20 C H A R A C T E R , H I S T R Y A N' n 



that was announced by Milton, in his Paradise Lost, introduced by Shen- 

 stone and Pope, and is now making the tour of the globe. 



The skill and taste which La Nostre had thus evinced, attracted the 

 attention of his sovereign, and he Avas employed in decorating the royal 

 residences of Versailles, Trianon, and Fontainbleau. He afterwards went 

 to England, at the invitation of the king, and laid out St. James's and 

 GreeuAvich Parks. 



Quintmie was the first distinguished author in France, on the culture 

 of fruit trees. He was educated for the bar, and acquired distinction in 

 the profession ; but a passion for agriculture induced him to read all 

 ancient and modern authors on that subject. He states, that he was 

 indebted to the Memoirs of the Curate of Enonville, for his first views of 

 the principles of ornamental gardening. Having visited Italy, then the 

 seat of science, letters and the arts, he made great additions to his knoAv- 

 ledge of cultivation, and on his return devoted himself to experiments in 

 grafting, pruning, training, and the culture of fruit trees and other plants, 

 and soon became so celebrated, for his horticultural acquirements and 

 practical skill in the management of all kinds of gardens, that he was 

 invited to England, by Charles II., and offered a liberal pension to engage 

 in that monarch's service ; but he preferred the appointment of Superin- 

 tendent of all the royal palaces in France, which was conferred upon him 

 by Louis XIV. 



In 1680 he published " Illustrations for Cultivating Fruit and Vegetable 

 Gardens," which contained the first most complete system, that had ever 

 been formed for the management of fruit trees. The work obtained such 

 celebrity, that it was translated in 1693, by Evelyn, — the author of the 

 most valuable work, on the culture of forest trees, that has ever been 

 written. 



Before the treatise of La Quintinie appeared, the system of gardening 

 was conducted upon such absurd and superstitious practices, that the signs 

 of the zodiac and the phases of the moon were consulted, before they 

 dared to plant, prune or till the earth, for any purpose ; but he reduced 

 horticulture to a science, by collecting and arranging all the elements, 

 establishing its precepts and laws, furnishing instruction on the numerous 

 practical operations, and making known its extent and importance, and is 

 justly entitled to occupy an exalted station among the gi-eat men, who gave 

 lustre to the age of Louis XIV. 



There Avas no subsequent author, Avho Avas so eminently distinguished, 

 as La Quintinie, until the Duhamel Demonceau appeared ; and so far 

 did his A^arious extensive works on all the departments of husbandry 

 surpass those of all preceding Avriters, that he obtained the right to be 

 called the father of Agriculture; and it is doubtful Avhether the position 

 Avhich his numerous volumes occupy in the estimation of the most enhght- 



