GIBBON 205 



twelve feet square, I command a boundless prospect of vale, 

 mountain, and water from my three windows. ... A Terrace, 

 one hundred yards long, extends beyond the front of the House, 

 and leads to a close impenetrable shrubbery ; and from thence 

 the circuit of a long and various walk carries me round a 

 meadow and vineyard. The intervals afford abundant supply 

 of fruit, and every sort of vegetables ; and if you add, that this 

 villa (which has been much ornamented by my friend) touches 

 the best and most sociable part of the town, you will agree with 

 me, that few persons, either princes or philosophers, enjoy a 

 more desirable residence. 



Deyverdun, who is proud of his own works, often walks me 

 round, pointing out with knowledge and enthusiasm, the beauties 

 that change with every step and with every variation of light. I 

 share, or at least I sympathise, with his pleasure — he appears 

 content with my progress, and has already told several people, 

 that he does not despair of making me a Gardener." . . , {To his 

 step-mother — Lausa?tfte, 1784). 



. . . The glories of the landskip I have always enjoyed ; but 

 Deyverdun has almost given me a taste for minute observation, 

 and I can dwell with pleasure on the shape and colour of the 

 leaves, the various hues of the blossoms, and successive progress 

 of vegetation. These pleasures are not without cares ; and there 

 is a white Acacia just under the windows of my library, which 

 in my opinion was too closely pruned last Autumn, and whose 

 recovery is the daily subject of anxiety and conversation ! My 

 romantic wishes led sometimes to an idea which was impractic- 

 able in England, the possession of an house and garden, which 

 should unite the society of town with the beauties and freedom 

 of the country. That idea is now realised in a degree of per- 

 fection to which I never aspired, and if I could convey in words 

 a just picture of my library, apartments, terrace, wilderness, vine- 

 yard, with the prospect of land and water, terminated by the 

 mountains ; and this position at the gate of a populous and 

 lively town where I have some friends and many acquaintance, 

 you would envy or rather applaud the singular propriety of my 



