SIR

CHAPTER V

THE FORMAL GARDEN IN THE SEVENTEENTH

CENTURY UNDER

FRENCH AND DUTCH INFLUENCE: ORIENTAL TRAVELLERS

ON PERSIAN AND JAPANESE GARDENS.

THOMAS FOR though Physick may plead high, from that medical act of BROWNE God, in casting so deep a sleep upon our first Parent; And (1605-1682). Chirurgery find its whole Art, in that one passage concerning the

Rib of Adam: yet is there no rivality with Garden-contrivance and Herbery. For if Paradise were planted the third day of the Creation as wiser Divinity concludeth, the Nativity thereof was too early for Horoscopie; Gardens were before Gardiners, and but some hours after the Earth. Of deeper doubt is its topography and local designation; yet being the primitive garden, and without much controversy seated in the East it is more than probable the first curiosity, and cultivation of plants, most flourished in those quarters.

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However, the account of the pensile or hanging gardens of Babylon, if made by Semiramis, the third or fourth from Nimrod, is of no slender antiquity; which being not framed upon ordinary level of ground, but raised upon pillars, admitting under-passages, we cannot accept as the first Babylonian gardens, but a more eminent progress and advancement in that art than any that went before it; somewhat answering or hinting the old opinion concerning Paradise itself, with many conceptions elevated above the plane of the Earth. Nabuchodonosor (whom some will have to

1 Simon Wilkin, the editor of Browne's Works, quotes a passage from MS. Sloan, 1847, which he thinks intended for this work, wherein Browne writes, "We are unwilling to diminish or loose the credit of Paradise, or only pass it over with (the Hebrew word for) Eden, though the Greek be of a later name. In this excepted, we know not whether the ancient gardens do equal those of late times, or those at present in Europe. Of the Garden of Hesperies, we know nothing singular but some golden apples."

be the famous Syrian King of Diodorus) beautifully repaired that city, and so magnificently built his hanging gardens,1 that from > succeeding writers he had the honour of the first. From whence, overlooking Babylon, and all the region about it, he found no circumscription to the eye of his ambition; till, over-delighted with the bravery of this Paradise, in his melancholy metamorphosis he found the folly of that delight, and a proper punishment in the contrary habitation-in wild plantations and wanderings of the fields. The Persian gallants, who destroyed this monarchy, maintained their botanical bravery. Unto whom we owe the very name of Paradise, wherewith we meet not in Scripture before the time of Solomon, and conceived originally Persian. The word for that disputed garden, expressing, in the Hebrew, no more than a field enclosed, which from the same root is content to derive a garden and a buckler.-The Garden of Cyrus, or the Quincuncial2 Lozenge, or Net-work Plantations of the Ancients. Artificially, Naturally, Mystically considered.

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Quid quincunce speciosius, qui in quamcunque partem spectaveris, rectus est.-Quintilian.

3 The Garden of Cyrus, though it ends indeed with a passage of wonderful felicity, certainly emphasises (to say the least) the defects of Browne's literary good qualities. His chimeric fancy carries him here into a kind of frivolousness, as if he felt almost too safe with his public, and were himself not quite serious or dealing fairly with it; and in a writer such as Browne, levity must of necessity be a little ponderous. Still, like one of those stiff gardens, halfway between the medieval garden and the true 'English' garden of Temple or Walpole, actually to be seen in the background of some of the conventional portraits of that day, the fantasies of this indescribable exposition of the mysteries of the quincunx form part of the complete portrait of Browne himself; and it is in connection with it that once or twice the quaintly delightful pen of Evelyn comes into the correspondence in connexion with the 'hortulane pleasure '-"Norwich" he writes to Browne, "is a place I understand much addicted to the flowery poet." Professing himself a believer in the operation "of the air and genius of gardens upon human spirits, towards virtue and sanctity” he is all for natural gardens as against "those which appear like gardens of paste-board and march-pane, and smell more of paint than of flowers and verdure."-Walter Pater, 'Appreciations.'

From the Epistle Dedicatory, to Nicholas Bacon, of Tillingham, Esquire. -The Turks who past their days in gardens here, will have also gardens hereafter, and delighting in flowers on earth, must have lilies and roses in heaven. In garden delights 'tis not easy to hold a mediocrity; that insinuating pleasure is seldom without some extremity. The ancients venially delighted in flourishing gardens; many were florists that knew not the true use of a flower; and in Pliny's days none had directly treated of that subject. Some commendably affected plantations of venemous vegetables, some confined their delights unto single plants, and Cato seemed to dote upon Cabbage; while the ingenuous delight of tulipists stands saluted with hard language, even by their own professors.1 That in this garden discourse, we range into extraneous things, and many parts of art and nature, we follow herein the example of old and new plantations, wherein noble spirits contented not themselves with trees, but by the attendance of aviaries, fish-ponds, and all variety of animals, they made their gardens the epitome of the earth, and some resemblance of the secular shows of old. . .

