, M.D., and

colleagues by keying from the copy at the Historical Library,

Cushing/Whitney Medical Library, Yale University. Adaptation to HTML by

Toby Appel."

--

John Simutis                                    simutis at ccnet.com

 

 

[Submitted by: "Philippa Alderton" <phlip  at bright.net>]

From: khkeeler <kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu>

To: herbalist  at Ansteorra.ORG

Subject: Re: HERB - Begining Herbalism 101

Date: 19 Oct 1998 12:05 AM

 

Ghislaine Fontanneau wrote:

>I've been lurking around, and now I'm ready to come out and show myself.

> I am Ghislaine Marie Fontanneau, lately of Ansteorra and recently of the

> Outlands.  I've been learning a bit about herbalism mundanely, and now

> I'm itching to find period applications for what I've learned.  Can

> ya'll recommend some good sources for herbalism pre-17th c.?   I want to

> learn the herbalism that my persona would have known.

>

> Ghia

 

We made a pretty good list of authentic sources some time agodid

anyone keep it?  and, do we have a summary of on-line references?

 

Ghia, here's my overview of the situation (others please fix my

overstatements!)

 

  Almost all of the period sources of Italian/French/German/English

tradition are retellings of the Dioscorides' _De Materia Medica_, Latin,

64 AD, out of print or available only in very expensive editions.  But

that is what most period medical people used, in some form.

 

   Culpeper's writings and Gerard's (both very end of Period) are

accessible--in print in various versions, some not too expensive.  They

represent additions from the views of earlier times, but are essentially

period sources.

 

   Macer "On the virtues of herbs" has a 1970's translation that I

believe is still in print and available (D.P. O'Hanlon translation,

"Macer's on the virtues of herbs" Hemkunt Press, New Delhi, available

through various New Age sources).  This was a poem about 1200.  The

information is largely from Dioscorides.

 

   They used classical sources -- Galen, Pliny, Plato, Aristotle, Strabo

-- tho at least some of them were not widely available until late period

and so unknown although technically extant.

 

   A different tradition comes out of the Moslem healers: they maintain

some of the classical sources better than the western Europeans, and are

more experimental.  About 1000AD the mainline European tradition starts

to pick up Arab ideas --  the Tacunium Sanitatis is in print in at least

one form and represents the presentation of an Arab healing manual in

France and Italy.  (Somebody said a Georges Brazillier (that's the

publisher) edition is available through Amazon.com)

 

  Jewish medicine is quite separate, I think.

 

  Dioscorides is southern European (Mediterranean) and the northern

Europeans had different plants available but in Period, the science

didn't understand regional differences in plants as far as I can tell.

There's almost certainly a separate tradition from the local people of

northern Europe but most of that was lost as Christianity took over.

For AngloSaxon herbals: many years ago Cockayne made a translation of

everything he could find, which is not in print in any widely accessible

form. That is a very weird mix of rewritings of Dioscorides, nonsense

(charms in pseudoLatin), and maybe some uniquely northern herbalism.

 

Culpeper in some editions has a section at the back on methods, the best

genuine how-to I know of.

 

Cheers

Agnes

kkeeler1  at unl.edu

 

 

Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 08:40:12 EST

From: WOLFMOMSCA  at aol.com

Subject: Re: SC - Nerve Bisquits???

 

In a message dated 99-01-26 10:08:24 EST, Anne-Marie wrote:

<< our very own Leticia Troischiens does these "hildies nerve cookies" to

great reviews. She also admits she knows of no primary source documentatio

for them (and she's looked a lot). >>

 

They may be from _Hildegard von Bingen's Physica_.  Newly translated into

English for the first time, available from Healing Arts Press, 1 Park St,

Rochester, VT 05767, at a cost of $25.00.  Reviewed in the Feb/Mar Herb

Companion magazine.  They had this to say:

 

"The text reveals nine systems of healing, each based on categories of natural

creation: Plants, Elements, Trees, Stones, Fish, Birds, Animals, Reptiles, and

Metals.  Describing the attributes of each in terms of hot, cold, moist and

dry.  Hildegard describes how to prepare and apply many different remedies,

what herbs and other materials to ignore, and what substances--dragon's

blood, for instance--are downright poisonous."

