Temple, William; Sieveking, Albert Forbes: Upon the gardens of Epicurus: with other XVIIth century garden essays (London: Chatto and Windus, 1908)

THE GARDEN 71
Among many other arts and excellences, which you
enjoy, I am glad to find this favourite of mine the
most predominant; that you choose this for your wife,
though you have hundreds of other arts for your con-
cubines ; though you know them, and beget sons upon
them all (to which you are rich enough to allow great
legacies), yet the issue of this seems to be designed by
you to the main of the estate ; you have taken most
pleasure in it, and bestowed most charges upon its
education : and I doubt not to see that book, which
you are pleased to promise to the world, and of which
you have given us a large earnest in your calendar, as
accomplished, as any thing can be expected from an
extraordinary wit, and no ordinary expenses, and a
long experience. I know nobody that possesses more
private happiness than you do in your garden ; and yet
no man, who makes his happiness more public, by a
free communication of the art and knowledge of it to
others. All that I myself am able yet to do, is only
to recommend to mankind the search of that felicity,
which you instruct them how to find and to enjoy.