Since the verdant state of things is the symbol of the resurrection, and to flourish in the state of glory, we must first be sown in corruption :-besides the ancient practice of noble persons, to conclude in garden-graves, and urns themselves of old to be wrapt up with flowers and garlands.

JOHN AND which is the worthiest work of these two, to plant as every

MILTON

minister's office is equally with the bishops, or to tend that (1608-1674). which is planted, which the blind and undiscerning prelates call Jurisdiction and would appropriate to themselves as a business of higher dignity?

Have patience therefore and hear a law-case. A certain man of large possessions had a fair garden, and kept therein an honest and laborious servant, whose skill and profession was to set or

1 "Tulipo-mania;" Narrencruiid, Laurenberg. Pet. Hondius in lib. Belg.

sow all wholesome herbs, and delightful flowers according to every season, and whatever else was to be done in a well-husbanded ; nursery of plants and fruits. Now, when the time was come that he should cut his hedges, prune his trees, look to his tender slips, and pluck up the weeds that hindered their growth, he gets him up by break of day, and makes account to do what was needful in his garden; and who would think that any other should know better than he how the day's work was to be spent? Yet for all this there comes another strange gardener that never knew the soil, never handled a dibble or spade to set the least pot-herb that grew there, much less had endured an hour's sweat or chilness, and yet challenges as his right the binding or unbinding of every flower, the clipping of every bush, the weeding and worming of every bed, both in that and all other gardens thereabout. The honest gardener, that ever since the day-peep, till now the sun was grown somewhat rank, had wrought painfully about his banks and seed-plots, at his commanding voice turns suddenly about with some wonder; and although he could have well beteemed to have thanked him of the ease he proffered, yet loving his own handywork, modestly refused him, telling him withal, that for his part, if he had thought much of his own pains, he could for once have committed the work to one of his fellowlabourers, for as much as it is well known to be a matter of less skill and less labour to keep a garden handsome, than it is to plant it or contrive it, and that he had already performed himself. No, said the stranger, this is neither for you nor your fellows to meddle with, but for me only that am for this purpose in dignity far above you; and the provision which the Lord of the soil allows me in this office is, and that with good reason, tenfold your wages. The gardener smiled and shook his head; but what was determined, I cannot tell you till the end of this parliament. -Animadversions upon the Remonstrant's Defence against Smectymnuus.

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THOMAS

1631, Fellow of Sidney Sussex College; Lecturer at the Savoy. 1639, pubFULLER lished his History of the Holy War' 1648, rector of Waltham Abbey, and (1608-1661). the same year published his 'Holy State.' 1653, joined the King at Oxford and preached before him at St Mary's Church. During his residence at Lincoln College, he was sequestered and lost all his books and MS. He attended the Royal Army from place to place as Chaplain to Lord Hopton, animated the garrison of Basing House, and forced Sir William Waller to raise the siege. 1655, published Church History of Britain' and 'History of the University of Cambridge.' 1660, created D.D. at Cambridge; chaplain extraordinary to the King. 1662, his 'History of the Worthies of England, which had occupied him through his life, was published posthumously.

WITHIN this circuit of ground, there is still extant, by the

rare preservation of the owner, a small Scantlin of some three Acres, which I might call the Tempe of Tempe, and reepitomiz'd the delicacies of all the rest. It was divided into a Garden, in the upper Part whereof Flowers did grow, in the lower, Hearbs, and those of all sorts and kinds. And now in the springtime earth did put on her new cloathes, though had some cunning Herald beheld the same, he would have condemned her Coate to have been of no antient bearing, it was so overcharged with variety of Colours.

For there was yellow Marigolds, Wallflowers, Auriculusses, Gold Knobs, and abundance of other namelesse Flowers, which would pose a Nomenclator to call them by their distinct denominations. There was White, the Dayes Eye, white roses, Lillyes, etc., Blew, Violet, Irisse, Red Roses, Pionies, etc. The whole field was vert or greene, and all colours were present save sable, as too sad and dolefull for so merry a meeting. All the Children of Flora being summoned there, to make their appearance at a great solemnity.

Nor was the lower part of the ground lesse stored with herbs, and those so various, that if Gerard himself had bin in the place, upon the beholding thereof he must have been forced to a reedition of his Herball, to adde the recruit of those Plants, which formerly were unseen by him, or unknown unto him.

In this solemn Randevouz of Flowers and Herbs, the Rose stood forth, and made an Oration to this effect.