historical lectures and essays(查尔斯金斯利历史讲座)
of the Camargue； a scent of garlic caught the nostrils of the gentle bishop；
and in the lovely pink flowers of the water…germander he recognised the
Scordium of the ancients。 〃The discovery；〃 says Professor Planchon；
〃made almost as much noise as that of the famous Garum； for at that
moment of naive fervour on behalf of antiquity； to re…discover a plant of
Dioscorides or of Pliny was a good fortune and almost an event。〃
I know not whether； after his death； the good bishop’s bones reposed
beneath some gorgeous tomb； bedizened with the incongruous half… Pagan
statues of the Renaissance； but this at least is certain； that Rondelet’s
disciples imagined for him a monument more enduring than of marble or
of brass； more graceful and more curiously wrought than all the sculptures
of Torrigiano or Cellini； Baccio Bandinelli or Michael Angelo himself。
For they named a lovely little lilac snapdragon； Linaria Domini Pellicerii
〃Lord Pellicier’s toad…flax；〃 and that name it will keep； we may believe； as
long as winter and summer shall endure。
But to return。 To this good Patronwho was the Ambassador at
Venicethe newly…married Rondelet determined to apply for employment；
and to Venice he would have gone； leaving his bride behind； had he not
been stayed by one of those angels who sometimes walk the earth in
women’s shape。 Jeanne Sandre had an elder sister； Catharine； who had
63
… Page 64…
Historical Lectures and Essays
brought her up。 She was married to a wealthy man； but she had no
children of her own。 For four years she and her good husband had let the
Rondelets lodge with them； and now she was a widow； and to part with
them was more than she could bear。 She carried Rondelet off from the
students who were seeing him safe out of the city； brought him back；
settled on him the same day half her fortune； and soon after settled on him
the whole； on the sole condition that she should live with him and her
sister。 For years afterwards she watched over the pretty young wife and
her two girls and three boysthe three boys； alas！ all died youngand over
Rondelet himself； who； immersed in books and experiments； was utterly
careless about money； and was to them all a mother advising； guiding；
managing； and regarded by Rondelet with genuine gratitude as his
guardian angel。
Honour and good fortune； in a worldly sense； now poured in upon the
druggist’s son。 Pellicier； his own bishop； stood godfather to his first…born
daughter。 Montluc； Bishop of Valence； and that wise and learned
statesman； the Cardinal of Tournon； stood godfathers a few years later to
his twin boys； and what was of still more solid worth to him； Cardinal
Tournon took him to Antwerp； Bordeaux； Bayonne； and more than once to
Rome； and in these Italian journeys of his he collected many facts for the
great work of his life； that 〃History of Fishes〃 which he dedicated；
naturally enough； to the cardinal。 This book with its plates is； for the time；
a masterpiece of accuracy。 Those who are best acquainted with the
subject say； that it is up to the present day a key to the whole ichthyology
of the Mediterranean。 Two other men； Belon and Salviani； were then at
work on the same subject； and published their books almost at the same
time； a circumstance which caused； as was natural； a three…cornered duel
between the supporters of the three naturalists； each party accusing the
other of plagiarism。 The simple fact seems to be that the almost
simultaneous appearance of the three books in 1554…55 is one of those
coincidences inevitable at moments when many minds are stirred in the
same direction by the same great thoughts coincidences which have
64
… Page 65…
Historical Lectures and Essays
happened in our own day on questions of geology； biology； and astronomy；
and which； when the facts have been carefully examined； and the first
flush of natural jealousy has cooled down； have proved only that there
were more wise men than one in the world at the same time。
And this sixteenth century was an age in which the minds of men were
suddenly and strangely turned to examine the wonders of nature with an
earnestness； with a reverence； and therefore with an accuracy； with which
they had never been investigated before。 〃Nature；〃 says Professor
Planchon； 〃long veiled in mysticism and scholasticism； was opening up
infinite vistas。 A new superstition； the exaggerated worship of the
ancients； was nearly hindering this movement of thought towards facts。
Nevertheless； Learning did her work。 She rediscovered； reconstructed；
purified； mented on the texts of ancient authors。 Then came in
observation； which showed that more was to be seen in one blade of grass
than in any page of Pliny。 Rondelet was in the middle of this crisis a man
of transition； while he was one of progress。 He reflected the past； he
opened and prepared the future。 If he mented on Dioscorides； if he
remained faithful to the theories of Galen； he founded in his ’History of
Fishes’ a monument which our century respects。 He is above all an
inspirer； an initiator； and if he wants one mark of the leader of a school；
the foundation of certain scientific doctrines； there is in his speech what is
better than all systems； the municative power which urges a
generation of disciples along the path of independent research； with
Reason for guide； and Faith for aim。〃
Around Rondelet； in those years； sometimes indeed in his housefor
professors in those days took private pupils as lodgersworked the group
of botanists whom Linnaeus calls 〃the Fathers；〃 the authors of the
descriptive botany of the sixteenth century。 Their names； and those of
their disciples and their disciples again； are household words in the mouth
of every gardener； immortalised； like good Bishop Pellicier； in the plants
that have been named after them。 The Lobelia memorates Lobel；
one of Rondelet’s most famous pupils； who wrote those 〃Adversaria〃
65
… Page 66…
Historical Lectures and Essays
which contain so many curious sketches of Rondelet’s botanical
expeditions； and who inherited his botanical （as Joubert his biographer
inherited his anatomical） manuscripts。 The Magnolia memorates the
Magnols； the Sarracenia； Sarrasin of Lyons； the Bauhinia； Jean Bauhin；
the Fuchsia； Bauhin’s earlier German master； Leonard Fuchs； and the
Clusiathe received name of that terrible 〃Matapalo〃 or 〃Scotch attorney；〃
of the West Indies； which kills the hugest tree； to bee as huge a tree
itself immortalises the great Clusius； Charles de l’Escluse； citizen of
Arras； who； after studying civil law at Louvain； philosophy at Marburg；
and theology at Wittemberg under Melancthon； came to Montpellier in
1551； to live in Rondelet’s own house； and bee the greatest botanist of
his age。
These were Rondelet’s palmy days。 He had got a theatre of anatomy
built at Montpellier； where he himself dissected publicly。 He had； says
tradition； a little botanic garden； such as were springing up then in several
universities； specially in Italy。 He had a villa outside the city； whose
tower； near the modern railway station； still bears the name of the 〃Mas de
Rondelet。〃 There； too； may be seen the remnants of the great tanks； fed
with water brought through earthen pipes from the Fountain of Albe；
wherein he kept the fish whose habits he observed。 Professor Planchon
thinks that