TO THE READER. 



i^FTER what the frontispiece and porch of this wooden edifice pre- 

 sents you, I shall need no farther to repeat the occasion of this following 

 Discourse : 1 am only to acquaint you, that as it was delivered to the 

 Royal Society, by an unworthy member thereof, in obedience to their 

 commands ; by the same it is now re-published without any farther pro- 

 spect : And the reader is to know, that if these dry sticks afford him any 

 sap, it is one of the least and meanest of those pieces which are every 

 day produced by that illustrious assembly, and which enrich their col- 

 lections, as so many monuments of their accurate experiments, and 

 public endeavours, in order to the production of real and useful theories, 

 the propagation and improvement of natural science, and the honour of 

 their institution. If to this there be any thing subjoined here, which 

 may a while bespeak the patience of the reader, it is only for the encou- 

 ragement of an industry, and worthy labour, much in our days neglected, 

 as haply reputed a consideration of too sordid and vulgar a nature for 

 noble persons and gentlemen to busy themselves withal, and who oftener 

 find out occasions to fell down and destroy their woods and plantations, 

 than either to repair or improve them. 



But we are not without hopes of taking off these prejudices, and of 

 reconciling them to a subject and an industry which has been conse- 

 crated, as I may say, by as good and as great persons as any the world 

 has produced ; and whose names we find mingled amongst kings and 

 philosophers, grave senators and patriots of their country : for such of old 

 were Solomon, Cyrus, and Numa ; Licinius, surnamed Stolo, Cato, and 

 Cincinnatus ; the Pisos, Fabii, Cicero, the Plinys, and thousands more 

 whom I might enumerate, that disdained not to cultivate these rusticities 

 even with their own hands, and to esteem it no small accession to dignify 

 their titles, and adorn their purple with these rural characters of their 

 affections to planting, and love of this part of Agriculture, which has 

 transmitted to us their venerable names through so many ages and 

 vicissitudes of the world. 



E2 