 

Wolfmom

 

 

Date: Tue, 02 Feb 1999 15:15:12 -0600

From: Kathleen Keeler <kkeeler  at unlinfo.unl.edu>

To: sca-arts  at raven.cc.ukans.edu

Subject: Re: Gerard's Herbal

 

Jenne Heise wrote:

> On Tue, 2 Feb 1999, rmhowe wrote:

> > Ingvild wrote:

> > > Gerard, John.  "The Herbal."  New York:  Dover, 1975.  (THE 17th century

> > > herbal, again in black-and-white.  Still available from Dover, I believe, but

> > > rather pricey.  You may want to get it through inter-library loan first.)

> > Seen it recently in hardback in the Bargain books section of a

> > Barnes and Noble for less than $10.

>

> *blink* are you sure? This is the 11x14, 4 inch thick version? Green

> binding? $80 from Barnes & Noble .com?

>

> I know there is a [Leaves from] Gerard's Herbal out there, which might

> well be remaindered.

>

> Jadwiga Zajaczkowa (Shire of Eisental; HERMS Cyclonus), mka Jennifer Heise

 

I own two editions of Gerard's herbal . The unabridged (cost about $100), and a

condensed version that has lots of detail removed.  Like grasse:  there are no

grasses described in my short form.  I was given the latter a while ago, I think

it was printed in the '60's or before, and so there may be more modern printings

of shortened forms.  Its not tiny: maybe 300 pages, but very much less than the

unabridged.  This edition does not say clearly that it is not complete.

Perhaps Gerard in his lifetime issued some shorter tomes.

 

Agnes

 

 

Date: Wed, 03 Feb 1999 06:01:15 -0800 (PST)

From: darkwater <darkwater9  at yahoo.com>

To: SCA Arts Listserve <SCA-ARTS  at UKANS.EDU>

Subject: Gerard's 1633 Herbal

 

I have a copy of Gerard's Herbal.  Mine is a complete reproduction of

the original down to size (~3 feet by 2 feet by 6 inches) to the

beautiful woodcuts, old english language and typeface, and the

misnumbered pages.  The cover is green and white, the publisher is

Dover, the price tag was around $110 and I ordered it through the

local bookstore.

 

If you wish anymore information or details, email me privately at

darkwater9  at yahoo.com

 

Douglas

Elvegast, Windmaster's Hill, Atlantia

 

 

Date: Tue, 23 Mar 1999 17:36:35 -0500

From: renfrow  at skylands.net (Cindy Renfrow)

Subject: SC - Gerard's Herball

 

Hello!  I've finally finished my page of culinary gleanings from Gerard's

Herball.  Please visit.  There are a lot of recipes & interesting tidbits

of information.

 

The page can be found at: http://members.aol.com/renfrowcm/gerardp1.html

(Note: this is a new url.)

 

Cindy Renfrow

renfrow  at skylands.net

 

 

Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 14:04:43 -0500

From: "Richard Kappler II" <rkappler  at home.com>

Subject: SC - Index to Gerard's herbal

 

Having obtained her permission to do so, I would like to commend Lady

Temair, who is lurking amongst us, for a most magnificent piece of work.

Many of us use Gerards Herbal in our research of period cooking as well as

other 'crafts' we pursue within the Society.  It is a cumbersome volume

though and I for one have found it difficult to use.  Lady Temair has

compiled an index, a pair of them actually, that lists the contents of this

book both alphabetically and in ascending page number.  I have found this

extremely helpful in my research and now refer to Gerards on an almost daily

basis as opposed to a reference of last, sometimes painful, resort (due only

to my own laziness ;-).

 

Thanks to Lord Eadric, this fine work is available on the web at:

http://users.ev1.net/~uisge/sca_brew/gerards.htm

 

VIVATS! and thank you Tara!

