GOETHE 213 



extraordinary sensations; the middle part was merely planted 

 with the lesser fruits, and dwarf trees, but on the opening of the 

 door, the lofty trees of a fine grove appeared immediately over 

 the opposite wall; the trees are still there, they are more dis- 

 tinctly and openly seen, but the striking impression is gone. 

 Essay on the Picturesque, 1794. 



TN the public garden at Palermo, adjoining the road, I peacefully GOETHE 



* passed the most pleasurable hours. It is the most marvellous (1749-1832). 



spot in the world. Though laid out in regular order, it is like 



fairy-land ; planted no great time since, it sets us down amidst 



antiquity. Green parterres embrace foreign shrubs, lemon-espaliers 



arch themselves into comely leaf-shaded walks, lofty walls of 



oleander, gemmed with a thousand red clove-like blossoms, arrest 



the eye. Foreign trees entirely unknown to me, still leafless, 



probably from warmer climes, spread forth curious branches. A 



bench raised behind the level ground brings into view vegetation 



so wonderfully interwoven, and guides the gaze at last to great 



basins, wherein gold and silver fish dart fascinatingly about, now 



hiding under mossy reeds, now assembling again in shoals, lured 



by a bit of bread. Everywhere upon the plants appears a green 



that we are not used to see, now yellower, now bluer than with 



us. But that which threw over the whole the rarest grace was a 



hazy vapour, pervading everything uniformly with so striking 



effect, that objects but a few steps' distance behind one another, 



stood forth by a distinct shade of light blue from each other, so 



that their own colour was finally lost, or at least presented itself 



to the eye through a blue medium. Italian Journey, (Sicily 



ADVANTAGES OF DILETTANTISM IN THE GARDEN-ART. 



Ideal in the Real. 



Striving after form in formless masses. 



1 See Lewes's * Life of Goethe,' for a charming description of his Card en- 

 House at Weimar. 



