66 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



them down, they came into a place cunningly set with trees of the 

 most taste-pleasing fruits ; but scarcely they had taken that into 

 their consideration, but that they were suddenly stept into a 

 delicate Green ; of each side of the Green a Thicket, and behind 

 the Thickets again new Beds of Flowers, which being under the 

 Trees, the Trees were to them a Pavilion, and they to the Trees 

 a Mosaical floor ; so that it seemed that Art therein would needs 

 be delightful, by counterfeiting his enemy Error, and making order 

 in confusion. 



In the midst of all the place was a fair Pond, whose shaking 

 Crystal was a perfect Mirror to all the other beauties, so that it 

 bare shew of two Gardens ; one indeed, the other in shadows ; 

 and in one of the Thickets was a fine Fountain made thus : a 

 naked Venus of white Marble, wherein the Graver had used such 

 cunning, that the natural blue veins of the Marble were framed in 

 fit places, to set forth the beautiful veins of her body. At her 

 breast she had her Babe JEneas, who seemed (having begun to 

 suck) to leave that, to look upon her fair Eyes, which smiled at 

 the Babe's folly, meanwhile the breast running. Hard by was 

 a house of Pleasure, built for a Summer retiring-place ; whither 

 Kalander leading him, he found a square room full of delightful 

 Pictures, made by the most excellent Workmen of Greece. 



So Gynecia herself, bringing me to my Lodging, anon after I 

 was invited and brought down to sup with them in the Garden, a 

 place not fairer in natural ornaments than artificial inventions ; 

 where, in a Banquetting house, among certain pleasant Trees, 

 whose heads seemed curled with the wrappings about of Vine- 

 branches, the Table was set near to an excellent Water-work; 

 for, by the Casting of the Water in most cunning manner, it 

 makes (with the shining of the Sun upon it) a perfect Rain-bow, 

 not more pleasant to the Eye than to the Minde, so sensible to 

 see the proof of the Heavenly Iris. There were Birds also made 

 so finely, that they did not only deceive the sight with their figure, 

 but the hearing with their Songs, which the watry Instruments did 



