20 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



here groves, and there open spaces and prospects ; the masters 

 and centurions being Severus and Celer, whose genius and bold- 

 ness could attempt by art what Nature had denied, and deceive 

 with princely force. 1 Annals, lib. XV. 



SENECA I IVE they not against nature that in winter long for a Rose, 

 (d. A.D. 65). L, an( j by t h e nourishment of warme waters, and the fit change 

 of heat in winter time, cause a lily, a spring flower, to bloom ? 

 Live not they against nature that plant orchards on their highest 

 towers, that have whole forests shaking upon the tops and turrets 

 of their houses, spreading their roots in such places where it 

 should suffice them that the tops of their branches should touch. 

 Epistle 122. (Lodge's translation and Estrange.) 



A shrub, although it be old, may be translated into another 

 place. This is necessarie for us to learne, who bee old men, 

 of whom there is none but planteth an Orchard of Olives for 

 another man. That which I have scene, this I speak ; namely, 

 that an Orchard of three or foure years old will, with a plentifull 

 fall of the leafe, yeeld forth fruit ; yea, also that tree will cover 

 thee : which 



Hath been slow to make a shade before 



To yong nephewes and those that were unbore : 



As our Virgil saith, (who beheld not what might be spoken most 

 truly, but most seemely ; neither desired he to teach husbandmen, 

 but to delight those that read. Epistle 86 .- Of the Country House 

 of Africanus. (T. Lodge.) 



Why now, Gardens and houses of pleasure? he had divers, 

 and differently bewtified. Juvenall toucheth it, ' The Gardens 

 of most wealthy Seneca.' Hee himselfe likewise maketh mention 

 of his houses : Nomentanum, Albanum and Baianum, and 

 without question hee had manie. ''Life of L. A. Seneca] by 

 Justus Lipsius. 



1 The striking similarity of this description to that of a modern park is too 

 obvious to escape notice. (Louden.) 



