ON GARDENS 209 



rare grotto of shell-worke, in the shape of satyres and 

 other wild fancys : in the middle stands a marble table, 

 on which a fountaine plays in forms of glasses, cupps, 

 crosses, fanns, crownes, Sec. Then the fountaineere 

 represented a showre of raine from the topp, mett by 

 small jetts from below. At going out two extravagant 

 musqueteeres shot us with a streme of water from their 

 musket barrells. Before this grotto is a long poole 

 into which ran divers spouts of water from leaden 

 escallop bassins. The viewing this paradise made us 

 late at St. Germains. 



The first building of this palace is of Cha. V. called 

 the Sage ; but Francis I. (that true virtuoso) made it 

 compleate, speaking as to the style of magnificence then 

 in fashion, which was with too greate a mixture of the 

 Gotic, as may be seen in what there is remaining of 

 his in the old Castle, an irregular peece as built on the 

 old foundation, and having a moate about it. It has yet 

 some spacious & handsome roomes of state, & a chapell 

 neately paynted. The new Castle is at some distance, 

 divided from this by a court, of a lower, but more 

 modern designe, built by Hen. IV. To this belong 

 6 tarraces built of brick & stone, descending in cascads 

 towards the river, cut out of the naturall hill, having 

 under them goodly vaulted galleries ; of these, 4 have 



