Gilbert Knowles facts for kids
Gilbert Knowles (born in 1667, died in 1734) was an English Roman Catholic priest, a botanist (someone who studies plants), and a poet (someone who writes poems). He lived a long time ago, in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Contents
Gilbert Knowles: A Life of Learning
Gilbert Knowles is mainly known for his important book, Materia Medica Botanica. This book was published in London in 1723. It was a very large book, written in Latin.
What Was His Big Book About?
Knowles's book, Materia Medica Botanica, was all about plants used in medicine. He described 400 different plants and explained how they were used to help people. The book was written as a long poem, with 7,355 lines of Latin poetry! It was dedicated to a famous doctor named Richard Mead.
A Poet's Touch
Even though his book was about science and medicine, Gilbert Knowles was also a poet. He added interesting stories and details into his book to make it more fun to read. He was very inspired by famous ancient Roman poets, especially Virgil, and tried to write in a similar style.
His Portrait
At the front of his book, there was a special picture of Gilbert Knowles. This portrait was made in 1723, when he was 49 years old. It was created by an artist named John Faber the Younger, who made an engraving from a painting by T. Murray.
