herbalist of his time." Mr. Weston, in his Catalogue, relates with great pleasure, the sanguine and interesting tours which Mr. Johnson, and some friends, made in various counties, to examine the native botanical beauties of his own country.

Wood further informs us, that at the siege of Basinghouse," he received a shot in the shoulder, of which he died in a fortnight after; at which time his work did justly challenge funeral tears; being then no less eminent in the garrison for his valour and conduct as a soldier, than famous through the kingdom for his excellency as an herbalist and physician." I have given in a note below, his approbation of Parkinson's work, merely to shew Mr. Johnson's liberal mind.*

RALPH AUSTEN, published his Treatise of Fruit Trees, shewing the manner of Grafting, Planting, &c. with the spiritual use of an Orchard, or Garden, in divers similitudes. Oxford, 1653 and 1657, 4to. He appears to have lived and died at Oxford. He dedicates it to his friend S. Hartlib, Esq. Worlidge says, that in this treatise Austen hath "very copiously set forth the high applauses, dignities, advantages, and variety of pleasures and contents, in the planting and enjoyment of fruit trees."

* "Mr. John Parkinson, an apothecary of this city, (yet living, and labouring for the common good,) in the year 1629, set forth a work by the name of Paradisus Terrestris, wherein he gives the figures of all such plants as are preserved in gardens, for the beauty of their flowers, in use in meats or sauces; and also an orchard for all trees bearing fruit, and such shrubs as for their beauty are kept in orchards and gardens, with the ordering, planting, and preserving of all these. In this work he hath not superficially handled these things, but accurately descended to the very varieties in each species, wherefore I have now and then referred my reader, addicted to these delights, to this work, especially in flowers and fruits, wherein I was loth to spend too much time, especially seeing I could adde nothing to what he had done upon that subject before."

FRANCIS AUSTEN, published in 1631, Observations on Sir Francis Bacon's Natural History, so far as concerns Fruit trees, 4to. Another edition, 4to., 1657.

JOHN BONFEIL, published Instructions how to Plant and Dress Vines, &c. and to make Wine, &c. Printed with his Art of making Silk, 4to., 1622.

STEPHEN BLAKE, published in 1664, The complete Gardener's Practice, 4to.

WILLIAM HUGHES published

1, The complete Vineyard, 8vo. 1670, and 1683.

2, The American Physician, or a Treatise of the Roots, Plants, &c. growing in the English Plantations; 12mo. 1672.

3, The Flower Garden, 12mo. 1672 and 1734.

SAMUEL HARTLIB, ESQ. published Sir Richard Weston's Discourse of Husbandrie used in Brabant and Flanders, shewing the wonderful improvement of land there, and serving as a pattern for our practice in this Commonwealth." Lond. 1645, 4to. 24 pages. Mr. Weston, in his interesting Catalogue, says, "It is remarked in the Phil. Trans. that England has profited in agriculture to the amount of many millions, in consequence of the Flanders husbandry having been made known by this little treatise. In another edition (I believe 1655) Hartlib, in order to enlarge, and better explain it, annexed Dr. Beatie's Annotations to it." Mr. Hartlib also published,

1, Legacie; or an Enlargement of the Discourse of Hus

bandry; 4to. 1659. A second edition in 1651, and a third

in 1655.

2, Concerning the Defects and Remedies of English Husbandry, in a letter to Dr. Beale; 4to. 1651.

3, A Designe for Plentie, by an universall planting of Fruit-trees; tendered by some Well-wishers to the Public. Lond. without date, but probably (as Mr. Loudon observes) 1652, 4to. "Published by Hartlib, who had the MS. from the Hon. Colonel John Barkstead, Lieutenant of the Tower. The author was an aged minister of the Gospel, at Lovingland, near Yarmouth.”

4, The Commonwealth of Bees, 1657.

