THE PLEASURE OF A GARDEN 



I have so conducted it that it visits most of my Makers of 

 plantations; and have taken particular care to 

 let it run in the same manner as it would do in are 

 an open field, so that it generally passes through e * 

 banks of violets and primroses, plats of willow 

 or other plants, that seem to be of its own pro- 

 ducing. Thereisanothercircumstancein which 

 I am very particular, or, as my neighbours call 

 me, very whimsical; as my garden invites into 

 it all the birds of the country, by offering them 

 the conveniency of springs and shades, solitude 

 and shelter, I do not suffer any one to destroy 

 their nests in the Spring, or drive them from 

 their usual haunts in fruit-time; I value my 

 garden more for being full of blackbirds than 

 cherries, and very frankly give them fruit for 

 their songs. By this means I have always the 

 music of the season in its perfection, and am 

 highly delighted to see the jay or the thrush 

 hopping about my walks, and shooting before 

 my eye across the several little glades and alleys 

 that I pass through. I think there are as many 

 kinds of gardening as of poetry : your makers 

 of parterres and flower-gardens are epigram- 

 matists and sonneteers in this art; contrivers 

 of bcwers and grottos, treillages and cascades, 

 '5 



