been pleased to steal some from the garden of Eden and place them on “the verge extreme” of the four acres.  Homer of course meant to attach to a Royal residence as Royal a garden; but as Bacon says, “men begin to build stately sooner than to garden finely, as if gardening were the greater perfection.”  The mansion of Alcinous was of brazen walls with golden columns; and the Greeks and Romans had houses that were models of architecture when their gardens exhibited no traces whatever of the hand of taste.

[041]
    And over him, art stryving to compayre
    With nature, did an arber greene dispied

This whole episode is taken from Tasso, C. 16, where Rinaldo is described in dalliance with Armida.  The bower of bliss is her garden

    “Stimi (si misto il culto e col negletto)
    “Sol naturali e gli ornamenti e i siti,
    “Di natura arte par, che per diletto
    “L’imitatrice sua scherzando imiti.”

See also Ovid, Met iii. 157

    “Cujus in extremo est antrum nemorale necessu,
    “Arte laboratum nulla, simulaverat artem
    “Ingenio natura fuo nam pumice vivo,
    “Et lenibus tophis nativum duxerat arcum
    “Fons sonat a dextra, tenui perlucidas unda
    “Margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus”

UPTON

If this passage may be compared with Tasso’s elegant description of Armida’s garden, Milton’s pleasant grove may vie with both.[141] He is, however, under obligations to the sylvan scene of Spenser before us.  Mr. J.C.  Walker, to whom the literature of Ireland and of Italy is highly indebted, has mentioned to me his surprise that the writers on modern gardening should have overlooked the beautiful pastoral description in this and the two following stanzas.[142] It is worthy a place, he adds, in the Eden of Milton.  Spenser, on this occasion, lost sight of the “trim gardens” of Italy and England, and drew from the treasures of his own rich imagination.  TODD.

    And fast beside these trickled softly downe. 
    A gentle stream, &c.

Compare the following stanza in the continuation of the Orlando Innamorato, by Nilcolo degli Agostinti, Lib. iv, C. 9.

    “Ivi e un mormorio assai soave, e basso,
    Che ogniun che l’ode lo fa addornientare,
    L’acqua, ch’io dissi gia per entro un sasso
    E parea che dicesse nel sonare. 
    Vatti riposa, ormai sei stanco, e lasso,
    E gli augeletti, che s’udian cantare,
    Ne la dolce armonia par che ogn’un dica,
    Deh vien, e dormi ne la piaggia, aprica,”

Spenser’s obligations to this poem seem to have escaped the notice of his commentators.  J.C.  WALKER.

[042] The oak was dedicated to Jupiter, and the poplar to Hercules.

[043] Sicker, surely; Chaucer spells it siker.

[044] Yode, went.