198 



Gardening Visit to Paris, 



Fig. 24. 



Summit of the Obelisk 

 of Luxor. 



fountain in the centre of the Place de la 

 Bibliotheque appeared to us in better 

 taste, though not so abundantly supplied 

 with water. There are five or six noble 

 fountains now erecting in the Champs 

 E'lysees ; and, as these and all the others 

 have an unlimited supply of water from 

 the Canal de I'Ourc and the Canal St. 

 Martin, they will form perpetual orna- 

 ments of the greatest beauty, and pecu- 

 liarly refreshing to the sight during the 

 hot weather of the summer months. The 

 Place de la Concorde is surrounded by 

 columns of iron, fluted, bronzed, and gilt, 

 for the purpose of supporting lamps ; but 

 these lamps are supported not on the 

 summit of the columns, which common 

 sense would dictate, but on rostra pro- 

 jecting from the columns about half-way up the shaft. The 

 columns therefore support the lamps by accident, or at all 

 events as secondary objects, and not as principals as we think 

 they ought to do. These columns, in short, are much too large 

 in diameter and height for the situation they occupy, and by 

 comparison greatly diminish, in our opinion, the efi^ect of the 

 obelisk, the fountains, and the groups of statues representing 

 the principal cities of France, the Chevaux de Marly, &c-, which 

 form ornaments to this very interesting Place. 



The Public Gardens of Paris, such as those of the Tuileries, 

 the Luxembourg, the Palais Royal, &c., are on the whole better 

 kept up than they were in 1828. The best-kept public garden 

 in Paris appeared to us to be that of the Palais Royal. The 

 beds were richly stocked with flowers regularly placed, each 

 plant forming a large mass, and kept quite distinct, though nearly 

 touching the adjoining plant. The width of the bed admits only 

 of two rows, and there are always two plants of the same kind 

 placed opposite each other. The number of kinds of plants 

 employed is, perhaps, not above a dozen, but they are finely 

 grown, and produce a most brilliant efl'ect. All defects are 

 instantly supplied from the king's garden at Monceau, which, 

 with that of the Palais Royal, is under the direction of M. 

 Schone, a native of Saxony, a most excellent gardener, and a 

 man of a thoroughly independent character ; he reminded us of 

 our worthy friend, Mr. Anderson, of the Chelsea Garden. But 

 a very moderate sum, we understand, is allowed for keeping up 

 these gardens, and this perhaps may account for the meagre 

 state of the borders in those of the Tuileries. The public part 

 of the Garden of the Luxembourg is undergoing great changes 



