TO THE READER, ^

Heasurc, whilst they resign their Estates to he managed by themost Ignorant ( which are the Children whom they leave at home,or the Hinds to whom- they commit them ) When as in Truth*and in Reason, the more Learning, the better Philosophers, andthe greater Abilities they pofess, the more, and the better are theyqualified to Cultivate and Improve their Estates : Methinks thisis well and rationally argued.

AND now you have in part what I had to produce inExtenuation of this Adventure • that Animated with a Com-mand, and AJJisted by divers worthy Persons ( whose Names Iam prone to celebrate with all just Respects) I have presumedto cast in my Symbol • which, with the rest that are to followmay (I hope) be in some ^Degree serviceable to him ( whoe’erthe happy Person be) that jhall oblige the World with that com-plcat System of Agriculture, which as yet seems a Desideratumand wanting to its full Terse ftion. It is ( I a sure you) whatis one of the Trineipal Designs of the ROYAL SOCIETYnot in this Particular only, but through all the Liberal and moreuseful Arts; and for which ( in the Estimation os all equal Judges )it will merit the greatest os Encouragements ; that so , at lastwhat the Learned Columella has wittily reproached,\ and complainedof as a Tesett in that Age os his, concerning Agriculture ingeneral ,, and is applicable here, may attain its desired Remedyand Consummation in This of Ours. 3

SOLA emm Res Rustica, quje fine dubitalione proxima, & quasi -aconfangmnea Sapient,* est, tarn difeentibus eger, quam magistris ;

Adhuc emm Scholas Rhetorum, & Geometrarum, Musicorumoue nestl r rec001 'vd quod magis mirandum est, contemptistimorum vitiorum officL^-'p *«•nas, gulosius condiendi cibos, & luxuriofim fercula struendi capitum-SL™que <ic capulorum concmnatores, non solum else audivi fed & ipse Flvidi ; Agricolationis neque Doctores qui fe profiterentur, neqnefctpulos cognovi. But this I lea-ve fir our Peruk’d Gallants to in.llts cuterfret, mi Jhould now apply myfilf the Directive p d,s,nui,,,.

which I am all this while bejfeakmg, if after what I havesaid ,n the several Paragraphs of the enfumg Discourse upon theArgunKHt of Wood (and whieh in this Editio^TomtAbroad ,with innumerable Improvements and Advantages (so furnijhed, as I hope Jhall neither reproach the Authors \Lent^ Reader) it might not seem superfluous to have premised' anyThing here for the Encouragement of si becoming an IndustrvThere are divers Learned, and judicious Men who have preceed dMe in this Argument 5 «/ maty, at leaf as have undertaken to Write and Compile vast Herbals, and Theatres of Piof which we have some of our own Countrymen (the most Industrious and Learned Mr. Ray) w b 0I dare affirm it) surpassed any, if not all the Foreigners °that

are