FRENCH FASHIONS 229 



People and even impossible ; but chose rather to col- 

 lect Examples already executed in the Royal Gardens 

 and those of the greatest Reputation, which are inserted 

 in a particular Plate and expressly named; that they 

 who please may go and see them upon the spot for the 

 cure of their Incredulity, and for forming a Judgment of 

 their beautiful Execution. . . . 



" These Decorations in Green compose a kind of 

 Order of Field Architecture . . . most proper for great 

 Gardens where the conformity of the Hedges tires the 

 Sight unless relieved by these extraordinary Verdures. 



" This is what may be done agreeable to the Taste in 

 the matter of Hedges, and is at the same time the rich- 

 est and most distinguished in the whole Business of 

 Gardening. Heretofore they gave them a thousand 

 extravagant Forms, which are yet much in use in the 

 Gardens of Italy and Spain: some shaped out Men on 

 horse-back, Boars, Stags, Dogs; in short an entire 

 Hunting-piece. Others cut them into Pyramids, Obe- 

 lisks, Balls, and Scrolls; instances of which are to be 

 seen in some old Gardens about Paris. This practice 

 still continues in Holland and Flanders, where these 

 whimsical Designs are more in vogue than in any other 

 Country. And this particular taste prevails not only in porticoes, 

 their Hedges, but their Groves, Parterres, Fountains, and 

 other parts of their Gardens have a great deal of it. 

 The English and Swedes fall more into our manner 



