1 32 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



gardens are irregular, but that, I think, adds to their beauty, for 

 every walk affords variety ; the hedges, grottos, statues, mounts, 

 and canals, are so many surprising beauties. 



Durdans. There are several very good seats in and about Epsom. That 

 of Lord Guildford, called Durdans, at the extremity of the village, 

 was built by the Earl of Barclay out of the materials of Nonsuch, 

 a royal palace in this neighbourhood, built by Henry VIII., and 

 given by King Charles II. to the Duchess of Cleveland, who 

 pulled it down and sold the materials. This house of Durdans is 

 built a-la-moderne of free-stone ; the front to the garden, and that 

 to the Downs, are very noble ; the apartments within are also very 

 regular, and in the garden is the most charming grove imaginable; 

 famous for that scene of love between Lord Grey and his lady's 

 sister, which you have read of. 



Cannons. The parterre fronting the west is separated from the great 

 avenue, and the great court leading to the great staircase by 

 balustrades of iron, as it is also from the gardens on the other 

 side. There is a large terrace walk, from whence you descend to 

 the parterre ; this parterre hath a row of gilded vases on pedestals 

 on each side down to the great canal, and in the middle fronting 

 the canal, is a gladiator, gilded also ; through the whole parterre, 

 abundance of statues as big as the life, are regularly disposed. 

 The canal runs a great way, and indeed one would wonder 

 to see such a vast quantity of water in a country where are 

 neither rivers or springs; but they tell me that the Duke 

 hath his water in pipes from the mountains of Stanmore, about 

 two miles off. The gardens are very large and well disposed; 

 but the greatest pleasure of all is that the divisions of the 

 whole, being only made by balustrades of iron and not by 

 walls, you see the whole at once, be you in what part of the 

 garden or parterre you will. A Journey through England and 

 Scotland in 1714. 



