ROUSSEAU 163 



with this orchard the less, the fruit crop is larger than 

 before. 



If you think how charming it is, sometimes deep in the wood, 

 to see wild fruit and even to refresh yourself with it, you will 

 understand the pleasure it gives to find in this artificial desert 

 excellent and ripe fruit, although thinly sown and of bad com- 

 plexion, but which, for all that, affords the pleasure of search and 

 choice. 



All these little paths were confined and crossed by a limpid 

 and clear stream, sometimes circling amid the grass and flowers 

 in almost imperceptible threads, now in larger streams flowing 

 over a pure mosaic of gravel, which made the water more trans- 

 parent. 



I can imagine, said I to them, a rich man from Paris or 

 London, master of this house, bringing with him an expensive 

 architect to spoil Nature. With what disdain would he enter 

 this simple and mean place ! With what contempt would he 

 have all these weeds up-rooted ! What fine avenues he would 

 open out ! what beautiful alleys he would have pierced ! what 

 fine goose-feet, what fine trees like parasols and fans ! what 

 finely fretted trellises ! what beautifully drawn yew-hedges, finely 

 squared and rounded ! what fine bowling-greens of fine English 

 turf, rounded, squared, sloped, ovaled : what fine yews carved 

 into dragons, pagodas, marmosets, every kind of monster! 

 With what fine bronze vases, what fine stone-fruits he would 

 adorn his garden ! l 



When all that is carried out, said M. de Wolmar, he will have 

 made a very fine place, which one will scarcely enter, and will 

 always be anxious to leave to seek the country : a dismal spot, 

 where no one will walk, but through which one will pass to go 

 for a walk ; whereas in my country strolls I am often eager to 

 return, that I may come and walk here. 



1 I am convinced the time is at hand, when we shall no longer have in 

 gardens anything that is found in the country ; we shall tolerate neither 

 plants nor shrubs ; we shall only like porcelain flowers, baboons, arbour- 

 work, sand of all colours, and fine vases full of nothing. 



