106 Gbe (Barren 



My orange-trees are as large as any I saw 

 when I was young in France, except those 

 of Fontainebleau, or what I have seen since in 

 the Low Countries, except some very old ones 

 in the Prince of Orange's ; as laden with 

 flowers as any can well be, as full of fruit as I 

 suffer or desire them, and as well tasted as are 

 commonly brought over, except the best sorts 

 of Seville and Portugal. And thus much I could 

 not but say in defence of our climate, which 

 is so much and so generally decried abroad, by 

 those who never saw it ; or, if they have been 

 here have yet perhaps seen no more of it than 

 what belongs to inns, or to taverns and ordi- 

 naries ; who accuse our country for their own 

 defaults, and speak ill, not only of our gardens 

 and houses, but of our humors, our breeding, 

 our customs and manners of life, by what they 

 have observed of the meaner and baser sort 

 of mankind ; and of company among us, be- 

 cause they wanted themselves, perhaps, either 

 fortune or birth, either quality or merit, to 

 introduce them among the good. 



I must needs add one thing more in favor of 

 our climate, which I heard the king say, and I 

 thought new and right, and truly like a king 

 of Bngland, that loved and esteemed his own 

 country; it was in reply to some of the com- 

 pany that were reviling our climate, and 



