4 Notes and Reflections during a Tour : — 



of this description in Europe. It is essential to a festive gar- 

 den that the company should assemble together in masses ; 

 and, for containing these masses, it is not only requisite to form 

 appropriate spaces, but to connect these with subordinate and 

 not far distant arrangements, in the same way as the living- 

 rooms of a house are connected with its different servants' 

 apartments and offices. For such requisites the architectural 

 style is peculiarly fitted ; both from its determinate forms, and 

 its direct, compressing, and systematic disposition of those 

 forms. The natural style, on the other hand, depends for its 

 effect on qualities the very opposite : on circuitousness, " the 

 path that still begins and never ends ; " indefiniteness, — 



" He gains all points, who pleasingly confounds. 

 Surprises, varies, and conceals the bounds ; " 



the concealment of art, and its employment, not for its own 

 display, but for the imitation of nature. Trying the garden 

 of Sceaux by these principles, it will be found judiciously 

 adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, and there- 

 fore it may be considered as perfect of its kind. 



This garden is used by all ranks in and about Paris. Who- 

 ever is decently dressed is admitted to the grounds ; and who- 

 ever can pay a few sous for the music may dance in the 

 pavilion. We have been informed by residents in the neigh- 

 bourhood, of whom there are several whose gardens we shall 

 have occasion to describe, that it is no uncommon thing to 

 see an equipage of the first class arrive with a mother and her 

 family, who descend and walk to the pavilion, and, after 

 dancing there a few quadrilles with whatever citizens they 

 may meet, go back to their carriage again, and drive off. In 

 this case, the exercise of dancing is obviously taken as a re- 

 creation or refreshment ; just as the ladies of an English 

 family of rank would drive to the door of Kensington Gar- 

 dens, alight, walk round the gardens, return to their carriage, 

 and drive home again. In fact, dancing in France is as much 

 a necessary of life as walking in England ; and, among the 

 highest classes, it is substituted for that exercise. Indeed the 

 French, though fond of flowers and fruits, are not fond of 

 gardening ; and a lady of fashion, whether in Paris or at her 

 country seat, is never seen walking in what, in England, would 

 be called the pleasure-ground. Both men and women, as we 

 have already observed (Vol. V. p. 64-2.), when they wish to 

 take exercise in their own grounds, resort to the balancoire, 

 or the cheval de hois ; in short, to swings, see-saws, and round- 

 abouts. Much as we admire the French, we cannot approve 

 of this want of taste for rural recreations, and, especially, for 



