raine places I haue
seene, there is none more worthy then our owne, and yet none ordered
like our owne, I cannot be induced to follow the rules of Italie,
vnlesse I were in Italie, neither those of France, vnlesse I dwelt in
France, nor those of Germany except in Germany I had my habitation,
knowing that the too much heate of the one, or the too much coldnesse of
the other, must rather confound then help in our temperate climate:
whence it comes, that our english booke-knowledge in these cases is both
disgraced and condemned, euery one fayling in his experiments, because
he is guided by no home-bredde, but a stranger; as if to reade the
english tongue there were none better then an Italian Pedant. This to
auoide, I will neither begge ayde nor authoritie from strangers, but
reuerence them as worthies and fathers of their owne Countries.

{SN: Of the ground.}
To speake therefore first of the ground which is fit for the garden,
albeit the best is best worthy, the labour least, and the profit most
certaine, yet it is not meete that you refuse any earth whatsoeuer, both
because a garden is so profitable, necessary, and such an ornament and
grace to euery house and house-keeper, that the dwelling place is lame
and maymed if it want that goodly limbe, and beauty. Besides, if no
gardens should be planted but in the best and richest soyles, it were
infinite the losse we should sustaine in our priuate profit, and in the
due commendations, fit for many worthy workmen, who haue reduced the
worst and barrainest earths to as rare perfection and profit as if they
had beene the onely soyles of this kingdome: and for mine owne part, I
doe not wonder either at the worke of Art or Nature, when I behould in a
goodly, rich, and fertill soyle, a garden adorned with all the delights
and delicacies which are within mans vnderstanding, because the naturall
goodnesse of the earth (which not induring to be idle) will bring forth
whatsoeuer is cast into her: but when I behould vpon a barraine, dry,
and deiected earth, such as the Peake-hils, where a man may behould Snow
all summer, or on the East-mores, whose best hearbage is nothing but
mosse, and iron stone, in such a place, I say, to behould a delicate,
rich, and fruitfull garden, it shewes great worthinesse in the owner,
and infinite Art and industry in the workeman, and makes me both admire
and loue the begetters of such excellencies.

But to returne to my purpose touching the choise of your