A lost classic of Western herbalism--rediscovered and restored with 200 full-color images. Herbalist to two kings (James I and Charles I), John Parkinson (1567-1650) was a master apothecary, herbalist, and gardener. Famous in his own lifetime for his influential books, his magnum opus, the "Theatrum Botanicum, " was published in 1640 and ran to 1,766 large pages. The sheer scope and size was perhaps to prove the book's downfall, because while it was much revered--and plagiarized--it was never reprinted and, centuries later, has attained the status of an extremely rare and valuable book. Parkinson was writing at a time when Western herbalism was at its zenith, and his skills as a gardener (from his grounds in Covent Garden) combined perfectly with his passion for science, observation, and historical scholarship. In the "The Herbalist's Bible, " Julie Bruton-Seal and Matthew Seal have beautifully combined selections from Parkinson's book with their own modern commentary on how each plant is used today to create a truly one-of-a-kind, comprehensive collection of herbal information old and new. Parkinson's clear and lively description of a chosen plant's "vertues" or healing properties side-by-side with the editors' notes--including copious herbal recipes--make this the perfect book for students and practitioners of herbalism, historians, and gardeners, all of whom will welcome this restoration of Parkinson's lost classic.