Sir Militant ftempte 123 



not be, in my mind, a greater thought of a gar- 

 dener, nor a nobler idea of a garden, nor better 

 suited or chosen for the climate, which is about 

 thirty degrees, and may pass for the Hesperides 

 of our age, whatever or wherever the other was. 

 Yet this is agreed by all to have been in the 

 islands or continent upon the southwest of 

 Africa ; but what their forms or their fruits 

 were, none, that I know, pretend to tell ; nor 

 whether their golden apples were for taste, or 

 only for sight, as those of Montezuma were in 

 Mexico, who had large trees, with stocks, 

 branches, leaves, and fruits, all admirably com- 

 posed and wrought of gold ; but this was only 

 stupendous in cost and art, and answers not at 

 all, in my opinion, the delicious varieties of 

 nature in other gardens. 



What I have said of gardening is perhaps 

 enough for any gentleman to know, so as to 

 make no great faults, nor to be much imposed 

 upon in the designs of that kind, which I think 

 ought to be applauded and encouraged in all 

 countries ; that and building being a sort of 

 creation, that raise beautiful fabrics and figures 

 out of nothing, that make the convenience and 

 pleasure of all private habitations, that employ 

 many hands and circulate much money among 

 the poorer sort and artisans, that are a public 

 service to one's country, by the example as well 



