30 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



sendinor his gardener (Rose) to France, in order to make 

 h'msclf thoroughly acquainted with all the beauties of that 

 Royal garden. 



The period of William and Mary's reign was remarkable 

 for no great deviation from this style, except perhaps in 

 substituting partially the Dutch formalities — such as iron 

 trellis-work, clipped yews, and a greater profusion of ver- 

 dant sculpture. Embroidered parterres and vegetable sculp- 

 ture are said indeed to have arrived at their highest 

 perfection in this period, or towards the year 1700 ; and 

 we may get a good notion of the subjects most in vogue, 

 by an extract from Pope's keen satire, written as late as 

 1713 (in the early part of Anne's reign), when it was be- 

 ginning to get into disrepute. 



Inventory of a Virtuoso Gardener. Adam and Eve 

 in yew ; Adam, a little shattered by the fall of the tree 

 of knowledge in the great storm ; Eve and the serpent, 

 very flourishing. Noah's ark in Holly ; the ribs a 

 little damaged for want of water. 



The tower of Babel, not yet finished. 



St. George, in box ; his arm scarce long enough, but will 

 be in a condition to stick the dragon by next April. 



Edward the Black Prince, in cypress. 



A pair of giants stunted, to be sold cheap. 



An old maid of honor, in wormwood. 



A topping Ben Jonson, in laurel. 



Divers eminent modern poets, in bays ; somewhat 

 blighted. 



A quick set hog, shot up into a porcupine, by being 

 forgot a week in rainy weather. 



A lavender pig, with sage growing in his belly. 



Whatever may have been the absurdities of the ancient 

 style, it is not to be denied that in connexion with highly 

 decorated architecture, its effect, when in the best taste — 

 as the Italian — is not only splendid and striking, but highly 

 suitable and appropriate. Sir Walter Scott, in an essay 



