56 THE MOONLIGHT LECTURE 



All this little ceremony takes place in a com- 

 paratively empty room, where there is space for 

 so large a number to circulate. The walls would 

 seem appropriate to gardeners, for round them is 

 a plaster-work frieze of bold Italian style, showing 

 garlands of vine-leaves, and hanging between are 

 represented handsome branches of grapes. The 

 ceiling itself has a narrow light pattern of slender 

 vine tendrils with baby leaves and recalls the 

 ornamentation often found in old Elizabethan 

 houses carried out at a time when Italian workmen 

 were much employed in England. Above the 

 fireplace, also in plaster-work, are the arms of the 

 Worshipful Company of Gardeners, who have 

 done me the honour of making me one of their 

 number. Here is seen the lithe, muscular figure of 

 Adam digging, but the artist has allowed himself 

 the pleasure of depicting a carpet of all kinds of 

 lovely flowers, such as fritillarias, lilies of the valley, 

 and Madonna lilies, so that apparently there are 

 no weeds in this earthly Paradise for Adam's 

 heart-shaped spade to demolish, and moreover all 

 these flowers appear to flourish together at the same 

 season of the year. Artists are allowed these 

 privileges, which even skilled gardeners could not 

 accomplish out of doors. 



Tea is essentially the gardeners' meal, and so 

 without further thought of our first ancestor the 

 smiling Eves of my garden adjourn to the Carnation 

 Parlour, where speedily the cutting of cakes is 

 followed by a noise of crackers, accompanied by 

 peals of laughter when burning paper aeroplanes 

 ascend, puffed at vigorously by the youngest guests. 



