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

THE GARDEN 81
Although no part of mighty nature be
More stor’d with beauty, power, and mystery;
Yet to encourage human industry,
God has so order’d, that no other part
Such space and such dominion leaves for art.

We nowhere art do so triumphant see,
As when it grafts or buds the tree :
In other things we count it to excel,
If it a docile scholar can appear
To nature, and but imitate her well ;
It overrules, and is her master here,
It imitates her Maker’s power divine,
And changes her sometimes, and sometimes does refine :
It does, like grace, the fallen tree restore
To its blest state of Paradise before :
Who would not joy to see His conquering hand
O’er all the vegetable world command ?
And the wild giants of the wood receive
What law He’s pleased to give ?
He bids th’ ill-natured crab.produce
The gentler apple’s winy juice ;