4 



INTRODUCTION. 



dour of the morning ? Who has not felt the heat and excess of 

 noon, the serenity and magnificence of evening, and the solem- 

 nity and grandeur of night? If there be any one whose frozen 

 soul has never felt the energy of such scenes, to him it is 

 in vain to recommend them ; to others no recommendation 

 is wanting. 



Those who enjoy a country residence have an opportunity 

 of adding to the charms of 'rural scenery, the^ pleasures re- 

 sulting from agriculture and gardening. These recreations are 

 almost equally congenial with the human mind ; and the plea- 

 sure that attends their pursuit is still farther recommended by 

 their utility in life and their influence on society. The culti- 

 vation of a garden was the first employment given to man ; 

 and agriculture and planting have been pursued by some of 

 the greatest men in every age ; many of whom have left ample 

 testimonies of the satisfaction which they derived from prac- 

 tising those arts. " God Almighty first planted a garden," 

 says Lord Bacon ; " and indeed it is the purest of human 

 pleasures. It is the greatest refreshment to the spirits of man ; 

 without which, buildings and palaces are but gross handy- 

 works." 



Such is the superiority of rural occupations and pleasures, 

 that commerce, large societies, or crowded cities ? may be 



