pond, the home of many wild-fowl, that is on a higher level, outside the 

 grounds and beyond one of the roads that bounds them. A stream from 

 the pond meanders through the wooded ground, and is conducted by a 

 culvert to the large pool ; the overflow passing out on the opposite side 

 in the same way. 



Important in the garden's decoration are the unusual number of lead 

 statues and other accessories, of excellent design. The upper lawn has 

 two kneeling figures of negro or Indian type, bearing on their heads, 

 partly supported by their hands, circular tables with moulded edges that 

 carry an urn-finial. The central ornament of the next level is the Flying 

 Mercury, after John of Bologna. Referring to this example, Messrs. 

 Blomfield and Inigo Thomas tell us in " The Formal Garden in 

 England " that " lead statues very easily lose their centre of gravity." 

 This is exemplified by the Mercury at Melbourne, which has already 

 come over to a degree which makes its evident want of balance 

 distressing to the eye of the beholder, and forebodes its eventual 

 downfall. 



Lead as a material for such use in gardens is much more suitable 

 to the English climate than marble. It acquires a beautiful silvery 

 colouring with age, whereas marble becomes disfigured with blackish 

 weather-streaks. During the eighteenth century the art of lead casting 

 came to great perfection in England. Some good models came from 

 Italy ; the original of the kneeling slave at Melbourne is considered 

 to have come from there. Others were brought from France. The 

 inspiration, if not the actual designs or moulds, of the many charming 

 figures of amorini in these gardens must have been purely French. The 

 pictures show how they were used. They stand on pedestals at several 

 of the points of departure of the green glades. In fountain basins they 

 form jets ; the little figure appearing to blow the water through a 

 conch-shell. They are also shown, sometimes singly, sometimes in 

 pairs, disputing, wrestling or carrying a cornucopia of flowers. One 

 little fellow, alone on his pedestal, is whittling his bow with a tool like a 

 wheelwright's draw-knife. All are charming and graceful. They are 

 probably more beautiful now than of old, when they were painted and 

 sanded to look like stone. 



