GARDENS OF THE ANCIENTS 



The next gardens we read of, are those of Solomon's 

 Solomon, planted with all sorts of fruit-trees, S ardens 

 and watered with fountains; and though we 

 have no more particular description of them, 

 yet we may find, they were the places where he 

 passed the times of his leisure and delight, 

 where the houses as well as grounds were a- 

 dorned with all that could be of pleasing and 

 elegant, and were the retreats and entertain- 

 ments of those among his wives that he loved 

 the best; and 'tis not improbable, that the para- 

 dises mentioned by Strabo, were planted by 

 this great and wisest king. But the idea of the 

 garden must be very great, if it answers at all 

 to that of the gardener, who must have employ- 

 ed a great deal of his care and his study, as well 

 as of his leisure and thought in these entertain- 

 ments, since he writ of all plants, from the cedar 

 to the shrub. 



What the gardens of the Hesperides were, 

 we have little or no account, further than the 

 mention of them, and thereby the testimony 

 of their having been in use and request, in 

 such remoteness of place, and antiquity of 

 time. 



ThegardenofAlcinouSjdescribedbyHomer, 

 87 



