RICHARD ARNOLDE, who in his Chronicle, printed in 1502, has a chapter on "The crafte of graffynge, and plantyne, and alterynge of fruyts, as well in colours, as in taste." The celebrated poem of the Nut-brown Maid first appeared in this Chronicle. Sir E. Brydges, in vol. 6 of his Censura Literaria, has transcribed the whole poem as it appears in Arnolde. THOMAS TUSSER, whose memory has had the felicity to merit the notice of Mr. Warton, in his History of English Poetry, from his having published his poem of "A Hundreth good Pointes of Husbandrie, imprinted at London, in Flete strete, within Temple barre, at the syne of the Hand and Starre, by Richard Totell, An. 1577." A copy of this first edition (probably unique) is preserved in the British Museum. A re-print of this singular literary rarity is given in Mr. Hazlewood's British Bibliographer. The subsequent editions of this curious book are interestingly enumerated by Mr. Mavor, in his edition of Tusser. No portrait I believe has been discovered of this benevolent man, whose good sense, impressive maxims, enlightened and philosophic turn of mind and feeling for the poor, shine through most pages of his poem:-- What better bed than conscience good, to pass the night with sleep, What better work, than daily care, from sin thyself to keep? What better thought, than think on God, and daily him to serve, What better gift than to the poor, that ready be to sterve? His estimate of life is concise:-- To death we must stoop, be we high, be we low, But how and how suddenly few be that know; What carry we then but a sheet to the grave, (To cover this carcass) of all that we have? His hospitable heart thus pleads for the desolate, during the festivities of Christmas, and his love of "mirth and good cheer" makes him not forget Harvests home:-- At Christmas, the hardness of winter doth rage, A griper of all things, and specially age; Then sadly poor people, the young and the old, Be sorest oppressed with hunger and cold. At Christmas, by labour there's little to get, That wanting--the poorest in danger are set: What season then better, of all the whole year, Thy needy, poor neighbour, to comfort and cheer. At Christmas be merry, and thankful withal, And feast thy poor neighbours, the great with the small: Yea all the year long, to the poor let us give, God's blessing to follow us, whiles we do live. In harvest time, harvest folk, servants and all Should make, all together, good cheer in the hall; And fill out the black bowl of blythe to their song, And let them be merry all harvest time long. Once ended thy harvest, let none be beguil'd, Please such as did help thee--man, woman, and child,-- Thus doing, with alway, such help as they can, Thou winnest the praise of the labouring man.