THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



CHAPTER I 



ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, HEBREW, PERSIAN, SYRIAN, GREEK AND 

 ROMAN GARDENS 



C HE led me, hand in hand, and we went into her garden to EGYPTIAN 



^ converse together. 



There she made me taste of excellent honey. 



The rushes of the garden were verdant, and all its bushes flourishing. 



There were currant trees and cherries redder than the ruby. 1 



The ripe peaches 2 of the garden resembled bronze, 



and the groves had the lustre of the stone nashem? 



The menni^ unshelled like cocoa-nuts they brought to us, 



its shade was fresh and airy, and soft for the repose of love ; 



{ Come to me,' she called unto me, 



' and enjoy thyself a day in the room of 



a young girl who belongs to me, 



the garden is to-day in its glory ; 



there is a terrace and a parlour.' 



' The Tale of the Garden of Flowers' translated by M. 

 Francois Chabas (^ Records of the Past j Egyptian Texts]. 



Gardens are frequently represented in the tombs of Thebes 

 and other parts of Egypt, many of which are remarkable for 

 their extent. The one here introduced is shown to have been 

 surrounded by an embattled wall, with a canal of water passing 

 in front of it, connected with the river. Between the canal and 

 the wall, and parallel to them both, was a shady avenue of various 

 trees ; and about the centre was the entrance, through a lofty door 



1 Fruits termed Kaion and Tipazt, which probably had nothing in common 

 with cherries and currants except their colour. 



2 The Persea fruit, a species of sacred almond. 



3 Green felspar, or Amazon stone. 4 An unknown fruit. 



A 



