55 



INTRODUCTION 



TO THE 



KALENDAR. 



\S Paradife (though of Gods own Planting) had not 

 been Paradife longer then the Man was put into it, to Gen, 2. 15. 

 Drcfs it and to keep it , fo^ nor tpHI our Gardens (as 

 neer as w>e can contrive them to the refemblance of that 

 blejfed Abode) remain long in their perfeftion, »»/eJ? 

 they are alfo continually cultivated. For vehen n>e have fo much 

 celebrated the life and felicity of an excellent Gard'ner 't it is not 

 hecaufe of the leifure which he enjoys above other men '-, eafe and op- 

 portunity which minijiers to volupty , and inftgnificant delights ^ 

 Jitch as Fooh derive fiomfenjttal obje&s : We dare hardily pronounce 

 it : there is not among fi Men a more labor iottt life then is that ofu 

 ^<7<7<^ Gard'ners 5 but a labour full of tmnqmWity, ^»^ fatisfaftion 5 

 Natural 4»^ Inftruftivc, andfuch as (if any) contributes to Piety 

 and Contemplation , Experience , Health and Longsevity. In 

 fum, a condition it is^ furnijh'd with the moji innocent, laudable and 

 purest of earthly felicities^ andfuch as does certainly make the neer- 

 eji approaches to that Bleffed ftate, where only they enjoy all things 

 without pains j as thoje who were lead only by the light of Nature^ 

 hecaufe they could phanfte none more glorious, thought it worthy of 

 entertaining the Souls of their departed Heroes, and moji deferving 

 of Mortals. 



But to return to the Labour •■, becaufe there is nothing excellent 

 which is to be attain'd without it : A Gard'ners work^ is never at an 

 end : It begins with the Year, and continues to the next : He pre- 

 pares the Ground, and then he Sows it 5 after that he Plants, and 

 then he gathers the Fruits 5 but in all the intermedial fpaces he is care- 

 ful to dref it b foas Columella, j^e<«^///_g of this continual ajfiduity, 

 tells us, a Gard'ner is not only to conjider praetermiflas duodecim De R. R, 

 horas, fed annum periifle, nifi fua quaque quod inftat efFecerit : li.ix. 

 Quare, necellaria eft (fays he) Menftrui cujufque officii monitio 

 ea, quse pendet ex ratione fyderum coeli : forfo with the Poet, 



tarn funt Arduri Sydera nobis. 



Hoedorfimque dies fervandi, & lucidus anguis > 



Quam quibusin patriam ventofa per squora vedis 



Pontus, ScOftriferi fauces tcntanturAbydi. Geor. i. 



All which duly weigh' d, how precious f^e time is, howpr£cipitous 

 the occafion , how many things to be done in their juji Seafon, 



H 2 and. 



