John Evelyn, Esq. to Dr. Browne. Co. Garden, Lond. 28 Jan. [1657-8]. HONOURED SIR, By the mediation of that noble person, Mr. Paston, and an extraordinary humanity of your owne, I find I haue made acquisition of such a subsidiary, as nothing but his greate favour to me, and your communicable nature could haue procur'd me. It is now, therefore, that I dare promise myselfe successe in my attempt; and it is certaine that I will very justly owne your favours with all due acknowledgements, as the most obliging of all my correspondents. I perceive you haue seene the proplasma and delineation of my designe1 which, to avoyde the infinite copying for 1 A projected work bearing the title, Elysium Brittannicum, the plan of which is given in Upcott's Miscellaneous Writings of J. Evelyn, Esq. This work was intended to comprise forty distinct subjects, or chapters, disposed in three books. One of the chapters was "Of the coronary garden, Te.," to which Sir Thomas Browne's tract, "Of garlands, and coronary or garland plants," was intended as a contribution. The work, however, was never completed; though parts of it remain among the MSS. at Wotton. One chapter only, Of Sallets," was published in 1699, under the title, "Acetaria; a Discourse of Sallets." (See post, p. 193.). some of my curious friends, 1 was constrain'd to print; but it cannot be imagined that I should haue travell'd over so large a province (though but a garden) as yet, who set out not many moneths since, and can make it but my diversions at best, who haue so many other impediments besieging me, publique and personall, whereoff the long sicknesse of my unicus, my only sonn, now five moneths afflicted with a double quartan, and but five yeares old, is not one of the least; so that there is not danger your additionalls and favours to your servant should be prevented by the perfection of my worke, or if it were, that I should be so injurious to my owne fame or your civility, as not to beginn all anew, that I might take in such auxiliaries as you send me, and which I must esteeme as my best and most effectuall forces. Sir, I returne you a thousand acknowledgements for the papers which you transmitted me, and I will render you this account of my present vndertaking. The truth is, that which imported me to discourse on this subject after this sorte, was the many defects which I encounter'd in bookes and in gardens, wherein neither words nor cost had bin wanting, but judgement very much; and though I cannot boast of my science in this kind, as both vnbecoming my yeares and my small experience, yet I esteem'd.it pardonable at least, if in doing my endeauour to rectifie some mistakes, and advancing so vsefull and innocent a divertisement, I made some essay, and cast in my symbole with the rest. To this designe, if forraine observation may conduce, I might likewise hope to refine upon some particulars, especially concerning the ornaments of gardens, which I shall endeavor so to handle, as that they may become usefull and practicable, as well as magnificent, and that persons of all conditions and faculties, which delight in gardens, may therein encounter something for their owne advantage. The modell, which I perceive you haue seene, will aboundantly testifie my abhorrency of those painted and formal projections of our cockney gardens and plotts, which appeare like gardens of past-board and march-payne, and smell more of paynt then of flowers and verdure: our drift is a noble, princely, and universal Elysium, capable of all the amenities that can naturally be introduced into gardens of pleasure, and such as may stand in competition with all the august designes and stories of this nature, either of antient or moderne tymes; yet so as to become vsefull and significant to the least pretences and faculties. We will endeauour to shew how the aire and genious of gardens operat vpon humane spirits towards virtue and |