292 The Natural History of Selborne 



their hinds to eat with their bacon ; and those few that do not are 

 despised for their sordid parsimony, and looked upon as regardless 

 of the welfare of their dependents. Potatoes have prevailed in 

 this little district by means of premiums within these twenty years 

 only; and are much esteemed here now by the poor, who would 

 scarce have ventured to taste them in the last reign. 



Our Saxon ancestors certainly had some sort of cabbage, because 

 they call the month of February "sprout cale"; but long after 

 their days the cultivation of gardens was little attended to. The 

 religious, being men of leisure, and keeping up a constant corre- 

 spondence with Italy, were the first people among us that had 

 gardens and fruit-trees in any perfection within the wall of their 

 abbeys * and priories. The barons neglected every pursuit that did 

 not lead to war or tend to the pleasure of the chase. 



It was not till gentlemen took up the study of horticulture them- 

 selves that the knowledge of gardening made such hasty advances. 

 Lord Cobham, Lord Ila, and Mr. Waller, of Beaconsfield, were 

 some of the first people of rank that promoted the elegant science of 

 ornamenting without despising the superintendence of the kitchen 

 quarters and fruit walls. 



A remark made by the excellent Mr. Ray, in his " Tour of 

 Europe," at once surprises us, and corroborates what has been 

 advanced above ; for we find him observing so late as his days, that 

 " The Italians use several herbs for sallets, which are not yet, or 

 have not been but lately, used in England, viz., selleri (celery), 

 which is nothing else but the sweet smallage ; the young shoots 

 whereof, with a little of the head of the root cut off, they eat raw 

 with oil and pepper ; " and further adds : " curled endive blanched 

 is much used beyond seas ; and, for a raw sallet, seemed to excel 

 lettuce itself." Now this journey was undertaken no longer ago 

 than in the year 1663. I am, &c. 



* " In monasteries the lamp of knowledge continued to burn, however dimly. 

 In them men of business were formed for the state : the art of writing was culti- 

 vated by the monks ; they were the only proficients in mechanics, gardening, and 

 architecture." See DALRYMPLE'S "ANNALS OF SCOTLAND." 



