augmented by our sedulous botanists, and brought to us from all the quarters of the world. And as for their husbandry and more rural skill, of which the same author has written so many books in his Natural History, especially lib. 17, 18, &c., you will soon be judge what it was. They took great care indeed of their vines and olives, stercorations, ingraftings, and were diligent in observing seasons, the course of the stars, &c., and doubtless were very industrious; but when you shall have read over Cato, Varro, Columella, Palladio, with the Greek Geoponics, I do not think you will have cause to prefer them before the modern agriculture, so exceedingly of late improved, for which you may consult and compare our old Tusser, Markham, the Maison Rustic, Hartlib, Walter Blith, the Philosophical Transactions, and other books, which you know better than myself. I have turned down the page, where poor Pulissy* begins * By "Pulissy" Evelyn no doubt intended the famous old French potter Bernard Palissy, whose writings are now less known, both in his own and other countries, than they ought to be. They do not deserve the neglect into which they have fallen. Their ardent love of nature, their close and exact observation of it, the curious information they afford, not alone on subjects such as interested Evelyn, and others kindred with them, but also on the social and religious history of his own stirring time, and, above all, the delightful simplicity which invariably characterises them, make me wish that they were more accessible to all classes of readers. It will perhaps not be out of place here to introduce some notes which appear to have been made by Evelyn about this date, in connection with the subjects referred to in the above letter. They are printed from the MSS. at Wotton. 66 Sayes Court. The hithermost Grove I planted, about The other beyond it The lower Grove 1656 1660 1662 The holly edge, even with the Mount hedge below 1670 "I planted every hedge and tree not only in the garden, groves, &c., but about all the fields and house since 1653, except those large, old, and hollow elms in the stable court and next the sewer; for it was, before, all one pasture field to the very garden of the house, which was but small; from which time also I repaired the ruined house, and built the whole of the kitchen, the chapel, buttery, my study, above and below, cellars and all the outhouses and walls, still-house, orangerie, and made the gardens, &c. to my great cost; and better had I done to have pulled all down at first, but it was done at several times." "Mr. Evelyn was acquainted with the use and value of potatoes, which he calls Irish, tasting like an old bean or roasted chestnut, not very pleasant his persisting search. If you can suffer his prolix style, you will now and then light on things not to be despised. With him I send you a short treatise concerning Metals, of Sir Hugh Platts, which perhaps you have not seen. I am sorry I have no more of those subjects here, having left the rest in my library at Deptford, and know not how to get them hither till I get thither. Sir, I am in no haste for the return of these, if they may be serviceable to you; but in no little pain for the trouble your civility to mine puts one, who knows so much better how to employ his time, than to mind the impertinence of, Sir, your, &c. John Evelyn to Dr. Richard Bentley. WORTHY DOCTOR, Wotton, 20th January, 1696-7. You have under your hands something of Mr. Wotton, whilst he has been so kind as to offer me his till use have accustomed, yet of good nourishment and excellent use for relief of poor, yea and of one's own household where there are many servants in a dear year." "Prince Rupert invented a Turfing-plough, but without any description of "Forty loads of dung on an acre, the produce not above £6 an acre. "An acre of Hemp may be worth £8, and after this the land will be proper for barley, wheat, and pease successively. Orchards improve land from 108. an acre, which is commonly the value of the best sort of tillage, and even of best pasture not above £2 to £4. An acre planted with cherries has been set at £10, 100 miles from London. About Sandwich and Deal they hedge and fence their corn fields with flax and hemp, but flax chiefly, which they affirm keep out cattle, being bitter; they sow it about 20 feet deep into the field-sow whole fields of canary-seed-great grounds of hyssop and thyme in tufts, for seeds only-the soil light and sandy, but the hyssop in richer ground." help in looking over the typographical and other faults escaped in the last impression of the Sylva which I am most earnestly called upon to reprint. The copy which I frankly gave about 30 years since to Allestry, is now in the hands of Chiswell and your namesake Mr. Bentley (booksellers), who have sold off three impressions, and are now impatient for the fourth and it having been no unprofitable copy to them, I had promised some considerable improvements to it, upon condition of letting Ben Tooke (for whom I have a particular kindness) into a share. This, though with reluctancy, they at last consented to. I will