12 NATURAL HISTORY OF PBECIOUS STONES, &c.
more systematic definition of the same things offered by Solinus.
Lastly, many gems and minerals will be found explained in the ' Origines ' (a brief Encyclopaedia) of Isidorus, bishop
of Seville in the seventh century. This work has a certain value as
containing quotations from many authors now lost. Little, however, is
to be gathered from his extracts bearing upon our subject ; since he
has evidently, in this branch, contented himself with abridging
Pliny's articles, and that, too often, without any very clear
comprehension of his leaning. From Solinus, likewise, he has
transcribed some passages verbatim : for instance, the characters of
the " Hyacinthus." He had, however, some third source at his command,
whence he drew his notices of the medicinal virtues of gems,
which with him is the most important point in the estimation ; and this
source was either Epiphanius's tract, or else the original, laid under
contribution to so little purpose by that abbreviator. As he never
names his authorities, it remains a matter for conjecture who this
oracle could have been. From the nature of the case it must be inferred
that he bad written in Latin ; and judging from a certain similarity in
parallel passages, be may bave been the pretended Evax, whose
singular composition, belonging partly to ancient, partly to médias val
science, shall be the next to come under our consideration.
Some four centuries after Isidorus we find Marbodus (Marbœuf),
bishop of Rennes, publishing, some time between 1067 and 1081, bis '
Lapidarium,' * styled in the procemium " An Abridgment of the bulky
volume composed by Evax, King of Arabia, and sent as a present to
Tiberius Caesar." Nevertheless, whole passages in the
