sure of having one, and the
enjoyment of a garden entirely worked by others is merely
a form of idleness and luxury. The title does not
accurately describe the book, as the gardens of the
ancients are confined to the introduction, and the history
of English gardening begins only from the accession of
Edward III. The main part of it is a detailed account
of all the books that have been written on the art of
gardening. Mr. Johnson most critically describes the
letterpress of gardening books, but very little notice
indeed is taken of any illustrating, and when he reaches
Curtis's beautiful* Flora Londinensis ' he gives it no more
praise than to any little short gardening essay that
may have appeared at the time. Anyone going to the
Museum Library with this comprehensive catalogue
would have but a slight idea of what are the best books
to ask for. Till the appearance of Miss Amherst's
NOVEMBER 223
book in 1895, I believe this was the only existing book of
reference on the history of English gardening.
1830. ' On the Portraits of English Authors on Gar-
dening, with Biographical Notices,' by S. Felton. A
curious and really valuable book of reference. Mr.
Felton, in his preface, pays high tribute to the ' History
of English Gardening,' just described, and says : ' Mr.
Johnson's work is the result of original thought and of
an ardent and extended scientific research. Mine is a
compilation "made with a pair of scissors," to copy the
words of Mr. Mathias, which he applies to a certain
edition of Pope. I content myself, however, with the
reflection of Mr. Walpole, that " they who cannot perform
great things themselves may yet have a satisfaction in
doing justice to those who can." ' This reminds me of the
flippant newspaper critic who called Sir George Cornewall
Lewis's ' Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion ' ' a
book to prove that, if you did not know a thing, you
should ask some one who did.' There is a delightful
wisdom in this remark.
1830 (about). 'The Florist's Journal and Gardening
Eecord.' I have two volumes of this publication. The
plates are well drawn and coloured, and are more delicate
than those in Mrs. Loudon's books. One volume con-
tains a fascinating picture of that rather rare flower,
which I have failed as yet to bloom, called Zamchneria
californica. The two volumes are good specimens of
the books of the period.
1834. ' The Magazine of Botany,' by Joseph Paxton.
In this year the intelligent gardener at Chatsworth started
his 'Magazine of Botany,' which was finished in 1849.
I have the complete set of sixteen volumes. The first
volume contains a somewhat fulsome and yet touchingly
hearty dedication to his master, the Duke of Devonshire.
Each of the succeeding volumes are dedicated to more or
224 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN
Page 132
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
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sure of having one, and the
enjoyment of a garden entirely worked by others is merely
a form of idleness and luxury. The title does not
accurately describe the book, as the gardens of the
ancients are confined to the introduction, and the history
of English gardening begins only from the accession of
Edward III. The main part of it is a detailed account
of all the books that have been written on the art of
gardening. Mr. Johnson most critically describes the
letterpress of gardening books, but very little notice
indeed is taken of any illustrating, and when he reaches
Curtis's beautiful* Flora Londinensis ' he gives it no more
praise than to any little short gardening essay that
may have appeared at the time. Anyone going to the
Museum Library with this comprehensive catalogue
would have but a slight idea of what are the best books
to ask for. Till the appearance of Miss Amherst's
NOVEMBER 223
book in 1895, I believe this was the only existing book of
reference on the history of English gardening.
1830. ' On the Portraits of English Authors on Gar-
dening, with Biographical Notices,' by S. Felton. A
curious and really valuable book of reference. Mr.
Felton, in his preface, pays high tribute to the ' History
of English Gardening,' just described, and says : ' Mr.
Johnson's work is the result of original thought and of
an ardent and extended scientific research. Mine is a
compilation "made with a pair of scissors," to copy the
words of Mr. Mathias, which he applies to a certain
edition of Pope. I content myself, however, with the
reflection of Mr. Walpole, that " they who cannot perform
great things themselves may yet have a satisfaction in
doing justice to those who can." ' This reminds me of the
flippant newspaper critic who called Sir George Cornewall
Lewis's ' Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion ' ' a
book to prove that, if you did not know a thing, you
should ask some one who did.' There is a delightful
wisdom in this remark.
1830 (about). 'The Florist's Journal and Gardening
Eecord.' I have two volumes of this publication. The
plates are well drawn and coloured, and are more delicate
than those in Mrs. Loudon's books. One volume con-
tains a fascinating picture of that rather rare flower,
which I have failed as yet to bloom, called Zamchneria
californica. The two volumes are good specimens of
the books of the period.
1834. ' The Magazine of Botany,' by Joseph Paxton.
In this year the intelligent gardener at Chatsworth started
his 'Magazine of Botany,' which was finished in 1849.
I have the complete set of sixteen volumes. The first
volume contains a somewhat fulsome and yet touchingly
hearty dedication to his master, the Duke of Devonshire.
Each of the succeeding volumes are dedicated to more or
224 POT-POURRI FROM A SURREY GARDEN