14 THE DELIGHTS OF GARDENS 



GARDEN DELIGHTS 



(From " The Garden of Cyrus ") 



THE Turks who passed their Days in Gardens here, 

 will have Gardens also hereafter ; and delighting in 

 Flowers on Earth, must have Lilies and Roses in 

 Heaven. In Garden Delights it is not easy to hold 

 a Mediocrity ; that insinuating Pleasure is seldom 

 without some Extremity. The Ancients venially de- 

 lighted in flourishing Gardens : Many were Florists 

 that knew not the true use of a Flower : And in 

 Pliny's Days none had directly treated of that 

 Subject. Some commendably affected Plantations 

 of venomous Vegetables ; some confined their de- 

 lights unto single Plants ; and Cato seemed to dote 

 upon Cabbage : While the ingenious Delight of 

 Tulipists, stands saluted with hard language, even 



by their own Professors. 



SIB THOMAS BROWNE. 



A GARDEN 



( Written after the Civil Wars) 



SEE how the flowers, as at parade, 

 Under their colours stand display'd : 

 Each regiment in order grows, 

 That of the tulip, pink, and rose. 

 But when the vigilant patrol 

 Of stars walks round about the pole, 

 Their leaves, that to the stalks are-curl'd, 

 Seem to their staves the ensigns' furl'd. 



