90 THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY 



We pretend not to multiply vegetable divisions by 

 quincuncial and reticulate plants ; or erect a new phytol- 

 ogy. 1 The field of knowledge hath been so traced, it 

 is hard to spring any thing new. Of old things we 

 write something new, if truth may receive addition, or 

 envy will have any thing new ; since the ancients 

 knew the late anatomical discoveries, and Hippocrates 

 the circulation. 



You have wisely ordered your vegetable delights, 

 beyond the reach of exception. 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 'tis not easy to hold a mediocrity ; that 

 insinuating pleasure is seldom without some extremity. 

 The ancients venially delighted 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 plant- 

 ations of venomous vegetables, some confined their 

 delights unto single plants, and Cato seemed to dote 

 upon cabbage ; while the ingenuous delight of tulipists 

 1 As did Erasmus Darwin later. 



