CHAPTER IX. 



GARDENS. 



|OD ALMIGHTY firft planted a 

 garden, and, indeed, it is the pureft 

 of human pleafures; it is the greateft 

 refremment to the fpirits of man, 

 without which buildings and palaces are but grofs 

 handyworks ; and a man mall ever fee, that when 

 ages grow to civility and elegancy, men come to 

 build ftately, fooner than to garden finely, as if 

 gardening were the greater perfection." Thus 

 Lord Bacon begins the fweeteft of his efTays, from 

 every line of which breathe wafts of herbs and 

 flowers. It would be unpardonable, in treating of 

 antiquity, to forget its gardens. Of the original 

 " happy garden," the cradle of mankind, Milton 

 has glorioufly amplified the few outlines traced in 

 the Book of Genefis. Flowers and trees touched 

 his mind almoft as much as mufic, and he never 

 wearies of dwelling on their beauties. Paradife 

 itfelf is twice defcribed in the great Englifh epic: 

 once in Book iv. 237-268 ; and again in Book ix. 

 424-443. 



