CHAP. 4.—GREEK AUTHORS WHO HAVE DELINEATED THE
PLANTS IN COLOURS.
In addition to these, there are some Greek writers who
have treated of this subject, and who have been already mentioned on the appropriate occasions. Among them, Crateuas,
Dionysius, and Metrodorus, adopted a very attractive method
of description, though one which has done little more than
prove the remarkable difficulties which attended it. It was
their plan to delineate the various plants in colours, and then
to add in writing a description of the properties which they
possessed. Pictures, however, are very apt to mislead, and
more particularly where such a number of tints is required,
for the imitation of nature with any success; in addition to
which, the diversity of copyists from the original paintings,
and their comparative degrees of skill, add very considerably
to the chances of losing the necessary degree of resemblance
to the originals. And then, besides, it is not sufficient to delineate a plant as it appears at one period only, as it presents
a different appearance at each of the four seasons of the year. [Note]