Wherein I, for

it be not too busy, or full of work. my part, do not like images cut out in juniper or other garden stuff; they be for children. Little low hedges, round, like welts, with some pretty pyramides, I like well; and in some places, fair columns upon frames of carpenter's work." I would also have the alleys spacious and fair. You may have closer alleys upon the side grounds, but none in the main garden. wish also, in the very middle, a fair mount, with three ascents, and alleys,3 enough for four to walk abreast; which I would have to be perfect circles, without any bulwarks or embossments; and the whole mount to be thirty foot high; and some fine banqueting-house,* with some chimneys neatly cast, and without too much glass.

For fountains, they are a great beauty and refreshment; but pools mar all,5 and make the garden unwholesome, and full of flies and frogs. Fountains I intend to be of two natures: the one that sprinkleth or spouteth water; the other a fair receipt of water, of some thirty or forty foot square, but without fish, or slime, or mud. For the first, the ornaments of images gilt, or of marble, which are in use, do well: but the main matter is so to convey the water, as it never stay, either in the bowls or in the cistern; that the water be never by rest discoloured, green or red or

1 instar fimbriarum.

2 Columnas etiam, et pyramides altas, ex opere lignario, in aliquibus locis sparsas, sepibus vestitas, recipio.

3 et tribus ambulacris.

4 atque in vertice domicellus elegans extruatur.

5 sed stagna et piscinæ exulent.

6 unum qui aquam salientem verset et dispergat, cum crateribus suis; alterum nitidum aquæ puræ receptaculum, &c.

the like; or gather any mossiness or putrefaction. Besides that, it is to be cleansed every day by the hand. Also some steps up to it, and some fine pavement about it, doth well. As for the other kind of fountain, which we may call a bathing pool, it may admit much curiosity and beauty; wherewith we will not trouble ourselves: as, that the bottom be finely paved, and with images; the sides likewise; and withal embellished with coloured glass, and such things of lustre; encompassed also with fine rails of low statua's. But the main point is the same which we mentioned in the former kind of fountain; which is, that the water be in perpetual motion, fed by a water higher than the pool, and delivered into it by fair spouts, and then discharged away under ground, by some equality of bores, that it stay little.2 And for fine devices, of arching water without spilling, and making it rise in several forms (of feathers, drinking glasses, canopies, and the like), they be pretty things to look on, but nothing to health and sweetness.

For the heath, which was the third part of our plot, I wish it to be framed, as much as may be, to a natural wildness. Trees I would have none in it,3 but some thickets made only of sweet-briar and honeysuckle, and some wild vine amongst; and the ground set with

1 The copy in the British Museum has a semicolon after curiosity: my copy has a comma. And as it has certainly been a change in the type, and not a variety in the impression or an alteration made by the hand, I am inclined to think that the Museum copy was a proof in which corrections were afterwards made.

2 The translation adds: ut maneat limpida.

8 The translation adds: nisi quod, in aliquibus locis erigi præcipio arborum series, quæ in vertice ambulacra contineant, ramis arborum coöperta, cum fenestris. Subjaceat autem pars soli floribus odoris suavis abunde consita, qui auras in superius exhalent; alias fruticetum apertum esse sine arboribus velim.

For these are

And these to be in

violets, strawberries,1 and primroses. sweet, and prosper in the shade. the heath, here and there, not in any order.2 I like also little heaps, in the nature of mole-hills (such as are in wild heaths), to be set, some with wild thyme; some with pinks; some with germander, that gives a good flower to the eye; some with periwinkle; some with violets; some with strawberries; some with cowslips; some with daisies; some with red roses; some with lilium convallium; some with sweet-williams red; some with bear's-foot: 3 and the like low flowers, being withal sweet and sightly. Part of which heaps are to be with standards of little bushes pricked upon their top, and part without. The standards to be roses; 4 juniper; holly; berberries; (but here and there, because of the smell of their blossom; 5) red currants; gooseberry; rosemary; bays; sweet-briar; and such like. But these standards to be kept with cutting, that they grow not out of course.6

For the side grounds, you are to fill them with variety of alleys, private, to give a full shade, some of them, wheresoever the sun be. You are to frame some

1 fragis præcipue.

