22 THE DELIGHTS OF GARDENS 



what it is that has so agreeable an effect. Our 

 British gardeners, on the contrary, instead of humor- 

 ing nature, love to deviate from it as much as 

 possible. Our trees rise in cones, globes, and 

 pyramids. We see the marks of the scissors upon 

 every plant and bush. I do not know whether I 

 am singular in my opinion ; but for my own part, 

 I would rather look upon a tree in all its luxuriancy 

 and diffusion of boughs and branches, than when it 

 is thus cut and trimmed into a mathematical figure ; 

 and cannot but fancy, that an orchard in flower 

 looks infinitely more delightful than all the little 

 labyrinths of the most finished parterre. 



JOSEPH ADDISON. 



THE BOWER OF BLISS 



(From " The Faerie Qucene") 



THERE the most daintie paradise on ground 

 Itselfe doth offer to his sober eye, 

 In which all pleasures plenteously abownd, 

 And none does others happinesse envye ; 

 The painted flowres ; the trees upshooting hye ; 

 The dales for shade ; the hills for breathing space ; 

 The trembling groves ; the christall running by ; 

 And, that which all faire workes doth most aggrace, 

 The art, which all had wrought, appeared in no place. 



One would have thought (so cunningly the rude 

 And scorned parts were mingled with the fine) 

 That Nature had for wantonesse ensude 

 Art, and that Art at Nature did repine ; 



