46 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



John Evelyn wrote of him in the Preface to his ' Sylva ' : ' It was indeed 

 a plain man (a Potter by trade), but let no one despise him because a Potter 

 (Agathocles and a King was of that craft], who, in my opinion has given tis 

 the true reason why Husbandry and particularly Planting is no more improved 

 in this age of ours especially where persons are Lords and owners of much 

 land. ' 



ALSO, because you are a puissant and magnanimous Lord, 

 and of good judgment, I have found it good to design for 

 you the plan of a garden as beautiful as the world ever held, 

 except that of the Earthly Paradise, which design of a garden 

 I am assured you will find of good invention. ... I have not 

 put the portrait of the said garden in this book, because several 

 are unworthy to see it, and singularly enemies to virtue and 

 good engtn ; also my poverty and occupation in my art 

 would not permit it. I know that some ignorant people 

 enemies to virtue and calumniators will say that the design of 

 this garden is only a dream, and will perhaps compare it to 

 the * Dream of Polyphilus,' a or say that it will be too costly, 

 and that a suitable place could not be found for the erection 

 of the said garden, according to the design. To this I answer 

 that there are more than four thousand noble houses in France, 

 in the neighbourhood of which are several suitable spots to erect 

 the said garden, according to the tenour of my design. Dedica- 

 tion to tlie Mareschal de Montmorency of the ' Recepte Veritable? 



Question. I prythee discourse to me on the plan of the garden 

 thou desirest to build. 



Answer. It is impossible to have a spot proper for a garden, 

 unless there be some fountain or stream passing through it : and 

 for this reason I wish to choose a level spot at the foot of some 



1 The ' Hypnerotomachia Polyphili ' of Fra Francesco Colonna, (Aldus, 1499), 

 and better known in its French translation of ' Le Songe de Polyphile ' by 

 Beroalde de Verville, Paris, fol., 1600, of which the designs are said to be by 

 Jean Goujon ; there are numerous lovely woodcuts illustrating arbors, foun- 

 tains, trellises and garden scenes. Facsimiles of the woodcuts of the Venice 

 edition of 1499 have been reproduced, 1888. 



