18 



herbalist of his time." Mr. Weston, in his Catalogue, relates 

 with great pleasure, the sanguine and interesting tours which 

 Mr. Johnson, and some friends, made in various counties, to 

 examine the native botanical beauties of his own country. 



Wood further informs us, that at the siege of Basing- 

 house, " he received a shot in the shoulder, of which he died 

 in a fortnight after; at which time his work did justly chal- 

 lenge funeral tears ; being then no less eminent in the garri- 

 son for his valour and conduct as a soldier, than famous 

 through the kingdom for his excellency as an herbalist and 

 physician.'' I have given in a note below, his approbation 

 of Parkinson's work, merely to shew Mr. Johnson's liberal 

 mind.* 



RALPH AUSTEN, published his Treatise of Fruit Trees, 

 shewing the manner of Grafting, Planting, &c. with the 

 spiritual use of an Orchard, or Garden, in divers simili- 

 tudes. Oxford, 1653 and 16.57, 4to, He appears to have 

 lived and died at Oxford. He dedicates it to his friend 

 S. Hartlib, Esq. Worlidge says, that in this treatise Austen 

 hath " very copiously set forth the high applauses, dignities, 

 advantages, and variety of pleasures and contents, in the 

 planting and enjoyment of fruit trees." 



* " Mr. John Parkinson, an apothecary of this city, (yet living, and la- 

 bouring for the common good,) in the year 1629, set fortli a work by the 

 name of Paradims Terrestris, wherein he gives the figures of all such plants 

 as are preserved in gardens, for the beauty of their flowers, in use in meats 

 or sauces; and also an orchard for all trees bearing fruit, and such shrubs as 

 for their beauty are kept in orchards and gardens, with the ordering, plant- 

 ing, and preserving of all these. In this work he hath not superficially 

 handled these things, but accurately descended to the very varieties in each 

 species, wherefore I have now and then referred my reader, addicted to 

 these delights, to this work, especially in flowers and fruits, wherein I was 

 loth to spend too much time, especially seeing I could adde nothing to what 

 he had done upon that subject before." 





