sor, my worthy Brother,
and his noble lady, whose constant liberality give them title both to
the place and the affections of all that know them. Thus, with the poet,

Nescio qua natale solum dulcedine cunctos
Ducit, et im' emores non sinit esse sui!'

This is a very good specimen of Evelyn's style, for it shews the
optimistic quality which, along with refinement and a love of classical
quotations, is ever present in his writings. Lythe Hill, from the summit
of which the 'prodigious prospect' is so eminently belauded, attains a
height of less than a thousand feet above the sea-level.

At the early age of four John Evelyn was initiated into the rudiments
of education by one Frier, who taught children at the church porch of
Wotton; but soon after that he was sent to Lewes in Sussex, to be with
his grandfather Standsfield, while a plague was raging in London. There
he remained, after Standsfield's death in 1627, till 1630, when he was
sent to the free school at Southover near Lewes and kept there until he
went up to Balliol College, Oxford, as a fellow-commoner in 1637, being
then 16 years of age. It was his father's intention to have placed him
at Eton 'but I was so terrefied at the report of the severe discipline
there that I was sent back to Lewes, which perverseness of mine I have
since a thousand times deplored.' In that same year (1637) Evelyn had
the misfortune to lose his mother, then only in the 37th year of her
age. Having been 'extremely remisse' in his studies at school, he made
no great mark during his University career. His application was not
assiduous, while his tutor, Bradshaw, whom he disliked, was negligent;
and he appears to have been subject to frequent attacks of ague,
disposing him to casual recreation rather than to close study. He had
also apparently the desire to acquire a smattering of many different
things rather than to study hard at a few special subjects. 'I began to
look on the rudiments of musick, in which I afterwards arriv'd to some
formal knowledge though to small perfection of hand, because I was so
frequently diverted by inclinations to newer trifles.'

Completing his Oxford studies early in 1639, without taking any degree,
he went into residence at the Middle Temple in April, and soon arrived
at the conclusion that his 'being at the University in regard of these
avocations, was of very small benefit.' Here he and his brother lodged
in 'a very handsome apartment just over ag