 

regards, Puck

 

 

Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2000 23:51:00 -0500

From: "RANDALL DIAMOND" <ringofkings  at mindspring.com>

Subject: SC - Re Gerard's Herbal

 

>>>>>From: Richard Keith <keith.78  at osu.edu>

Just got a copy of Gerald's herbal.  Now I must get a permanent copy for

myself.<<<<

 

Did you get the full bells and whistles Dover edition (10 pounds or so

& $100) or just the little Dover abridged version?

 

>>>>Question:  Are the Latin names he has given correct.  IE, could I start

looking for modern plants my the family name?Subject: SC - Gerald's

Herbal<<<<

 

No, they are not at all accurate, or at least dependably accurate

in a consistant manner.  Even contemporary taxonomy is still reclassifying

and renaming species and reassigning families.  Any modern plant

book over 10 years old is partially obsolete.  The old Herbals bounce

bad Latin and Greek all over the place and it is difficult sometimes to

figure out what plant they are naming.  The illustrations are often the

only way to guess what they are talking about as they often are

describing non-existant amd imaginary species based on legend and

rumour.

 

>>>>Has anyone ever gone through and listed his multi lingual references to

things?  Looks like a good project if it has not been done.  Or looked up

what modern equivalents are.<<<<

 

I doubt that anyone has done so, as Gerard's command of other

languages was about as good as his Latin and Greek.  In other words,

rather poor.  If anyone has the credentials to do multiple translation

from 8-10 period languages and dialects (with a lot of misspelled or

inaccurate words in Gerard)  into their modern idioms and then, from

there into modern English, I admire their intellectual capacity.

It is certainly beyond me.  One must remember that Gerard

plagurized the bulk of the work in The Herbal from translations

of another work by another person.  His scholastic credentials

are about as good as a modern person running a commercial

nursery and landscaping operation today.   Approach Gerard

with caution as he introjects a great deal of popular hearsay into

his work.  You probably need a fair amount of modern botanical

study to select the accurate from the false in The Herbal.

This is especially an essential credential for anyone trying

multi-lingual documentations from this source.  A working

knowledge ofmodern botony would be essential to making the

outcome of the final analysis be of value.

 

Akim Yaroslavich

 

 

Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000 10:47:53 EDT

From: Acanthusbk  at aol.com

Subject: Re: SC - Re Gerard's Herbal

 

The Dover facsimile of Gerard's Herbal is not out of print, nor is it close

to going out of print. Dover has a huge stockpile of these in inventory. See

http://www.acanthus-books.com/herorgenhiso.html

 

It's pretty horrifying to hear that Dover is referring customers to Amazon.

FYI, to those of you who buy books online, do yourself a favor and see

 

http://www.addall.com

 

and

 

http://www.bookfinder.com

 

two search engines for online book shopping price comparisons. Jeff Bezos has

fooled consumers into thinking Amazon.com has everything available, at the

best price. Wrong on both counts. And speaking of scams, don't get me started

on Alibris.

 

Amanda

Acanthus Books

(A proud member of IOBA, the Independent Online Booksellers Association

<http://www.ioba.org>)

 

Also see <http://www.noamazon.com>

and <http://nowebpatents.com>

 

 

Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000 17:05:48 -0400

From: "Gaylin Walli" <gwalli  at infoengine.com>

Subject: SC - Re: Gerard's Herbal

 

Lord Akim asked Lord Frederich:

>Did you get the full bells and whistles Dover edition (10 pounds or so

>& $100) or just the little Dover abridged version?

 

I think the bells and whistles edition weighs more than 10 pounds.

I know for a fact that a misbalanced copy can adequately flatten an

overweight cat when dropped from the height of a standard queen

sized mattress and boxspring. :)

 

Incidently, my copy only cost 60 dollars US including shipping

from Barnes and Noble online. Regrettably, not available at

their website at this time. However, copies do appear in a

quick search of the www.bookfinder.com site.

 

Frederich asked and Akim responded:

>  >>>>Question:  Are the Latin names he has given correct.  IE, could I start

>looking for modern plants my the family name?Subject: SC - Gerald's

>Herbal<<<<

>

>No, they are not at all accurate, or at least dependably accurate