Admiration of the infinitely wise and glorious Author of
Nature, who has given to _Plants_ such astonishing Properties; such
fiery Heat in some to warm and cherish, such Coolness in others to
temper and refresh, such pinguid Juice to nourish and feed the Body,
such quickening _Acids_ to compel the Appetite, and grateful vehicles to
court the Obedience of the Palate, such Vigour to renew and support our
natural Strength, such ravishing Flavour and Perfumes to recreate and
delight us: In short, such spirituous and active Force to animate and
revive every Faculty and Part, to all the kinds of Human, and, I had
almost said Heavenly Capacity too. What shall we add more? Our Gardens
present us with them all; and whilst the _Shambles_ are cover'd with
Gore and Stench, our _Sallets_ scape the Insults of the Summer _Fly_,
purifies and warms the Blood against Winter Rage: Nor wants there
Variety in more abundance, than any of the former Ages could shew.

Survey we their _Bills of Fare_, and Numbers of Courses serv'd up by
_Athenaeus_, drest with all the Garnish of _Nicander_ and other _Grecian_
Wits: What has the _Roman Grand Sallet_ worth the naming? _Parat
Convivium_, The Guests are nam'd indeed, and we are told,

----[107]_Varias, quas habet hortus opes?_
How richly the Garden's stor'd:

_In quibus est Luctuca sedens, & tonsile porrum,
Nee deest ructatrix Mentha, nec herba salax, &c._

* * * * *

A Goodly Sallet!

_Lettuce_, _Leeks_, _Mint_, _Rocket_, _Colewort-Tops_, with _Oyl_ and
_Eggs_, and such an _Hotch-Pot_ following (as the Cook in _Plautus_
would deservedly laugh at). But how infinitely out-done in this Age of
ours, by the Variety of so many rare _Edules_ unknown to the Ancients,
that there's no room for the Comparison. And, for Magnificence, let
the _Sallet_ drest by the Lady for an Entertainment made by _Jacobus
Catsius_ (describ'd by the Poet [108]_Barlaeus_) shew; not at all yet
out-doing what we every Day almost find at our _Lord Mayor's Table_, and
other great Persons, Lovers of the Gardens; that sort of elegant Cookery
being capable of such wonderful Variety, tho' not altogether wanting
of old, if that be true which is related to us of [109]_Nicomedes_
a certain King of Bithynia, whose Cook made him a _Pilchard_ (a Fish
he exceedingly long'd for) of a well dissembl'd Turnip, carv'd in its
Shape, and drest with _Oyl_, _Salt_, and _Pepper_, that so deceiv'