96 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



From the Epistle Dedicatory, to Nicholas Bacon, of Tillingham, 

 Esquire. —The Turks who past their days in gardens here, will 

 have also gardens hereafter, and delighting in flowers on earth, 

 must have lilies and roses in heaven. In garden delights 'tis not 

 easy to hold a mediocrity; that insinuating pleasure is seldom 

 without some extremity. The ancients venially delighted in 

 flourishing gardens; many were florists that knew not the true 

 use of a flower ; and in PHny's days none had directly treated of 

 that subject. Some commendably affected plantations of venemous 

 vegetables, some confined their delights unto single plants, and 

 Cato seemed to dote upon Cabbage ; while the ingenuous delight 

 of tulipists stands saluted with hard language, even by their own 

 professors.! That in this garden discourse, we range into 

 extraneous things, and many parts of art and nature, we follow 

 herein the example of old and new plantations, wherein noble 

 spirits contented not themselves with trees, but by the attendance 

 of aviaries, fish-ponds, and all variety of animals, they made their 

 gardens the epitome of the earth, and some resemblance of the 

 secular shows of old. . . 



Since the verdant state of things is the symbol of the resurrection, 

 and to flourish in the state of glory, we must first be sown in 

 corruption : — besides the ancient practice of noble persons, to 

 conclude in garden-graves, and urns themselves of old to be 

 wrapt up with flowers and garlands. 



— vVW-' — 



JOHN A -^^ which is the worthiest work of these two, to plant as every 



MILTON t\ minister's office is equally with the bishops, or to tend that 



(1 60S- 1 674). ^,j^^(.j^ is planted, which the blind and undiscerning prelates call 



Jurisdiction and would appropriate to themselves as a business of 



higher dignity ? 



Have patience therefore and hear a law-case. A certain man 

 of large possessions had a fair garden, and kept therein an honest 

 and laborious servant, whose skill and profession was to set or 

 1 " Tulipo-mania ; " Narrencruiid, Laurenberg. Pet. Hondius in lib. Belg. 



