art and industry in the workeman, and makes mee
both admire and love the begetters of such excellencies."
And again,--"For the situation of the garden-plot for pleasure, you
shall understand, that it must ever bee placed so neare unto the
dwelling-house as it is possible, both because the eye of the owner may
be a guard and support from inconveniences, as all that the especial
roomes and prospects of the house may be adorned, perfumed, and inriched
with the delicate proportions, odoriferous smells, and wholesome airs
which shall ascend and vaporate from the same."
He then gives a variety of cuts of knots and mazes, and labyrinths, of
which he observes, that "many other adornations and beautifyings there
are, which belong to the setting forth of a curious garden, but for as
much as none are more rare or more esteemed than these I have set down,
being the best ornaments of the best gardens of this kingdome, I think
them tastes sufficient for every husbandman or other of better quality,
which delighteth in the beauty, and well trimming of his ground." He
thus remarks:--"as in the composition of a delicate woman, the grace of
her cheeke is the mixture of red and white, the wonder of her eye blacke
and white, and the beauty of her hand blew and white, any of which is
not said to be beautifull if it consist of single or simple colours; and
so in these walkes or alleyes the all greene, nor the all yellow cannot
be said to bee most beautifull, but the greene and yellow, (that is to
say, the untroade grasse, and the well knit gravell) being equally mixt,
give the eye both luster and delight beyond all comparison."
His description of the following flower is singular: "_The Crowne
Emperiall_, is, of all flowers, both forraigne and home-bred, the
delicatest, and strangest: it hath the true shape of an imperiall
crowne, and will be of divers colours, according to the art of the
gardener. In the middest of the flower you shall see a round pearle
stand, in proportion, colour, and orientnesse, like a true naturall
pearle, only it is of a soft liquid substance: this pearle, if you shake
the flower never so violently, will not fall off, neyther if you let it
continue never so long, will it eyther encrease or diminish in the
bignesse, but remaineth all one: yet if with your finger you take and
wipe it away, in less than an hour after you shall have another arise in
the same place, and of the same bignesse. This pearle, if you taste it
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