ii2 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



foote distances ; the banqueting house of cedar, where the couch 

 and seates were carv'd a 1'antique. 



Wilton. In the afternoon we went to Wilton. . . . The Garden, hereto- 



1654, /#/ 20 - fore esteemed the noblest in England, is a large handsom plaine, 

 with a grotto and water-works, which might be made much more 

 pleasant were the river that passes through cleans'd and rais'd, for 

 all is effected by a meere force. It has a flower garden not in- 

 elegant. But after all, that which renders the seate delightful is 

 its being so neere the downes and noble plaines about the country 

 contiguous to it. The stables are well order'd and yield a gracefull 

 front, by reason of the walkes of lime-trees, with the court and 

 fountaine of the stables adorn'd with the Caesar's heads. 



Audley End. The gardens are not in order, tho' well inclos'd. It has also 

 a bowling-alley a noble well wall'd, wooded, and water'd park, full 

 of fine collines and ponds ; the river glides before the palace, to 

 which is an avenue of lime trees, but all this is much diminish'd 

 by its being placed in an obscure bottome. 



1655, Aug. 22. I went to Box-hill to see those rare natural bowers, cabinets, 

 and shady walkes in the box copses : hence we walk'd to 

 Mickleham, and saw Sir F. Stidolph's seate environ'd with 

 elme trees and walnuts innumerable, and of which last he told 

 us they receiv'd a considerable revenue. Here are such goodly 

 walkes and hills shaded with yew and box as render the place 

 extreamely agreeable, it seeming from these ever-greens to be 

 summer all the winter. 



Hampton The Park formerly a flat naked piece of ground, now planted 



Court. with sweete rows of lime trees ; and the canall for water now 



1662, Tune 9. , 



neere perfected; also the hare parke. In the garden is a rich 



and noble fountaine, with syrens, statues, etc., cast in copper 

 by Fanelli, but no plenty of water. The cradle-walk of home 

 beame in the garden is, for the perplexed twining of the trees, 

 very observable. There is a parterre which they call Paradise, 

 in which is a pretty banquetting-house set over a cave or cellar. 

 All these gardens might be exceedingly improved, as being too 

 narrow for such a palace. 