endeavour to render it with advantage; and have ambition enough to wish, that since it is a folio, and of so popular and useful a subject as has procured it some reputation, it might have the honour to bear the character of Dr. Bentley's new Imprimerie, which, I presume, the proprietors will be as proud of as myself. To the reproach of Place, who made so many difficulties about my book of architecture as you well know, I have however made very considerable additions to that treatise, as far as concerns my part; and mean to dedicate it to Sir Christopher Wren, his Majesty's Surveyor and Intendant of his Buildings, as I did the other part to Sir J. Denham his predecessor, but infinitely inferior to his successor. I confess I am foolishly fond of these and other rustications, which had been my sweet diversions during the days of destruction and devastation both of woods and buildings, whilst the rebellion lasted so long in this nation; and the kind receptions my books have found makes me the more willing to give them my last hand: sorry in the meantime for all my other aberrations, in pretending to meddle with things beyond my talent et extra oleo: but enough of this. SIR, Abraham Hill, F.R.S., to John Evelyn. London, 26th January, 1697. I have heretofore been under many obligations to you, and am now to acknowledge the addition you have made by the present of your excellent book; in a particular manner I must regard that mark of your affection, in giving my name a place among those who so far transcend my merit. I can no better way make any pretence to that honour than by my application to the study of your book; and then my knowledge in medals, and my gratitude for your instructions, will advance together. I am with all respect, Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant, ABRAHAM HILL. Abraham Hill, F.R.S., to John Evelyn. London, 26th February, 1697. SIR, I received as a particular obligation on myself, the favour of yours of the 7th current, and communicated the same to the friends therein named, who will not omit to make you their acknowledgments; Sir Robert Southwell, doing it by the enclosed which he recommends to my conveyance, gives me the opportunity of renewing my thanks to you; and I find myself more and more obliged thereto by every step I make in the perusal of your book, by the help whereof I doubt not but the study of medals will be as happily cultivated, as other parts of useful and elegant knowledge have been by your conduct and instructions. I am with all respect, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, ABRAHAM HILL. SIR, Dr. J. Woodward to John Evelyn. London, 25th September, 1697. Upon the application of Mr. Glanvil and myself to you some time since, in behalf of Mr. Harris for the Boylean Lecture, you was pleased to tell me that you had deposited your note in the hands of my Lord of Canterbury, to be disposed of as he should think fit; but you commanded me to give your duty to his Grace, and tell him that you were so well satisfied of Mr. Harris's worth and abilities, that you should be glad, if his Grace thought good, that your vote should be conferred on him. I was discoursing with his Grace this day upon the subject (as formerly I had done), and I find his Grace very well disposed to Mr. Harris; but he says that indeed you did deposit your vote with him for the last turn, but he does not remember that you did so for this; so that if you please to write to him, either directly, or enclose it to me at Gresham College, I will take care to deliver it to him, and shall take it as a great favour from you. Mr. Harris is a gentleman very extraordinarily qualified for the performance, has fit materials for the lecture in readiness, and I have great assurance will well answer the founder's intention, to his own credit and your satisfaction. I beg your pardon for the trouble I here give you, and am, Sir, Your most humble servant, J. WOODWARD. Dr. J. Woodward to John Evelyn. WORTHY SIR, Gresham College, 5th October, 1697. I return you my very hearty thanks for your obliging letter, and the enclosed to my Lord Archbishop. 'Tis a great favour both to myself and to Mr. Harris, whom I have made acquainted with it, and who will, I am sure, very thankfully acknowledge it, so soon as he comes. to town, which will be now very suddenly. We have little new to entertain you with at Gresham College; the society hath been adjourned for some time, and there are fewer members in town than I ever observed before. The peace that is so happily going forward, will, I hope, give a new life and spirit to things, and again revive philosophy, which has so long lain under neglect and discouragement. This summer I have received a very handsome addition to my former collection of fossils, both from several parts of England, and foreign countries; particularly I have received some variety of shells, bones, and teeth of fishes, that were dug forth of the earth on the continent of America. I had had several relations from thence before, and some things too, but never so many or fair as in this cargo. These things, and the accounts I have received of |
