Bois dc Boulogne. 5 



the beauties of nature and of gardening. We have no doubt, 

 however, that when the men become less miUtary, and have 

 directed their attention more intensely to agriculture ; and when 

 natural history shall have been more attended to in the edu- 

 cation of women, the society of ease and leisure in France w^ill 

 have similar habits and tastes with similar society in England : 

 for it ought never to be forgotten that man is essentially the 

 same animal, under whatever climate, government, or degree 

 of civilisation he may be found. 



The Garden of Sceaux is so numerously frequented, that 

 the mayor of the town thinks it necessary to publish annually 

 two sets of regulations ; one for the exterior, and the other 

 (before alluded to) for the interior, police of the ball. These 

 regulations are printed on large sheets of paper, and affixed 

 to different places, both within and without the gardens. In 

 a mixed society of persons of different ranks, and of different 

 degrees of education, and especially among a people naturally 

 so gay and fiery as the French, it is necessary that the re- 

 straints of civilisation should be clearly defined; in order 

 that the rules of etiquette for every occasion may be under- 

 stood by all, and promptly enforced by opinion, as well as 

 by authority. 



Sept. 28. — The Bois de Boulogne is a flat sandy surface, 

 intersected in all directions by straight roads, bordered with 

 trees. Even where the boundary of tlie wood had formed by 

 nature, or by accident, an irregular line, the surrounding 

 road has been reduced, by engineers, to lines recognised by 

 their profession. The greater part of the trees composing 

 this wood are of kinds indigenous to France, and are chiefly 

 oak, birch, and hazel, though art has added some species of 

 exotic trees in different places ; and among these are cedars, 

 different species of pines, and American oaks. The indige- 

 nous wood is chiefly undergrowth ; and there is a number 

 of open glades in it, which form the chief source of variety 

 to the spectator looking from the straight avenues^ To those 

 accustomed to compare, in their mind's eye, the effects of 

 winding roads and straight roads, the sameness of the Bois 

 de Boulogne is intolerably tiresome. In proceeding along a 

 winding road, the scenery meets the eye as you advance, and 

 is agreeably presented to you in succession, without the 

 trouble of turning the head to either the right or left to 

 look at it. In proceeding along a straight road, that road is 

 continually before you, and the scenery can be only observed, 

 not enjoyed, by turning the head to one side or the other. 

 It is by no means asserted that straight roads are entirely 

 destitute of beauty, independently of their furnishing, on an 



