the PREFA CE. 



I muft confefs, the Undertaking and Well* 

 managing this Matter is a very arduous and! 

 difficult Point, not to be attained to without. 

 Diligence, Application, and tolerable Expe- 

 rience, and a full Refolution of purfuing it 

 with Vigour ^ fince this is an Age abounding 

 with Wit, Learning, and Judgment too pe- 

 netrating to be any-way impofed on 5 and that 

 Perfon who dare alTurae it without thofe 

 Qualifications and Refolves, is certainly guil- 

 ty of an unpardonable Folly. 



I hope I fliail not be altogether unfit for 

 this Work, by the Happioefs I have had in 

 an Education none of the meanefl for one of 

 my ProfefTion^ and of having a conliderable 

 Share in all parts of the greateft Works of 

 this Kingdom, and under the greateft Ma- 

 ilers^ and even that which fome may proba- 

 bly reckon otherwife, I mean fome fmall Re- 

 volutions and Mcannefs of Fortune, as it has 

 fometimes thrown me upon the greateft Sla- 

 very^ fo it has at other times amongft the beft 

 Men and Books 5 by which means, and I hope 

 an allowable Induflry and Ambition, and an 

 eager Defire of being acquainted with all papts 

 of this Nation, as well as all the ufeful parts 

 of Gardening, I have tafted both rough and 

 fmooth (as we plainly call it) from the beft 

 Bufinefs and Books, to the meaneft Labours 

 of the Scythe, Spade, and Wheel-barrow. 



The Misfortune that moft of my ProfefTipn 

 are under, in not having been Abroad, is cer- 

 tainly great 5 that noble Tafte with which 



Gardens 



