

THE 



PREFACE 



HAT the Politure and Be- 

 nignity of /^^t?//o (the Patron 

 of Refined Pleafure) was 

 more eligible than the furly 

 Afpefts and tragical Attri- 

 butes of Mars, the tempeftu- 

 ous Surges of Neptune^ or the amazing Thun- 

 ders of Imperial Jove 5 and (as Fhosbus) by 

 his benign Beams, took Gardening into 

 his Protedion more immediately than any of 

 the reft, not excepting ^he Delightful Mufes^ 

 otherwife the darling Favourites of his Em- 

 pire. 



That Minerva (hone brighter in her Paci- 

 fick and Emolumental Drefs, than in her 

 moft polifti'd Habihments of War 5 and the 

 beautiful and chafte Diana u^as eclips'd by 

 the more dazling Rays of (her own felf ) in 

 Cynthia and Phcebe^ by whofe Monthly Re- 

 volution the vrhole Scene of Nature, and 



Vol. I 



Vege- 



