lo THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



Who is there (says Atticus) Marcus, that, looking at these 

 natural falls, and these two rivers, which form so fine a 

 contrast, would not learn to despise our pompous follies, and 

 laugh at artificial Niles, and seas in marble; for, as in our 

 late argument you referred all to Nature, so more especially 

 in things which relate to the imagination, is she our sovereign 

 mistress. — De Legibus. {Introduction to 2nd Dialogue.) 



■*i\i\[\f — 



CICERO VI OR husbandry is onely pleasant and plenteous by reason of 

 (B.C. 10 -43). i>( corne and medowes and vyneyardes and trees joyned with 

 vynes : but also by reason of orchardes, gardynes, also fedynge 

 of cattell, and hyves of been : also the diversite of all maner 

 of floures. Nor the plantynge and settyng of trees delyteth 

 a man : but also graffynges than the which the husbande man 

 never invented thynge more crafty and excellent. . . . 



And for as moche as some men desyre these thynges, let 

 us come in favour withe pleasure. For the wyne celler of the 

 good man of the house diligent is couched full ; also his oyle 

 celler, and his pantry, and all his house is full of rychesse, 

 it hath abundance of hogges, kydde, lambe, pultry ware, mylke, 

 chese and hony. Now husbandmen call their garden a seconde 

 larder. Also fowlyng, and huntyng, an exercyse at ydle tymes, 

 maketh these thinges more savouryng. That whiche I wyll 

 speke of the greennes of medowes, or the ordre of trees, or 

 of the vyneyardes, or of the maner of olyve trees I shall declare 

 brevely. The grounde well tylled and ordred, nothing may be 

 more plenteous in profyte, nor more clenly and comly in syght : 

 to the whiche grounde to be well cherysshed, olde age not 

 onely dothe not let a man, but also moveth hym and allureth 

 hym. For where may that olde age waxe so warme : or more 

 warme by reason of sonnynge place or fyre : or upon the other 

 parte by reason of covert, or waters be refresshed or cooled more 

 holsom. — ' Tullius de Senectute, dothe in Latyn and Englysshe 

 tonge. Translated by Robert Whitinson, Poete- Laureate^ i535- 



