CHAP. II. BRITISH ISLANDS. 61 
horsechestnuts, red cedars, arbor vitees, laurels, bays, &c., which 
probably were planted in or previously to 1730. (See Index, 
Cedar, &c.) 
In the preface (after praising the temperature of the British 
climate; the Royal Society, Charles II., and William IIL, and 
also Malpighius, Grew, Ray, &c., are complimented, as having 
paved the way for the improvement of gardening. “ The profits 
and innocent delights of this art,” they say, ‘ have allured into it 
many learned and curious persons, nobility and gentry;” and 
these “ have not contented themselves with the narrow compass 
and mean stock of our former poorly furnished gardens, but 
they have industriously procured, from abroad, trees, plants, 
flowers, and fruit, not only from our own plantations in America, 
but those also of other parts of Europe, nay, even Asia and 
Africa.. Among these generous procurers of plants, &c., we 
cannot,” the Society add, “ forbear mentioning the following 
worthy persons : — 
* First, Dr.Compton, late Bishop of London, who was an early 
introducer of exotic trees and plants, many of which were grown 
to a considerable size in the open air, in those formerly well- 
stocked gardens at Fulham, most of which have been since 
destroyed, to the great regret of many curious persons. 
** Much about the same time Samuel Reynardson, Esq., began 
to furnish his fine gardens at Hillingdon, near Uxbridge, with a 
great variety of curious plants, which his great correspondence 
abroad enabled him to procure from divers parts of the world; 
but, as he kept them for the most part confined to pots and tubs, 
preserving them in green-houses in winter, never attempting to 
naturalise them to our climate, so, soon after his death, that 
valuable collection was dispersed, as at present to be hardly 
known what he was possessed of. 
** In the like manner, also, the curious Dr. Uvedale of Enfield 
did, by his great correspondence abroad, collect a very valuable 
parcel of plants and flowers, which he, with great skill and care, 
maintained for many years ; and some of the valuable trees were 
planted in the full ground, where they are now (1730) remain- 
ing; but the bulk of his collection was sold to Sir Robert 
Walpole, soon after the doctor’s death. 
*“* Her Grace the Duchess of Beaufort did also collect a nume- 
rous quantity of rare plants into those famous gardens of Bad- 
mington, where she preserved and maintained them with great 
care in wonderful beauty for many years; but this collection 
also consisted chiefly of the most tender exotic plants. 
** The Earl of Pembroke began about the same time to plant 
those magnificent gardens at Wilton, with all the different 
varieties of curious exotic trees and shrubs as would endure the 
cold of our climate in the open air; in which His Lordship hath 
