FRENCH FASHIONS 223 



After all these general rules, the several sorts of 

 gardens in use are distinguished under three heads: 

 gardens on a perfect level, gardens on an easy ascent, 

 and gardens whose ground and level are separated and 

 interrupted by falls of terraces, slopes, banks, flights of 

 steps, etc. 



"Gardens on a perfect level are certainly the best as Onaievei. 

 well for convenience of walking as for that their long 

 Alleys and Glades having no risings nor fallings, are 

 less chargeable to keep than others. 



" Grounds on a gentle Ascent are not altogether Ascending, 

 agreeable and convenient; though the Shelving be im- 

 perceptible nevertheless it fatigues and tires one ex- 

 tremely to be always going up Hill or down Hill without 

 finding scarcely any resting place. These sloping 

 Grounds are also very liable to be spoiled by the Torrents 

 and require a constant Charge to maintain them. 



" Gardens in Terrasses have their peculiar Worth and Terraces. 

 Beauty, in that from the Height of one Terrass you 

 discover all the lower Part of the garden : and the com- 

 partiments of the other Terrasses, which form so many 

 several gardens one under another, and present you 

 with very agreeable Views and different Scenes of 

 Things provided the Terrasses are not too frequent and 

 there be good Lengths of Level between them. These 

 Gardens lie very advantageously also for Water, which 

 may be repeated from one to another, but they are a 



