84 GLEANINGS ON GARDENS. 



had, which was very beautifull, being led about among 

 the sweet smelling flowres, and vnder the pleasant 

 arbours, what a goodly sight (quoth Thrasybulus) is 

 heere. how excellently haue you garnished this 

 paradise of yours with all kinde of pleasures. Your 

 parlers, and your banketting houses both within and 

 without, as all bedecked with pictures of beautifull 

 flowres and trees, that you may not onely f cede your 

 eyes with the beholding of the true and liuely flowre, 

 but also delight your self e with the counterfait in the 

 midst of winter, seeing in the one, the painted flower 

 to contend in beautie with the very flower : in 

 the other, the wonderfull worke of nature, and in 

 both, the passing goodness of God. Moreouer, your 

 pleasant arbours to walke in, whose shaddowes keepe 

 off the heate of the sunne, and if it fortune to raine, 

 the cloisters are hard by. But specially this little 

 riuer, with most cleere water, encompassing the 

 garden, doth wonderfully set it forth, and herewith- 

 all the greene and goodly quickset hedges.' 



In his Dedication he observes that * there is, in my 

 fancie, no life so quiet, so acceptable to God, and 

 pleasant to an honest minde, as is the life of the 

 countrie, where a man, withdrawing himselfe from 

 the miseries, vanities, and vexations of this foolish and 

 now too too much doting world, may giue himselfe to 

 the sweet contemplation of God, and his workes, and 



