JOHN EVELYN 107 



garden is a little theater, made to change with divers pretty 

 seanes, and the stage so ordered that with figures of men and 

 women paynted on light boards, and cut out, and, by a person 

 who stands underneath, made to act as if they were speaking, 

 by guiding them, and reciting words in diferent tones as the 

 parts require. 



Having seen the roomes we went to the Volary, which has Fontainebleau. 

 a cupola in the middle of it, greate trees and bushes, it being ^^^'^' ^' 



full of birds who drank at two fountaines. There is a faire 

 Tennis Court and noble Stables ; but the beauty of all are 

 the Gardens. In the Court of the Fountaines stand divers 

 antiquities and statues, especially a Mercury. In the Queenes 

 Garden is a Diana ejecting a fountaine, with numerous other 

 brasse statues. 



The Greate Garden, 180 toises long and 154 wide, has in 

 the centre a fountayne of Tyber of a Colossean figure of Brasse, 

 with the Wolfe over Romulus and Rhemus. At each corner 

 of the garden rises a fountaine. In the Garden of the Fish 

 Pond is a Hercules of white marble. Next is the Garden of 

 the Pines, and without that a Canale of an English mile in 

 length, at the end of which rise 3 jettos in the form of a fleur 

 de lys, of a great height; on the margin are excellent walkes 

 planted with trees. The carps come famiUarly to hand (to be fed). 



Hence they brought us to a spring, which they say being first 

 discover'd by a dog, gave occasion of beautifying this place both 

 with the Palace and Gardens. The rocks at some distance in 

 the Forest yeald one of the most august and stupendous prospects 

 imaginable. The Parke about this place is very large, and the 

 Towne is full of noblemen's houses. 



I went to see more exactly the roomes of the fine Palace of Luxemburge. 

 Luxemburge, in the Fauxbourg St Germains, built by Mary de ^^"^^ ^^^^^ ^• 

 Medices, and I think one of the most noble, entire, and finish'd 

 piles, that is to be seen, taking it with the garden and all its 

 accomplishments. 



