160 THE PRAISE OF GARDENS 



the centre of the Lake, supporting a conical-shaped hill, cut on 

 four sides, covered with thirty-six terraces, one over the other, 

 nine on each side, and one of these sides covered with buildings. 

 Each of these terraces is hung with palisades of jessamine, orange 

 trees, or pomegranates, with pots of flowers placed on the ledge. 



At the top of the hill is an equestrian figure, which forms a 

 fountain, although we saw no water come from it, and there are 

 also four statues on the angles. We have in France artificial and 

 natural beauties better than this, but I have seen none more 

 singular and curious than this isle, which resembles a palace in a 

 fairy tale. 



I would advise you, my dear Quinton, if you intend having a 

 pleasant time in Rome, to take this house; you will have also 

 the advantage of living within a stone's throw of Ludovisi Gardens. 

 We go there every evening ; they were Sallust's gardens in the 

 olden times. They are worth describing, and I shall make 

 honourable mention of them in the life of my old friend which I 

 am now engaged in writing. One has not to go outside of Rome 

 to enter these Gardens ; they are the largest in the town, the best 

 kept, and, being near to the most populous part of the City are 

 much frequented. They contain numerous alleys, orange groves, 

 and cypress copses, fountains, statues, vases and obelisk found in 

 situ quo (which obelisk was formerly in Sallust's garden), and 

 two little villas, not much in themselves, but full of treasures. 

 These gardens although they might be better kept, have a 

 delightful rural look about them. You must not expect to find 

 gardens here like those of the Tuileries, nor arranged like those 

 of the Palais Royal little as the latter are to compare to the 

 former. We have greatly surpassed the Italians in our gardens, 

 although we owe ours to them. To compare gardens to buildings, 

 those of the Tuileries are as superior to others as is St Peter's to 

 other churches that is to say, that none can be compared with 

 them on the same scale. After all, the Italians follow their own 

 taste, and adapt their gardens to their climate. They wish to 

 have green trees all the year round, grass in their walks instead of 



