2 INTRODUCTION. 



emerging from the ocean, into which the 

 Sylvan s of every region have set their fa- 

 vourite plants, and the Flora of every climate 

 poured her choicest gifts, for the embellish- 

 ment of the spot round which Neptune 

 throws his fostering arms. Our ambition 

 leads us to hope that we may add pleasure 

 to the pleasure-ground, by pointing out the 

 beauties of the shrubbery, which must render 

 vegetation an object of admiration and vene- 

 ration to all classes. We wish to attract atten- 

 tion to the peculiar pleasing properties of each 

 plant by the remarks of the ingenious, the 

 anecdotes of the ancients, the harmony of the 

 poets, the observations of the physicians, 

 and the reflections of the moralists of all 

 ages. Morality, however, of a gloomy cast 

 will be avoided ; for our wish is to give the 

 work, like the subject, a smiling aspect. 



Though flowering shrubs seem to contri- 

 bute nothing to pottage, and but little to 

 medicine in its present refined state, yet 

 they add greatly to our pleasure, and con- 

 siderably to our health. They win us to 

 good humour by their fragrance and cheerful 

 appearance, and produce a serenity of mind 

 by the calm reflections they present to it ; 

 thus assisting to relieve the maladies of the 



