^ The ^Aromatic Herbs $£ 



two books, Castor Durante's Herbario Novo (Venice 1602) 

 and 77 Tesoro della Sanita (Venice 1593). The collection of 

 old English gardening books and herbals is very fine, 

 ranging from the earliest printed in the English language. 

 Thomas Hyll's Profitable arte of gardening (1577) is in the 

 original binding. And the copy of Sir Hugh Piatt's 

 Delights for Ladies (1572), which is amongst the rarest 

 English books of garden interest, has the bookplate of 

 King James I. Here too are the most notable of the old 

 rose books, now almost unobtainable. 



I love the details in these old books — the quaint and 

 sometimes very beautiful initial letters, the printers' 

 devices, the epistles dedicatory and the occasional in- 

 scriptions both on the title page and at the end of the 

 book. Even an insignificant little book of Approved 

 Receipts delights one, for the title page shows that 

 it was printed on old London Bridge, at the * Three 

 Bibles,' in the reign of Charles II. At the end there is 

 this inscription, ' God save the King and likewise our 

 loving and gratious Queen Katherine, his Majesties 

 Royal Consort.' In one's imagination one sees old 

 London Bridge with its street of gabled houses, the 

 jostling crowds, and at the sign of the ' Three Bibles ' a 

 cart being loaded with the little calf-bound volumes of 

 the newly printed Approved Receipts, to be distributed 

 to the booksellers' shops in the City. One of the most 

 charming epistles dedicatory is to be found in A greene 

 Forest (1567). It concludes thus — ' And thus I make an 

 end : desiring God to blesse you in all his giftes, both 

 ghostlye and bodilye : and to continue you in long life and 

 true Honour, to his glory : the helpe and assistance of 

 others : and your owne, and endlesse comfort. Amen.' 



l S9 



