Retrospective Criticism. 701 



there are many luxuries grown, the gardener would not hesitate to have 

 a fair price allowed for them, and be himself at the whole expense of 

 growing them, notwithstanding your correspondent says that his gardener 

 would not take a large garden rent free. I dare say he will not have the 

 offer ; but if he should, and has not money enough to carry it on, I have 

 no doubt he will be able to find a customer to take it off his hands, and 

 give him something besides ; else how comes it to pass that many obtain a 

 good living as well as pay high rents ? Much more might be said, by any 

 one possessing the abilities of your correspondent, but more cannot be 

 reasonably expected from an ignorant practical gardener. — R. T. 



Principles and Conduct of the Conductor. — Sir, I felt very sorry to see in 

 the Retrospective Criticism (Vol. VI. p. 720.) the lashing you received 

 from your " early and excellent" correspondent " A Friend to Horticul- 

 ture ; " and while I admire the resignation with which you bore it, I cannot 

 help stepping forward in your defence. Although I have not the honour 

 of your acquaintance personally, I admire your conduct and principles 

 generally. " The head and front of your offending " seems to be, that you 

 have sprinkled a few politics into your Magazine ; and that as soon as a 

 gardener becomes acquainted with politics, he becomes discontented. If 

 acquaintance with politics has a tendency to make people discontented, 

 does it do more among gardeners than among the rest of the community ? 

 Are gardeners the only creatures who become discontented by reading 

 politics ? But if reading politics has the effect of making all alike discon- 

 tented, I feel truly sorry for the nobility, gentry, and clergy, who read all 

 the politics in the daily, weekly, and monthly publications. Such people. 

 Sir, must, by calculation, be full sixtj' times more discontented than I am, 

 who only get a peep into your Magazine once in two months. The " Friend 

 to Horticulture " says his gardener is a worthy fellow, and industrious : I 

 make no doubt but that " the labourer is worthy of his hire ; " whe- 

 ther the hire is worthy of the labourer, I am not so sure of. He may be 

 industrious, too : I suppose that means that he works, and earns Gd. or Id, 

 after working hours every day ; but I greatly fear that he has no more 

 brains than he ought to have, or else that the few brains he has are enclosed 

 in a skull of a comfortable thickness, or ass-like shape. If the " Friend to 

 Horticulture," with the assistance of his gardener, cannot grow vegetables 

 but at fifty per cent dearer than his neighbours, depend upon it they are no 

 great conjurers. If his gardener will not accept of a large garden rent-free, 

 I can assure him that I know of one that would; and that he would soon 

 play Old Harry with the market-gardeners in his neighbourhood, who pay 

 51., 10/., or 20/. per acre rent. But I presume that the " Friend to Horti- 

 culture " employs his gardener (or, as he terms him, his servant and 

 labourer) three parts of his time sweeping walks, mowing pleasure-grounds, 

 and dressing flower-beds, yet expects to be remunerated in fruits and vege- 

 tables. This, Sir, will never do : the " Friend to Horticulture " should 

 put a greater value upon his pleasure-grounds, and he is wofully mistaken 

 in thinking that even mere labour is a marketable commodity. There is no 

 sort of labour, however simple, but requires a certain degree of skill ; and 

 it is the skill of one man more than that of another that makes his services 

 more valuable than another's, else wherefore should gentlemen give more 

 money for a beautiful painting by a master than for the daubs of the house 

 and sign painter ? If the " Friend to Horticulture" is really and truly a 

 friend to horticulture, he should employ a first-rate horticulturist, and give 

 him a first-rate salary, else his house may be filled with cheap paintings, or 

 liis garden dressed by hedgers and ditchers ; or, what will be cheaper still, 

 not dressed at all. I am, however, determined to take the advice of the 

 " Friend to Horticulture," and never trouble my head about politics. " Be 

 king who may, I will be subject," for I am determined to live contented ; 

 and if I should ever attain the honour of being Vicar of Bray, Sir, I shall 



