OF HERB GARDENS 5 



those for the countries where they grow ; with us they have 

 continually disagreed." Like all herbalists, he was equally 

 severe with those who preferred foreign drugs to our own 

 medicinal herbs. " Nature has in this country and doubtless 

 also in all others provided in the Herbs of its own growth 

 the remedies for the several diseases to which it is most 

 subject, and although the addition of what is brought from 

 abroad should not be supposed superfluous, there is no 

 occasion it should make the other neglected." Tea is de- 

 scribed by Try on as a " pretty, innocent, harmless liquor " ; 

 but he continues, " its great esteem is chiefly for Novelty's 

 sake, and because 'tis outlandish and dear and far fetcht, 

 and therefore admired by the multitude of ignorant people, 

 who have always the greatest esteem for those things they 

 know not." For fruits and vegetables unnaturally forced, 

 and all other " improvements " on Nature's methods, the 

 old herbalists had nothing but censure. " Whether men 

 should attempt the forcing of Nature," wrote one, " may best 

 be judged by observing how seldom God Almighty does 

 it Himself." " The foreign plants brought into our stoves 

 with so much expense and kept there with so much pains 

 may fill the eye with empty wonder ; but it would be more 

 to the honour of the possessor of them to have found out 

 the use of one common herb at home than to have enriched 

 our country with an hundred of the others. Why should 

 he who has not yet informed himself thoroughly of the Nature 

 of the meanest Herb which grows in the next Ditch ransac 

 the earth for foreign wonders ? Does he not fall under the 

 reproach with the generality of those who travel for their 

 Improvement, while they are ignorant of all they left at 

 home, and who are ridiculous in their Inquiries concerning 

 the Laws and Government of other Countries, while they 

 are not able to give a satisfactory answer to any question 

 which regards their own? " 



But apart from the use to be made of the herbs, how 

 beautiful an old herb garden is, and how altogether lovable. 

 Instead of the restless activities needed in a modern garden, 

 the very name " herb garden " suggests rest and tranquillity, 



