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bays, sweetbriar, and such like; but these standards to be kept with cutting, that they grow not out of course.

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 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 should 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.

For the main garden, I do not deny but there should be some fair alleys ranged on both sides with fruit-trees, 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 feel 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 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 on the floor of the aviary. 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-and in this I have spared for no cost; but it is nothing

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1 Deceive. To deprive by stealth; to rob. And so deceive the spirits of the Rather than I would embezzle

body, and rob them of their nourishment.'-Bacon.

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or deceive him of a mite, I would it were moult, and put into my mouth.'-Cavendish, Life of Cardinal Wolsey.

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for great princes, that, for the most part, taking advice with workmen, with no less cost set their things together, and sometimes add statues, and such things, for state and magnificence, but nothing to the true pleasure of a garden.

ANNOTATION.

'I for my part do not like images cut out in juniper.'

This childish taste, as Bacon rightly calls it, prevailed to a great degree long after his time. But what is now called Landscape-gardening' is, of all the fine arts (it may fairly be accounted one), the latest in its origin; having arisen not very early in the last century.

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The earliest writer, I believe, on the subject was my uncle Thomas Whately. From his work (which went through several editions) subsequent writers have borrowed largely, and generally with little or no acknowledgment. The French poet De Lille, however, in his poem of Les Jardins, does acknowledge him as his master.

Mr. W. was distinguished as a man of taste in more than one department. Being by many looked up to with deference in such matters, it was he that first brought into notice Thomson's Seasons, and thus laid the foundation of its great popularity. And the portion that was completed of his work on the Characters of Shakespere (left unfinished at his death, but edited first by my father, and afterwards by myself) is considered by competent judges to be one of the ablest critical works that ever appeared.1

1 This Work was very severely criticized in a pamphlet published a good many years ago, by Mr. John Kemble, which is something of a curiosity in its way; on account of the vehement indignation with which he comes forward to vindicate the character of Macbeth, which had been, as he thinks, unduly disparaged. If Shakespere's Macbeth had been a real person, and had been a dear friend of Mr. Kemble's, more wrathful zeal could hardly have been manifested. And the reckless haste of the writing appears in the circumstance that he had (with the book before him) mistaken the Author's christian name, and mis-spelt his surname. It is true, it is a matter of no intrinsic importance whether he was christened Thomas or William, or whether his surname was written with seven letters, or eight. But to make two blunders in the title-page of the book one is reviewing, indicates careless impetuosity.

His treatise on Modern Gardening (as it was then called) would form the most suitable annotation on this Essay of Bacon's. But it is far too long to be inserted entire; and any extracts or abridgment would be far from doing justice either to the Author, or to the subject.

It is worth observing, that of what is now called picturesque beauty, the ancients seem to have had no perception. A modern reader does indeed find in their writings descriptions which in his mind excite ideas of that kind of beauty. But the writers themselves seem to have felt delight only in the refreshing coolness of streams and shady trees,-in the softness of a grassy couch,-and in the gay colours and odours of flowers. And as for rocky mountains and everything that we admire as sublime scenery, this they seem to have regarded merely with aversion and horror; as the generality of the uneducated do, now, and as our ancestors did, not many years ago. Cotton, for instance, the contemporary and friend of Isaac Walton, and an author of some repute in his day, speaks of his own residence on the romantic river Dove, which tourists now visit on account of its surpassing beauty, as

'A place

Where Nature only suffers in disgrace.

Environ'd round with Nature's shames and ills,

Black heaths, wild crags, black rocks, and naked hills.'

And most even of Mr. Whately's contemporaries seem to have regarded the Scotch Highlands as frightful.

ESSAY XLVII. OF NEGOTIATING.

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 give him a direction how far to go; and generally, where a man will reserve to himself liberty, either to disavow or expound. In choice of instruments, it is better to choose men of a plainer sort, that are like to do that that is committed to them, and to report back again faithfully the success, than those that are cunning1 to contrive out of other men's business somewhat to grace themselves, and will help the matter in report, for satisfaction sake. Use also such persons as affect the business wherein they are employed; for that quickeneth much; and such as are fit for the matter, as bold men for expostulation, fair-spoken men for persuasion, crafty men for inquiry and observation, froward and absurd 3 men for business that doth not well bear out itself. Use also such as have been lucky, and prevailed before in things wherein you have employed them; for that breeds confidence, and they will strive to maintain their prescription.

It is better to sound a person with whom one deals, afar off, than to fall upon the point at first, except you mean to surprise him by some short question. It is better dealing with men in appetite, than with those that are where they would be. If

1 Cunning. Skilful.

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I will take away the cunning artificer.'—Isaiah iii. 3. 'I will send you a man of mine,

Cunning in music and the mathematics.'--Shakespere.

Affect. To like. See page 419.

3 Absurd. See Annotation on Essay XXVI.

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a man deal with another upon conditions, the start of first performance is all; which a man cannot reasonably demand, except either the nature of the thing be such which must go before; or else a man can persuade the other party that he shall still need him in some other thing; or else that he be counted the honester man. All practice is to discover, or to work. Men discover themselves in trust, in passion, at unawares; and of necessity, when they would have somewhat done, and cannot find an apt pretext. If you would work any man, you must either know his nature or fashions, and so lead him; or his ends, and so persuade him; or his weakness and disadvantages, and so awe him; or those that have interest in him, and so govern him. In dealing with cunning persons, we must ever consider their ends to interpret their speeches; and it is good to say little to them, and that which they least look for. In all negotiations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once, but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees.

say

ANNOTATIONS.

'It is generally better to deal by speech than by letter.'

It is a pity Bacon did not say more, though what he does is very just on the comparative reasons for discussing each matter orally, or in writing. Not that a set of rules could be devised for the employment of each, that should supersede the need of cautious observation, and sagacious reflection; for what art,' as he himself has observed, 'can teach the suit

1 Practice. Negotiation; skilful management. 'He ought to have that by practice, which he could not by prayer.'-Sidney. Thus, also, the verb:

'I have practised with him,

And found means to let the victor know,

That Syphax and Sempronius are his friends.'-Addison.

2 Fashion. Way; manner; habit.

Pluck Casca by the sleeve,

And he will, after his own fashion, tell you
What hath proceeded.'-Shakespere.

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