120 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



Flowers ; or if, according to the Newest Mode, it be cast all 

 into Grass-Plots and Gravel-Walks, the Driness of these should 

 be relieved with Fountains, and the Plainness of those with 

 Statues ; otherwise, if large, they have an ill effect upon the 

 Eye. However, the Part next the House should be open, and 

 no other Fruit but upon the Walls. If this take up one Half 

 of the Garden, the other should be Fruit-Trees, unless some 

 Grove for Shade lie in the Middle. If it take up a Third Part 

 only, then the next Third may be Dwarf-Trees, and the Last 

 Standard- Fruit ; or else the Second Part Fruit-Trees, and the 

 Third all Sorts of Winter-Greens, which provide for all Seasons 

 of the Year. . . . 



The perfectest Figure of a Garden I ever saw, either at Home 

 or Abroad, was that of Moor-Park, in Hertfordshire, when I knew 

 it about thirty years ago. It was made by the Countess of Bed- 

 ford, esteemed among the greatest Wits of her Time, and cele- 

 brated by Doctor Donne ; and with very great Care, excellent 

 Contrivance, and much Cost ; but greater sums may be thrown 

 away without Effect or Honour if there want Sense in Propor- 

 tion to Money, or if Nature be not followed ; which I take to 

 be the great Rule in this, and perhaps in every thing else, as far 

 as the Conduct not only of our Lives, but our Governments. 

 And whether the Greatest of Mortal Men should attempt the 

 forcing of Nature may best be judged by observing how seldom 

 God Almighty does it Himself, by so few, true, and undisputed 

 Miracles, as we see or hear of in the World. For my own Part, 

 I know not three wiser Precepts for the Conduct either of Princes 

 or Private Men, than 



Servare Modum, Finemque tueri, 



Naturamque sequi. 



Because I take the Garden I have named to have been in all 

 Kinds the most beautiful and perfect, at least in the Figure and 

 Disposition, that I have ever seen, I will describe it for a model 

 to those that meet with such a Situation, and are above the 

 Regards of common Expence. It lies on the Side of a Hill, 

 (upon which the House stands) but not very steep. The Length 



