OF SELBORNE 217 



and those few that do not are despised for their sordid 

 parsimony, and looked upon as regardless of the welfare 

 of their dependants. Potatoes have prevailed in this 

 little district, by means of premiums, within these twenty 

 years only; and are much esteemed here now by the 

 poor, who would scarce have ventured to taste them in 

 the last reign. 



Our Saxon ancestors certainly had some sort of 

 cabbage, because they call the month of February sprout- 

 cale ; but, long after their days, the cultivation of gardens 

 was little attended to. The religious, being men of 

 leisure, and keeping up a constant correspondence with 

 Italy, were the first people among us that had gardens 

 and fruit-trees in any perfection, within the walls of their 

 abbies * and priories. The barons neglected every 

 pursuit that did not lead to war or tend to the pleasure 

 of the chase. 



It was not till gentlemen took up the study of horti- 

 culture themselves that the knowledge of gardening 

 made such hasty advances. Lord Cobham, Lord Ila, 

 and Mr. Waller of Beaconsfield, were some of the first 

 people of rank that promoted the elegant science of 

 ornamenting without despising the superintendence of 

 the kitchen quarters and fruit walls. 



A remark made by the excellent Mr. Ray in his Tour 

 of Europe at once surprises us, and corroborates what 

 has been advanced above ; for we find him observing, 

 so late as his days, that " the Italians use several herbs 

 for sallets, which are not yet or have not been but lately 

 used in England, viz., selleri (celery), which is nothing 

 else but the sweet smallage ; the young shoots whereof, 



* " In monasteries the lamp of knowledge continued to bum, 

 however dimly. In them men of business were formed for the 

 state : the art of writing was cultivated by the monks ; they were 

 the only proficients in mechanics, gardening, and architecture." — 

 See Dalrjrmple's Annals of Scotland. 



