36 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



ing up, evert when (lie deftroys, Hie calls foitii 

 from the clefts of our monuments, the yellow gil- 

 lyflower, the chîenopodium, graffes of various forts, 

 wild cherry-trees, garlands of bramble, ftripes of 

 mofs, and all the llvxatile plants, which, by their 

 flowers and their attitudes, form the moft agree- 

 able contrafts with the rocks, 



T ufed to flop formerly, with a high degree of 

 pleafure, in the garden of the Luxembourg, at 

 the extremity of the alley of the Carmelites, to 

 contemplate a piece of architecture which ftands 

 there, and had been originally intended to form a 

 fountain. On one fide of the pediment which 

 crowns it, is ftretched along an ancient River- 

 god, on whofe face time has imprinted wrinkles 

 inexpreffibly more venerable than thofe which 

 have been traced by the chifel of the Sculptor : it 

 has made on©; of the thighs to drop off, and 

 has planted a mapk tree in it's place. Of the 

 Na-kd who was oppofite, on the other fide of the 

 pediment, nought remains except the lower part 

 of the body. The head, the flioulders, the arms, 

 have all difappeared. The hands are ûill fupport- 

 ing an urn, out of which iffue, inftead of fluviatic 

 plants, fome of thofe which thrive in the dried 

 fituations, tufts of yellow gillyfiovvers, dandelions^ 

 and long fbeaves of faxatile graffes. 



A fine 



