Ihadthesamefatewithtwoorthreemore，forwhichreasonIdesiredtheownerofthegardentoletmeknowwhichwerethefinestoftheflower;forthatIwassounskillfulintheart，thatIthoughtthemostbeautifulwerethemostvaluable，，andapersonofgoodsense，hadnothisheadbeentouchedwiththatdistemperwhichHippocratescallstheTulippomania;insomuchthathewouldtalkveryrationallyonanysubjectintheworldbutatulip.
Hetoldme，thathevaluedthebedofflowerswhichlaybeforeus，andwasnotabovetwentyyardsinlengthandtwoinbreadth，morethanhewouldthebesthundredacresoflandinEngland，andadded，thatitwouldhavebeenworthtwicethemoneyitis，ifafoolishcook，maidofhishadnotalmostruinedhiminthelastwinter，bymistakingahandfuloftuliprootsforaheapofonions，and“bythatmeans，”sayshe，“mademeadishofpottagethatcostmeabovethousandpoundssterling.”Hethenshowedmewhathethoughtthefinestofhistulips，whichIfoundreceivedalltheirvaluefromtheirrarity，andoddness，andputmeinmindofourgreatfortunes，whicharenotalwaysthegreatestbeauties.
Ihaveoftenlookeduponitasapieceofhappiness，thatIhaveneverfallenintoanyofthesefantasticaltastes，noresteemedanythingthemoreforitsbeingtheuncommonandhardtobemetwith，ForthisreasonIlookuponthewholecountryinspringtimeasaspaciousgarden，andmakeasmanyvisitstoaspotofdaisiesorabankofviolets，，whichIamnotacquaintedwith，norscarceadaffodilofcowslipthatwithersawayinmyneighborhoodwithoutmymissingit，Iwalkedhomeinthistemperofmindthroughseveralfieldsandmeadowswithandunspeakablepleasure，notwithoutreflectingonthebountyofProvidencewhichhasmadethemostpleasingandmostbeautifulobjectsthemostordinaryandmostcommon.
