GLEANINGS ON GARDENS. 99 



unites beauty and harmony. Towards the margin of 

 the stream, propped with uncommon care, and guarded 

 by a holy zeal from the ravages of time, still stands the 

 Weeping Willow, planted by the hand of * The Bard of 

 Twickenham.' From this a thousand slips are annually 

 transmitted to the most distant quarters of the globe, 

 and during the present year the Empress of Russia 

 has planted some in her own garden at St. Petersburg. 

 Underneath this tree a small band of instrumental 

 music is stationed during the summer, the melody of 

 which, by the intervention of the water, has a charm- 

 ing effect. The grotto, once so celebrated, is now only 

 remarkable by having been erected under the eye of 

 its classical composer. The dilapidations of time, and 

 pious thefts of travellers, who select the spars, ores, 

 and even the common flints as so many holy relics, have 

 brought it nearly to decay. It no longer forms a 

 * camera obscura,' nor does ' the thin alabaster lamp of 

 an orbicular form ' now ' irradiate the star of looking- 

 glass ' placed in the centre of it. Even ' the perpetual 

 rill that echoed through the garden night and day ' is 

 no longer in existence. The thirsty Naiads placed 

 round its basin, which still remain, pant for their 

 native element and lament their empty urns ! In two 

 adjoining apertures in the rock, a Ceres and a Bacchus, 

 an excellent bust of Pope, and some other figures are 

 placed, one of which has a cockle-shell in the fore part 