2 Dumeta autem, et ambulacra super arbores, spargi volumus ad placitum, non in ordine aliquo collocari.

8 Helleboro flore purpureo.

4 Pars autem cumulorum habeat in vertice frutices; ea sint rosa, &c.

5 sed hæc rarior, propter odoris gravitatem dum floret. The British Museum copy has a semicolon after blossom and no stop after berberries (or beare-berries as it is spelt): my copy has a semicolon after beare-berries and no stop after blossom. It is difficult to say which has been the alteration; for in the original setting of the type room for a semicolon does not seem to have been left in either place. Here (as before) I suspect the intention of the corrector was to insert the first without removing the second. The parenthesis certainly refers to the berberry; the blossom of which has an offensive smell, when too near.

6 ne deformiter excrescant.

of them likewise for shelter, that when the wind blows sharp, you may walk as in a gallery. And those alleys must be likewise hedged at both ends, to keep out the wind; and these closer alleys must be ever finely gravelled, and no grass, because of going wet. In many of these alleys likewise, you are to set fruit-trees of all sorts; as well upon the walls as in ranges. And this would be generally observed, that the borders wherein you plant your fruit-trees be fair and large, and low, and not steep; and set with fine flowers, but thin and sparingly, lest they deceive the trees. At the end of both the side grounds, I would have a mount of some pretty height, leaving the wall of the enclosure breast high, to look abroad into the fields.3

For the main garden, I do not deny but there should be some fair alleys ranged on both sides, with fruittrees; and some pretty tufts of fruit-trees, and arbours with seats, set in some decent order; but these to be by no means set too thick; but to leave the main garden so as it be not close, but the air open and free. For as for shade, I would have you rest upon the alleys of the side grounds, there to walk, if you be disposed, in the heat of the year or day; but to make account that the main garden is for the more temperate parts of the year; and in the heat of summer, for the morning and the evening, or overcast days.

For aviaries, I like them not, except they be of that

1 et molliter ascendens.

2 succo defraudent.

8 ad talem altitudinem parietis exterioris, ut in monticello stanti in agros pateat prospectus.

4 ambulacra quædam, eaque minime angusta, arboribus fructiferis utrinque consita. Quin et arboreta aliqua, arborum fructiferarum prope consitarum ; et umbracula artificiosa et bella cum sedibus ordine eleganti locata.

largeness as they may be turfed, and have living plants and bushes set in them; that the birds may have more scope, and natural nestling,' and that no foulness appear in the floor of the aviary.2 So I have made a platform of a princely garden, partly by precept, partly by drawing, not a model, but some general lines of it;3 and in this I have spared for no cost. But it is nothing for great princes, that for the most part taking advice with workmen, with no less cost set their things together; and sometimes add statua's, and such things, for state and magnificence, but nothing to the true pleasure of a garden.

5

XLVII. OF NEGOCIATING.

It is generally better to deal by speech than by letter; and by the mediation of a third than by a man's self. Letters are good, when a man would draw an answer by letter back again; or when it may serve for a man's justification afterwards to produce his own letter; or where it may be danger to be interrupted, or heard by pieces. To deal in person is good, when a man's face breedeth regard, as commonly with inferiors; or in tender cases, where a man's eye upon the countenance of him with whom he speaketh may

1 ut aves liberius volitent, et se per diversa oblectare et componere possint. 2 The translation adds: Quantum vero ad ambulacra in clivis et variis ascensibus amœnis conficienda, illa Naturæ dona sunt, nec ubique extrui possunt; nos autem ea posuimus quæ omni loco conveniunt.

3 partim modulo generali, sed minime accurato.

4 hortulanos.

5 varia, parum cum judicio, componunt.

6 in rebus quas extremis tantum digitis tangere convenit.