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well-chosen they were to accomplish the desired ends. 

 The pomp of a magnificent court could conveniently 

 display itself in the broad and endless alleys among 

 the parterres, where the beauty of the flowers and 

 statues was only intended to bring into prominence the 

 charms of the ladies, where nature, submissive to man, 

 lent itself to every sort of theatrical fancy." 



The credit for all these marvellous works of art credit to the 



king. 



was given to the king. While Le Notre planned the 

 arrangement of the "bosquets and parterres," Le Brun 

 designed the fountains and statuary, and Francini en- 

 gineered the stupendous water-works, their ideas were 

 said to be the king's. In the words of a contemporary 

 poem : 



" Au roi de toute chose on doit 1'invention 

 De toutes les beauts de toutes les merveilles 

 Qui charment les esprits, les yeux et les oreilles." 



After making liberal allowances for poetical exaggera- 

 tion, the fact remains that without Louis' active interest 

 as well as his pecuniary assistance, such gardens could 

 never have come into existence. Everywhere it was 

 his delight to appear to do the impossible. The 

 triumphs of man over nature were strikingly evident. 

 Arid plains were diversified by a series of terraces, 

 parterres of flowers, and marble fountains ; wildernesses 

 of trees were pierced with avenues, irrigated by canals, 

 and divided into beautiful groves ornamented witli 



