"the right of a Poet, those smart characters that will "fhine in Epigrams. Venerable Neftor, I falute "you in the name of the club.

BOB. SHORT, Secretary.

N°. 173.

September 29, 1713.

Nec fera comantem

Narciffum, aut flexi tacuiffem vimen Acanthi, Pallentesque hederas, et amantes littora myrtos.

VIRG.

I to the a ar

house in the country, not without fome apprehenfion, that it could afford little entertainment to a man of his polite tafte, particularly in architecture and gardening, who had fo long been converfant with all that is beautiful and great in either. Eut it was a pleasant furprize to me, to hear him often declare he had found in my little retirement that beauty which he always thought wanting in the most

celebrated feats (or, if you will, Villa's) of the nation. This he described to me in those verses, with which Martial begins one of his epigrams:

Baiana noftri villa, Baffe, Fauftini,
Non otiofis ordinata myrtetis,
Viduaque platano, tonfilique buxeto,
Ingrata lati fpatia detinet campi ;
Sed rure vero, barbaroque lætatur.

There is certainly fomething in the amiable fimplicity of unadorned Nature, that spreads over the mind a noble fort of tranquillity, and a loftier sensation of pleasure, than can be raised from the nicer scenes of art.

This was the taste of the Ancients in their gardens, as we may discover from the defcriptions extant of them. The two most celebrated wits of the world have each of them left us a particular picture of a Garden; wherein those great masters being wholly unconfined, and painting at pleasure, may be thought to have given a full idea of what they efteemed most excellent in this way. Thefe (one may obferve) confifl entirely of the useful part of horticulture, fruit-trees, herbs, water, etc. The pieces I am speaking of are Virgil's account of the garden of the old Corycian, and Homer's of that of Alcinous in the feventh Odyffey, to which I refer the reader.

Sir William Temple has remarked, that this gar den of Homer contains all the jufteft rules and pro vifions which can go toward compofing the best gardens. Its extent was four Acres, which, in those times of fimplicity, was looked upon as a large one, even for a Prince. It was inclofed all round for defence; and for conveniency joined close to the gates

of the Palace.

He mentions next the Trees, which were ftandards, and suffered to grow to their full height. The fine defcription of the Fruits that never failed, and the eternal Zephyrs, is only a more noble and poetical way of expreffing the continual fucceffion of one fruit after another throughout the year.

The Vineyard feems to have been a plantation diftinct from the Garden; as alfo the beds of Greens mentioned afterwards at the extremity of the inclofure, in the ufual place of our Kitchen Gardens.

The two Fountains are difpofed very remarkably. They rofe within the inclofure, and were brought in by conduits or ducts; one of them to water all parts of the gardens, and the other underneath the Palace into the Town, for the fervice of the publick.

How contrary to this fimplicity is the modern practice of gardening? We feem to make it our ftudy to recede from Nature, not only in the various tonfure of greens into the moft regular and formal fhapes, but even in monstrous attempts beyond the

reach of the art itself: we run into fculpture, and are yet better pleased to have our Trees in the most aukward figures of men and animals, than in the most regular of their own.

Hinc et nexilibus videas e frondibus hortos,
Implexos late muros, et moenia cireum
Porrigere, et latas e ramis furgere turres ;
Deflexam et myrtum in puppes, atque area roftra:
In buxifque undare fretum, atque e rore rudentes,
Parte alia frondere fuis tentoria caftris ;
Scutaque, Spiculaque, et jaculantia citria vallos.

I believe it is no wrong observation, that perfons of genius, and those who are moft capable of art, are always moft fond of nature: as fuch are chiefly fenfible, that all art confifls in the imitation and ftudy of nature: On the contrary, people of the common level of understanding are principally delighted with the little niceties and fantastical operations of art, and constantly think that finest which is leaft natural. A Citizen is no fooner proprietor of a couple of Yews, but he entertains thoughts of erecting them into Giants, like thofe of Guildhall. I know an eminent Cook, who beautified his country feat with a Coronation-dinner in greens, where you fee the Champion flourishing on horfeback at one end of the table, and the Queen in perpetual youth at the other,

For the benefit of all my loving countrymen of this curious tafte, I fhall here publish a catalogue of Greens to be disposed of by an eminent TownGardener, who has lately applied to me upon this head. He reprefents, that for the advancement of a politer fort of ornament in the Villa's and Gardens adjacent to this great city, and in order to distinguish thofe places from the meer barbarous countries of grofs nature, the world ftands much in need of a virtuofo Gardener, who has a turn to sculpture, and is thereby capable of improving upon the ancients, in the imagery of Ever-greens. I proceed to his catalogue.

Adam and Eve in Yew; Adam, a little shattered by the fall of the Tree of Knowledge in the great ftorm; Eve and the Serpent very flourishing. Noah's ark in Holly, the ribs a little damaged for want of water.

The Tower of Babel, not yet finished.

St. George in Box; his arm scarce long enough, but will be in a condition to stick the Dragon by next April.

A green Dragon of the fame, with a tail of GroundIvy for the present.

N.B. Those two not to be fold feparately.