CHARLES A. WARD is the most famous translator of the writings of Nostradamus (1503-1566). In this book, first published in 1891, he attempts to unravel the ancient seer's complex, often nonsensical, poetry so that all can clearly understand the man's genius. Ward strongly believed in the accuracy of Nostradamus's predictions, and it was his scholarly opinion that the mystic's visions were written in clear prose first, then arranged as poetry to safeguard the world from their power. Ward made use of only a small percentage of Nostradamus's writings in this book, but they are arranged to show how they predicted the history of Europe. Anyone interested in deciding for themselves the prophetic nature of Nostradamus or the ability of a believer to see what he wills in any pattern will find this book an essential read.