too THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



cherries from Flanders, apples from France, and had hardly a 

 mess of rathe-ripe pease but from Holland, which were dainties 

 for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear. Since, gardening 

 hath crept out of Holland to Sandwich, Kent, and thence into 

 this county (Surrey), where though they have given six pounds 

 an aker and upward, they have made their rent, lived comfortably, 

 and set many people on work. Oh, the incredible profit by 

 digging of ground ! — for though it be confessed that the plough 

 beats the spade out of distance for speed (almost as much as the 

 press beats the pen), yet what the spade wants in the quantity 

 of the ground it manureth, it recompenseth with the plenty of 

 the fruit it yieldeth, that is set multiplying a hundredfold more 

 than that which is sow7i. 'Tis incredible how many poor people 

 in London live therein, so that, in some seasons, the Gardens 

 feed more people than the field. — History of the Worthies oj 

 England (1662). 



— A/W\A — 



ABRAHAM 'T^HE three first men in the world, were a Gardiner, a Plough- 

 ^9^V?y man, and a Grazier : and if any man object, that the second 



(1618-I667). ^ , ' , X J • 1 1 11 -11 



of these was a murtherer, 1 desire that he would consider that as 

 soon as he was so, he quitted our profession, and turned builder. 

 — Of Agriculture. 



I never had any other desire so strong, and so like to covetous- 

 ness, as that one which I have had always, that I might be master 

 at last of a small house and large Garden, with very moderate 

 conveniences joined to them, and there dedicate the remainder 

 of my life only to the culture of them and study of nature, 



* And there (with no design beyond my wall) whole and intire to lie, 

 In no unactive ease, and no unglorious poverty.' 



Or as Virgil has said, shorter and better for me, that I might 

 there 



' Studiis florere ignobilis otii ' : 



