CHELSEA. IO9 



light on the subject, and just as they have been related 

 to me by trustworthy men. Mr. Miller's father was a 

 Nurseryman, who followed that occupation all his life, 

 and in the Practique of it had gone a long way. He had 

 begun to instruct his son, this Philip Miller, in the art 

 from his earliest years, and was in this so much the more 

 lucky, that his son had an uncommon liking for that 

 occupation. As the man throve, so he spared no expense 

 in also causing his son to have a sufficient education in 

 various languages, and other sciences, which profit and 

 adorn a man. Miller quickly assimilated all that his father 

 had himself taught him, both in Theorie and Praxi, of orna- 

 mental and kitchen gardening. At the same time he 

 went through all books which had appeared in England 

 on these sciences. An industrious intercourse with other 

 enterprising nurserymen in this [T. I. p. 459] town and in 

 the country round made him still more proficient. But he 

 did not stop with this. A change of soil, climate, &c, 

 often causes a plant which can, according to ordinary rules, 

 be transplanted at one place, not to admit of this being 

 accomplished with the same advantage at another place, 

 but a particular treatment is often required at each place. 

 His thoughts were therefore turned upon travelling. He 

 was well off, and had therefore no difficulty in accom- 

 plishing this. To travel out to foreign countries without 

 having first made himself acquainted with what remark- 

 able things there are to be found at home, he held 

 neither for wisdom nor usefulness. He therefore tra- 

 velled through the greater part of England, observing 

 everything, but was especially careful to inspect all 

 ornamental and kitchen gardens, and to make himself 

 at home and acquainted with all horticulturists, for he 

 was of the opinion that he could get to learn something 

 useful which he did not know before, at least from some 

 of them. He conversed with them on all matters con- 



