Versailles. — St. Cloud. 287 



of the vast collection which adorned the walls of this im- 

 mense building, and though we scarcely could be said to 

 have fairly inspected a single painting, we found that the 

 afternoon had worn away, and only a short period remained 

 to see the gardens and grounds. But in this we were to be 

 disappointed. We had only commenced our walk upon the 

 lawn, and proceeded a short distance, when a threatening 

 shower induced us to retrace our steps, and we reached the 

 hotel just in time to save us from a drenching rain. To us 

 this was a source of great disappointment ; as Versailles 

 affords the best specimen of the style of gardening of Louis 

 the XIV. Another day we had not at our command to make 

 up this loss. 



The palace, which consists of one central pile and two 

 wings, is entered from the town by the Place d'Armes, about 

 eight hundred feet broad. The court is three hundred and 

 fifty feet wide, with eight marble statues on each side, and 

 in the centre of the upper part, a collossal equestrian statue 

 of Louis XIV. On the west front is a large basin, with stat- 

 ues and fountains, and on the south front is the Parterre du 

 Midi, which contains two circular basins of white marble, 

 surrounded with grass, and on which are box and yew trees 

 clipped in the form of pyramids from the ground. Beyond 

 this is the Orangerie, which contains in winter a great collec- 

 tion of trees, one of which is now upwards of four hundred 

 years old, — has flourished under twelve reigns, — and yet ap- 

 pears in good vigor. 



The kitchen gardens at Versailles occupy twelve acres, and 

 are mostly remarkable for the number of the pear trees, which 

 are planted on the borders of all the walks, trained en pyra- 

 mid, and produce good crops. The pine apple is cultivated 

 to a great extent, and there is one house devoted to the 

 banana. The whole is well kept, and we can only again re- 

 peat our regret at being deprived of a full inspection of the 

 whole grounds. 



St. Cloud. — St. Cloud is about six miles from Paris, and is 

 accessible from either of the rail-roads from either bank of the 

 Seine. The gardens were laid out by Le Notre, and the Park 

 is about four leagues in circumference. At this time it was 

 occupied for the grand fete which takes place on the 7th of 



