Good evening and welcome to boring books for bedtime. I hope tonight's installment provides all the boredom your busy brain needs to quiet down and let you get some sleep for once.

So lie back, adjust your volume. Take a nice deep breath and off we go. This evening we're relaxing with some random selections

from one of the world's first attempts at an encyclopedia, the natural history of Pliny the Elder, translated

with copious notes and illustrations by the late John Bostock, MD, FRS, and H.T. Riley Esquire, B. A. Late scholar of Claire Hall, Cambridge.

Published by Henry G. Bonn, York Street, Covent Garden, London in 1855.

Let's begin. 1955.

Let's begin.

Preface

The only translation of Pliny's natural history, which has hitherto appeared in the English language, is that

by Philomen Holland published in the latter part of the reign of Elizabeth.

It is no disparagement to Holland's merits as a diligent and generally faithful translator to say that his work is unsuited to the requirements

of the 19th century. the principal editions of plenty have been carefully consulted and no pains have

been spared as a reference to the notes will show to present to the reader the labors of recent commentators.

Among whom stands preeminent, the celebrated Cuvier.

It has been a primary object to bring to the illustration of the work whatever was afforded

for the progress of knowledge and modern discoveries in science and art. Without ample illustration, Pliny's valuable work would want much of the

interest which belongs to it, and present difficulties scarcely surmountable by anyone

who has not made the author his special study. In the first two books, the text of Harduin, as given

in Lamer's edition, Paris 1827, has been followed. In the remainder, that of Sillig,

Gota 1851, 53.

Accepting in some few instances, where, for reasons given in the notes,

it has been deemed advisable to depart from it.

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