8 THE BOOK OF TOPIARY 



of the Portico as opening on to a sort of Terrace 

 " embellished with various figures, and bounded with 

 a Box Hedge, from which you descend by an easy 

 slope, adorned with the representation of divers animals 

 in Box, answering alternately to each other: this is 

 surrounded by a walk enclosed with tonsile evergreens, 

 shaped into a variety of forms. Behind it is the 

 Gestatio, laid out in the form of a Circus, ornamented 

 in the middle with Box, cut into numberless different 

 figures, together with a plantation of shrubs prevented 

 by the shears from running too high : the whole is fenced 

 in by a Wall, covered with Box, rising in different 

 ranges to the top." After dealing with trees, roses, 

 etc., he continues : " Having passed through these 

 winding alleys, you enter a straight walk, which breaks 

 out into a variety of others divided off by Box hedges. 

 In one place you have a little meadow ; in another the 

 Box is cut into a thousand different forms ; sometimes 

 into letters expressing the name of the master; some- 

 times that of the artificer ; whilst here and there little 

 Obelisks rise intermixed alternately with fruit trees, 

 when on a sudden you are surprised with an imitation 

 of the negligent beauties of rural Nature, in the centre 

 of which lies a spot surrounded with a knot of dwarf 

 Plane Trees." 



It must not, however, be assumed that the Romans 

 were entirely without appreciation of natural beauty and 

 scenery. Far from it. But they loved lavish displays 

 of art, and this also led them to use the gardens im- 

 mediately surrounding their dwellings as a gallery in 

 which to. arrange their collections of sculptured trees. 

 Roman poets and philosophers alike have left in their 

 writings ample evidence that the beauties of nature 

 were greatly admired by their countrymen, but at that 

 period, when Rome was the mistress of the world, 

 Italy was well supplied with natural sylvan scenery, and 



