OBSERVATIONS ON THE PLEASURE GARDEN. 255 



" The description, by Moses, of the garden of Eden, the first abode 

 of first created man, formed the outlines which Milton has so 

 splendidly enriched with all the imagery of poetry. From this have 

 been copied the plantation, the park, and shrubbery, so justly the 

 pride of the nation, and so properly the abode of its beauty. The 

 Greeks devoted their terrestrial groves, as well as their celestial 

 gardens, to the gods ; but the Mahometans reserved their flowery 

 lawns and umbrageous bowers for scenes of future bliss to mortal 

 believers. We, however, more prudent, should wish to collect all 

 such blessings, which bounteous nature has scattered over the globe, 

 and in this present life form a modern garden worthy of the Hes- 

 perides, and deserving of, though not requiring, a dragon to guard it. 



" Some of the pleasure gardens of antiquity were created for and 

 devoted to the pleasure of the softer sex. Solomon has celebrated 

 those of Jerusalem in song, and the extraordinary gardens of Babylon 

 appear to have been formed by Nebuchadnezzar for his Median 

 queen, who, we are told, could not become reconciled to the flat and 

 naked appearance of the provinces of Babylon • but frequently 

 regretted each rising hill and scattered forest which she had formerly 

 delighted in, with all the charms they had presented to her youthful 

 imagination. The king to gratify his consort, within the precincts 

 of the city raised terraces and planted woods, in imitation of those 

 that diversified the face of his queen's native country. Thus we are 

 told originated those gardens, which, for their singularity and com- 

 parative extent, were considered one of the wonders of the world. 

 Their base covered four acres of land, and the height of them was so 

 considerable that they resembled, a pyramidal mountain covered by a 

 forest. The upper area, which was about thirty feet square, was 

 about 300 feel distant from the river Euphrates, that washed the base 

 of that stupendous superstructure. 



" This towering pleasure ground overlooked the whole city and 

 surrounding country as far as the eye could reach. Each terrace was 

 covered with earth and planted with trees, so as to form a series of 

 ascending groves; and every platform supported rural seats, foun- 

 tain?, and sumptuous banqueting rooms, on which all the splendour 

 and luxury of eastern magnificence were lavished." 



