On Modern Improvements of Horticulture. 267 



century. In the latter (the seventeenth), and during the 

 domestic broils which then convulsed the kingdoms, gardening 

 appears to have been, as to style, almost stationary. In the 

 mean time, however, the Reformation had been silently working 

 salutary effects, not only in the deliverance of men from a 

 servile religious thraldom, but also from the dogmas of prece- 

 dential custom, and by imbuing them with a spirit of inde-* 

 pendence with respect to others, gave, what was better, a self-^ 

 dependence in exertion, whether of mind or action ; and, after 

 a few years of revolutionary excess, and abuse of this inesti-» 

 mable acquisition of mental freedom, at last, in 1688, settled 

 down into that rational state of composure, which, with few 

 interruptions, has happily remained to the present day. 



Then it was that gardening, in all its branches, was patro- 

 nised and encouraged. Tournefort in France, and Ray in 

 England, enlightened the pubhc by their description, enuraera-» 

 tion, and classification of plants. Evelyn called attention to 

 the usefulness and national value of forest trees ; several 

 authors developed the mysteries of kitchen-garden and orchard 

 management ; collections of exotic plants were made, and 

 glass-cases built for their reception ; floriculture received a 

 share of the gardener's attention ; and in short, there seemed 

 to be, about this time, a general movement by united exertion 

 to gain what had been previously neglected, and complete 

 what had been only feebly attempted. 



The accession of William and Mary to the British throne 

 very naturally introduced Dutch gardening and architecture/ 

 The old Italian and French styles received very little, if any, 

 amendment. The avenue, the canal, the rectangular clumps 

 and borders, the shelves and slopes, the terrace, with its stairs, 

 were all maintained and extended, the whole surrounded by 

 exactly-clipped hedges, and bedotted with fanciful and unna- 

 turally cut trees. This expensive and ridiculous fashion had 

 its admirers for a time, but at last fell into disrepute, not by a 

 bull or anathema, but chiefly by the keen sarcasm of a Pope ! 



Kitchen-gardens were improved by additional brick-walls 

 for the more delicate kinds of fruit, as vines, figs, peaches^ 

 nectarins, apricots, &c. Hot-beds were in general use, and 

 many hot-houses were erected for different kinds of the above 



