You have wisely ordered your vegetable delights, beyond the reach of exception. 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 venomous 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.[A 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.
That we conjoin these parts of different subjects, or that this should succeed the other,[B 1] your judgment will admit without impute of incongruity; since the delightful world comes after death, and paradise succeeds the grave. 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.
Nullum sine venia placuisse eloquium, is more sensibly understood by writers, than by readers; nor well apprehended by either, till works have hanged out like Apelles his pictures; wherein even common eyes will find something for emendation.
- ↑ "Tulipo-mania;" Narrencruiid, Laurenberg. Pet. Hondius in lib. Belg.
- ↑ or that this should succeed the other.] In the present edition this order is reversed; the reason for which is stated in the preface.
