|N closing these brief notes descriptive of the 

 gardens of Italy, the writer would like to 

 add, with a view of tempering criticism, 

 that they should be taken purely as supplementary 

 to the illustrations. It has not been the purpose to 

 make a treatise on landscape-gardening, but a simple 

 attempt to show some of the most salient of the 

 existing features of the formal garden as they may 

 be seen to-day in Italy. Doubtless some of the villas 

 are worthy of greater study than has been given 

 them, and some which have been left out altogether 

 might have claim to a place here ; but it is thought 

 that those considered are sufficient to give a compre- 

 hensive idea of the methods of the Italian in the 

 treatment of the garden. With the general interest 

 that undoubtedly exists in the subject of gardening 

 to-day, it is hoped that this work may be of value 

 towards a more thorough understanding and appre- 

 ciation of the reasons which led to a formal treat- 



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