Garden — Meditation 3
PAssing through the small divisions of a curious knot, which was richly adorned with rare Tulips, and other: beautiful flowers, I was very careful to shun those flowers, which indeed had no other worth to commend them, but their exquisite colours, and unadvisedlytrod upon and spoyled an excellent choice herb, which though it grew obscurely, yet had rare physical vertues in it.
When I was made sensible of the involuntary trespass I had committed, I thought I could scarsely make the Owneer a better compensation, than by telling him, that herein (though against my will) I did but tread in the footsteps of the greatest part of the world, who are very careful (as I was) to keep their due distance from splendid, though worthless Gallants; mean while trampling upon, and crushing ununder foot, the obscure, but most precious servants of God in the world. As little do they heed these most excellent persons, as I did this precious herb.
Summa ingenia in occulto saepe latent, says Plautus,
Rare wits and herbs sometimes do sculk and shrink
In such blind holes, as one would little think.
For my own part, I desire to tread upon no man with the foot of contempt and pride, much less upon any good man; and that I may not, it concerns me to look before I step; I mean, to consider, before I censure: Had I done so by this rare Herb, I had never hurt it.
