xiv EVELYN'S " SYLVA " AND PRESENT TIMES 



Let us accompany Evelyn for a short space in some 

 of his reasons for writing the Sylva. It must be con- 

 fessed that he is apt to ramble a little, but his rambling 

 is altogether delightful. And it is all so entirely ci 

 propos to our present needs in this direction. 

 Evelyn is giving his reasons to the reader : 



*' If to this there be anything subjoined here, which 

 may a while bespeak the patience of the reader, it is 

 only for the encouragement of an industry, and worthy 

 labour, much in our days neglected, as haply reputed 

 a consideration of too sordid and vulgar a nature for 

 Noble Persons and Gentlemen to busy themselves 

 withal, and who of tener find out occasions to fell down 

 and destroy their woods and plantations, than either 

 to repair or improve them. 



** But we are not without hopes of taking off these 

 prejudices, and of reconciling them to a subject and 

 an industry which has been consecrated, as I may say, 

 by as good and as great persons as any the world has 

 produced ; and whose names we find mingled amongst 

 Kings and Philosophers, grave Senators and Patriots 

 of their country ; for such of old were Solomon, Cyrus 

 and Numa, Licinius, surnamed Stolo, Cato, and 

 Cincinnatus ; the Pisos, Fabii, Cicero, the Plinys, and 

 thousands more whom I might enumerate, that dis- 

 dained not to cultivate these rusticities even with their 

 own hands, and to esteem it no small accession to 

 dignify their titles, and adorn their purple with these 

 rural characters of their affections to planting, and 

 love of this part of Agriculture, which has transmitted 

 to us their venerable names through so many ages and 

 vicissitudes of the world. 



** That famous answer alone which the Persian 

 Monarch gave to Lysander, will sufficiently justify 

 that which I have said, besides what we might add out 



