THE GARDENS OF EPICURUS 35 



southward as thirty-five degrees. Which may serve 

 to discover the true genuine reason, why the fruits of the 

 East have been always observed and agreed to transcend 

 those of the West. 



In our north-west climates, our gardens are very 

 different from what they were in Greece and Italy, and 

 from what they are now in those regions in Spain, or 

 the southern parts of France. And as most general 

 customs in countries grow from the different nature of 

 climates, soils or situations, and from the necessities or 

 industry they impose, so do these. 



In the warmer regions, fruits and flowers of the best 

 sorts are so common, and of so easy production, that they 

 grow in fields, and are not worth the cost of enclosing, or 

 the care of more than ordinary cultivating. On the other 

 side, the great pleasures of thot climates are coolness 

 of air, and whatever looks c<. ) even to the eyes, and 

 relieves them from the unpleasant sight of dusty streets, 

 or parched fields. This makes the gardens of those 

 countries to be chiefly valued by largeness of extent 

 (which gives greater play and openness of air) by 

 shades of trees, by frequency of living streams or 

 fountains, by perspectives, by statues, and by pillars and 

 obelisks of stone scattered up and down, which all con- 

 spire to make any place look fresh and cool. On the 



