GREECE 



The Big Palace and Royal Gardens^ 

 Athens 



\ THENS, both in its ancient and modern 

 *- * aspects, is a city of white marble bathed 

 in yellow sunlight and splashed with shadows 

 of indigo blue. And so long time as the sun 

 retains his kinder aspect, the streets of the city 

 are full of genial exhilaration ; but when he 

 grows in strength he grows in tyranny, and his 

 mortal victims are soon gasping under his cruel 

 smile. Then there opens before them a para- 

 dise, vast, cool and lovely, having been created 

 of the loving enthusiasm of a dead and almost 

 forgotten queen, Amelie of Oldenburg, and, as 

 gardens arc wont to do, this one has grown 

 apace and grown in grace since first its maker 

 conceived the idea of thus enclosing a great 



T 145 



