BERNARD PALISSY 47 



mountain or highland, with a view to take some spring of water 

 from the said land, to make it course at my pleasure through all 

 the parts of my garden. 



Question. — Tell me, then, how you propose to adorn your 

 garden, after you have bought the ground. 



Answer. — In the first place, I shall mark out the square of 

 my garden, of such length and breadth as I shall hold to be 

 requisite, and I shall form the said square in some plain which 

 may be encompassed by mountains, burrows or rocks, towards 

 the side of the North wind and of the West wind, in order 

 that the said mountains, burrows or rocks may serve me for 

 the purposes which I shall presently tell you. I shall be 

 careful, too, to place my garden near some spring of water 

 issuing from the said rocks, and coming from high ground, 

 and, this done, I shall make my said square , but, wherever 

 it may be, I mean to set up my garden in a place where there 

 may be a meadow beyond, to issue sometimes from the garden 

 into the meadow ; and this for the reasons which shall be 

 presently given. And having thus established the situation of 

 the garden, I shall next proceed to divide it into four equal 

 parts; and, for the separation of the said parts, there will be 

 a long alley, which shall cross the said garden, and at the 

 four ends of the said cross- way there will be at each end an 

 arbour {cabinet), and in the middle of the garden and cross- 

 way there will be an amphitheatre such as I shall presently 

 describe to you. At each of the four corners of the said 

 garden there will be an arbour, making eight arbours in all 

 and one amphitheatre, which will be set up in the garden ; 

 but you must understand that all the eight arbours will 

 be differently filled, and of such invention as has never 

 yet been seen or heard tell of. That is why I mean to 

 found my garden upon the Psalm civ., the one wherein 

 the prophet describes the excellent and wonderful works 

 of God, and in their contemplation he humbles himself 

 before Him, and bids his friend to praise the Lord in all 

 His wonders. 



