Ixxviii TO THE READER 



Persons, as any the World has produced ; and whose Names 

 we find mingl'd amongst K^ings and Philosophers, grave 

 Senators, and "Patriots of their Country : For such of old were 

 Solomon, Cyrus, and ^uma, Licinius surnamed Stolo, Cato, and 

 Cindnnatus; the Tiso's, Fabii, Cicero, the Tlinies, and thousands 

 more whom I might enumerate, that disdained not to culti- 

 vate these 'Rusticities even with their own hands, and to 

 esteem it no small Accession, to dignifie their Titles, and adorn 

 their purple with these 'Rural Characters of their affections to 

 Wanting, and love of this part of Agriculture, which has 

 transmitted to us their venerable Barnes through so many 

 *Ages and Vicissitudes of the World. 



That famous ^Answer alone which the Persian {Monarch 

 gave to Ly sander, will sufficiently justifie that which I have 

 said ; besides what we might add, out of the Writings and 

 Examples of the rest : But since these may suffice after due 

 reproofs of the late impolitique Wast, and universal sloth 

 amongst us ; we should now turn our Indignation into TPrayers, 

 and address our selves to our better-natur'd Countrymen ; * that 

 such Woods as do yet remain intire, might be carefully 

 preserved, and such as are destroy d, sedulously repaired: It is 

 what all Persons who are Owners of Land may contribute to, 

 and with infinite delight, as well as profit, who are touch'd 

 with that laudable Ambition of imitating their Illustrious 

 Ancestors, and of worthily serving their Generation. To these 

 my earnest and humble *AdYice should be, That at their very 

 first coming to their Estates, and as soon as they get Children, 

 they would seriously think of Ms Work of Propagation also: 

 For I observe there is no part of Husbandry, which Men 

 commonly more fail in, neglect, and have cause to repent of, 

 than that they did not begin "Planting betimes, without which, 

 they can expect neither Fruit, Ornament, or 'Delight from their 

 Labours : Men seldom plant Trees till they begin to be Wise, 



1 See Petrarch de Rented, utriusque fortunae L. I. Dial. 57. 



