Buch 
Silva or,a Discourse of Forest-Trees and the Propagation of Timber in His Majesty's Dominions...together with an historical account of the Sacredness and Use of Standing Groves : Terra, A Philosophical essay of Earth... to which is annex'd Pomona: Or an Appendix concerning Fruit-Trees.... / by John Evelyn
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ij TO THE READER.

with these rural Characters of their Assertions to Planting, and Loveof this Tart of Agriculture, which has transmitted to us theirvenerable Names through so many Ages and Vicissitudes of theWorld.

THAT famous Answer alone which the Persian Monarch gaveto Lysander, will sufficiently justify that which I have said, be-sides what we might add out of the Writings and Examples ofthe rest : But since these may suffice , after due Reproofs of thelate impolitick Waste, and universal Sloth amongst us ; we shouldSu Petrarch now turn our Indignation into Prayers, and address ourselves tode itemed. Qur fatfer-natur* d Countrymen ; that such Woods as do yet re-^iT^Xmain entire , might be carefully preserved, and such as are de-Dial- 57- Aroy'd, fedulousty repaired : It is what all Ter sons who are Owners0 f Land may contribute to , and with infinite Delight, as well asProfit who are touch’d with that laudable Ambition of imitatingtheir Illustrious Ancestors, and of worthily serving their Gene-ration. To these my earnest and humble Advice Jhouldt be, That attheir very first Coming to their Estates, and as soon as they getChildren, they would seriously think of this Work of Propagationalso : For I observe there is no Tart of Husbandry, which Mencommonly more fail in , neglect, . and have Cause to repent ofthan that they did not begin Planting betimes, without which , theycan expert neither Fruit, Ornament, or Delight from their La-bours. Men seldom plant Trees till they begin to be Wife, thatis till they grow Old, and find by Experience the Prudence andNecessity of it. When lAysses, after a ten Tears Absence , wasreturned from Troy, and coming home, found his aged Father inthe Field planting of Trees, he asked him , Why (being now sofar advanc’d in Tears ) he would put himself to the Fatigue andLabour of Tlanting that which he was never likely to enjoy theFruits of? The good old Man (taking him for a Stranger ) gentlyreply’d\ I plant {fays he) against my Son Ulysses comes home. TheApplication is obvious and infiruBive for both Old and Young :And we have a more modern Instance , almost alike that of the, j£ L aer tes. Here then upon the Complaint of learned Ter-\ 7 f° an d great Travellers , deploring the Loss of many rare andprecious Things, Trees and Plants, especially instancing the Balsamfree of Gilead ( now almost , if not altogether failing, and nomore to be found where it grew in great Tlenty ) He applieshimself to young Eperous, to consider it fenousty, and to fall aplanting while Time is before them, with this encouraging Excla-mation Agite, 6 Adolescentes, & antequam camcies vobis obrepat,ftirpes }am alueritis, quæ vobis cum insigni utilitate, delectauonemetiam adferent : Nam quemadmodum canicies temporis succeflii, vo-bis insciis, fensim obrepit : Sic natura vobis inserviens educabit quodD ' telluri

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