Sir TOtlfam {Temple 107 



extolling those of Italy and Spain, or at least 

 of France : he said, he thought that was the best 

 climate, where he could be abroad in the air 

 with pleasure, or at least without trouble or 

 inconvenience, the most days of the year, and 

 the most hours of the day ; and this, he thought, 

 he could be in Kngland, more than in any 

 country he knew of in Europe. And I believe 

 it is true, not only of the hot and cold, but even 

 among our neighbors in France, and the Low 

 Countries themselves ; where the heats or the 

 colds, and changes of seasons, are less treatable 

 than they are with us. 



The truth is, our climate wants no heat to 

 produce excellent fruits ; and the default of it 

 is only the short season of our heats or sum- 

 mers, by which many of the latter are left 

 behind, and imperfect with us. But all such 

 as are ripe before the end of August are, for 

 aught I know, as good with us as anywhere 

 else. This makes me esteem the true region 

 of gardens in England, to be the compass of 

 ten miles about London ; where the accidental 

 warmth of air from the fires and steams of so 

 vast a town makes fruits, as well as corn, a great 

 deal forwarder than in Hampshire or Wiltshire, 

 though more southward by a full degree. 



There are, besides the temper of our climate, 

 two things particular to us, that contribute 



