r£^ P R E F A C E. XXV 



know) more in one Twelve-month, than a 

 laborious, honeftScz/fZ' Countrjiman does in 

 feven Years. And indeed, however polite and 

 gallant Perfons of the firft Rank, whofe II- 

 luftrious Birth and Virtues give them place 

 amongfl: the greateft of the Qiiality, and 

 whofe Knowledge in thofe Matters is very 

 ' good ; the meaner fort of that People, by a 

 canting Artifice, aflifted v/ith a little Learning, 

 make them an Over-match with their Tongues 

 for any honeft, induftrious Gardener amongft 

 us, how skilful foever he be : And in fliort, 

 this Perfon, among others, is one that helps 

 to compleat what I have been complaining of* 

 Thefe might have been included in my firft 

 Divifion 5 but I could not but beftow a Pa- 

 ragraph on purpofe to paint out the Poifon of 

 thefe audacious Empiricks in this Way. 



I wifli it poffible for me to excufe fome o- 

 thers that pretend to Defigning and Laying out 

 Gardens, which are, by their ferving Ap- 

 prenticefhips, better entitled to thefe Matters : 

 But Gard ning is known to be very extenfive 

 in its Nature ^ and tho' a Man may probably 

 be a good Kitchen or Flower Gardner, he 

 may yet mifs of this and other Parts, by ei- 

 ther not being furnilhed with proper Talents, 

 or having had no Advantage of improving 

 himfelf: Thefe, by undertaking this of D^- 

 Jign^ &c. commit an Error they cannot eafily 

 atone for, are very much concern'd in the 

 Charge I am here bringing againft Pretenders^ 

 but I fpare them, for the fake of their being 



of 