Mr. Weston gives much information respecting Mr. Hartlib. I select only the following:

"He was a German gentleman by birth, a great promoter of husbandry during the times of the commonwealth, and much esteemed by all ingenious men in those days, particularly by Milton, who addressed to him his Treatise on Education; Sir William Petty also inscribed two letters to him on the same subject. Lond. 4to. 1647 and 1648. Cromwell, who was a great favourer of agriculture, in consequence of this admirable performance, allowed Hartlib a pension of £100. a year; and Hartlib afterwards, the better to fulfil the intentions of his benefactor, procured Dr. Beatie's excellent annotations on the Legacy, with other valuable pieces from his numerous correspondents. This famous work, attributed to Hartlib, and called the Legacy, was only drawn up at his request, and, passing through his correction and revision, was published by him." His name will ever stand honoured,

from Milton having dedicated his Tractate on Education to him, and from his having, in this tract, painted with affection, and with warm and high colours, the character of Mr. Hartlib.*

Dr. JOHN BEALE, author of that celebrated little tract, the "Herefordshire Orchards, a pattern for the whole of England." London 1657, 12mo.; 1724, 8vo. He addresses this to Mr. Hartlib, and thus commences it:-" Your industrious endeavours for the benefit of all men, and particularly for the good of this nation, hath well deserved the grateful acknowledgement of all good men, and of my self in special; for that in my rural retirement I have received some profit, and very much innocent and refreshing delights in the perusal of those treatises, which are by your diligent hand communicated to the publick." He thus affectionately concludes it:"I briefly hint unto you what esteem we do truly owe unto your labours. I pray the Lord to remember your diligence in the great day of his appearance in glory. Your hearty well-wisher." In vol. 6 of the works of the Honourable Robert Boyle, are many letters from Dr. Beale. That dated Oct. 26, strongly paints his attachment to the fruits of Herefordshire, or whatever may tend to the benefit of that his native county. Mr. Boyle says of him, "There is not

*

"Mr. Hartlib (says Worlidge) tells you of the benefits of orchard fruits, that they afford curious walks for pleasure, food for cattle in the spring, summer, and winter, (meaning under their shadow,) fewel for the fire, shade for the heat, physick for the sick, refreshment for the sound, plenty of food for man, and that not of the worst, and drink also of the best."

Milton also in the above Tractate thus speaks:-" In those vernal seasons of the year, when the air is calm and pleasant, it were an injury and sullenness against nature, not to go out and see her riches, and partake in her rejoicing with heaven and earth."

in life, a man in this whole island, nor on the continents beyond the seas, that could be made more universally useful to do good to all." And Mr. Gough, in his Topography, records the benefits he conferred on that county. Such a testimony as the above, from such a man as Mr. Boyle, is, indeed, honourable. The learned Boerhaave tells us who

Mr. Boyle was: "Boyle, the ornament of his age and country, succeeded to the genius and enquiries of the great Verulam. Which of all Boyle's writings shall I recommend? All of them. To him we owe the secrets of fire, air, water, animals, vegetables, fossils, so that from his works may be reduced the whole system of natural knowledge." His charities amounted to £1000. annually. Dr. Beale resided chiefly at Hereford, (1660) when he was made Rector of Yeovil, Somersetshire, where he died in 1683, at the age of eighty. His other works are enumerated in Mr. Loudon's Encyclopædia of Gardening. Mr. Evelyn, in the greatest of his works, (his Sylva,) adds to it Dr. Beale's advertisement concerning Cyder.

William Brome, a principal ornament of Christ Church, a native of Herefordshire, and who afterwards lived in retirement at Ewithington, in that county, "formed the plan (says the late Mr. Dunster in his edition of Phillips's Cyder) of writing the Provincial History of his native county, a work for which he was eminently qualified, not only by his great and general learning, but as being particularly an excellent naturalist and antiquary. After having made a considerable progress, he abandoned his design, and, which is still more to be lamented, destroyed the valuable materials which he had collected." I merely introduce this to state, that from Mr. Brome, much information, in all likelihood, might have been gathered respecting Dr. Beale. We have to regret, that time and mortality, have now obliterated every fading