Adam in Eden, or nature's paradise. The history of plants, fruits, herbs, and flowers. With their several names, whether Greek, Latin or English ... as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations, and particular physical vertues ... / By William Coles, herbarist.

  • Coles, William, 1626-1662.
Date:
1657
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Adam in Eden, or nature's paradise. The history of plants, fruits, herbs, and flowers. With their several names, whether Greek, Latin or English ... as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations, and particular physical vertues ... / By William Coles, herbarist. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    T sstam issm To the Reader. Courteom Reader^ TO make thee truly fenfible ol that happinefle which Mankind loft by the Fall of Adam^ is to render thee an Botamcky by the knowledge of fo incomparable a Science as the Art of Sin,flings to re-inftate thee in¬ to another Eden^ or^ A Garden of Paraoife: For it Vv e rightly confiderihe Addreftesof this Divine Contemplation of Herbs and Plants, with what alluring Steps and Paces the Study of them diredsUsto an admiration ot the Supream Wildorne, we cannot but even from thefe inferiour things arrive fonte- wbat near unto a heavenly Contentment, a contentment in¬ deed next to that Bleflednefte ol Fruition,which is onely in the other World; for ail our Pleafures here having but the fading Aids of Senfe arc beholding, or rather fubjeded to our hu¬ mane Frailties, fo that they muft in refped of our Expeda- tions in fome kind or other ever fall ftiort. NeverthelefTe moft certain it is, amongft ail thefe tranfitory Entertainments of our Lives, there is none more fuitable to the mind of man then this j fori dare boldly aflert, that if there be any one that is become fo much an Herbarift, as to be delighted with thcplcafant Afpeds of Nature, fo as to have walked a few turnsinher folitary Places, traced her Allies,viewed her feve- rall imbroidered Beds, recreated and feaftedhimfelf with her Fragrances, the harmleftc delights of her Fields and Gardens; He it is, that hath embraced one of the greateft of our terre- ftriall Felicities. Hence it is, thatEmperours, Princes, He¬ roes, and Perfonsof the moft generous Qualifications, have trod on their Sce p|:ers, fleighted their Thro- es,caft away their Purples, and laid afide all ether Exuberancies of State, to Court their MotherEarthin her own Drefiings; Such Beau¬ ties there are to be difeerne^in Flowers, fuch Curiofities of Features to be fdund in Plahtsr WVhen Gc^d Almighty would have Adam to partake of a peffedion of‘happine{fe,xven then vvhenhe flood innocent, he could find none greater uhder the Sun then to place him in a Garden. Spencer^ the Prince of our Englifh Poets,fcats all Pleafures in the Gardens of as the more ancient did in thofe of Alcimm and the Hefperides, Formy part, my Genius and more particular Inclination hath for a long fpace made me fubfervient to the Svveethefte of thefe Retirements ; the beft Hours ot my Life being fpent in the Fields and in Phyfick Gardens, more efpecially in that Famous One at Oxford, where 1 made it a great part of my [ a] Study