from June 28. to August 16. 1840. 199 



in some parts, and in others it is a mere nursery of roses ; but 

 there is a private garden attached to the house of the Due de 

 Cazes, which is well stocked with flowers and very neatly kept. 

 The whole is under the direction of M. Hardy. The flower- 

 borders at Versailles were rich, but not so much so as those of 

 the Palais Royal, which were only equalled, as far as we could 

 observe, by those at Fontainebleau. The turf, where it is kept 

 watered, or where the soil is naturally somewhat moist, as in the 

 lower part of Versailles, the Trianon, the Palais Royal, and 

 the English garden at Fontainebleau, is close and green ; and, 

 were greater care shown in the selection of the grass seeds, and 

 the same attention paid to watering and mowing as at present, 

 the turf of France would equal that of England. Indeed this 

 may be said to be the case in the Palais Royal. We may here 

 observe that in the grounds of M. Vilmorin at Verrieres the 

 ^romus pratensis, sown by itself, is found to make an excellent 

 close turf, and to remain of a dark green in the hottest summer 

 months, and on a dry sandy soil. This is a fact of very great 

 value, and it is placed beyond all doubt by several acres of dry 

 sandy soil having been for some years entirely covered by this 

 grass at Barres, where M. Vilmorin raises his seeds. This 

 ought to be a valuable hint to rich proprietors in Australia. 



Villas. France does not excel in this description of country 

 residences as compared with England, nor will this be the case 

 till her manufacturers and merchants have enriched themselves 

 sufficiently to be able to spare or to sink a part of their capital 

 in matters of taste and luxury. Nevertheless there are a few 

 villas belonging to wealthy citizens, and from these we are 

 enabled to speak of the state of public taste. In general the 

 houses of such villas are plain rectangular masses, displaying 

 scarcely any architectural skill or taste. They are deficient in 

 porticoes, terraces, balconies ; and there is a general sameness in 

 the form and size of the windows. There is nothing; in the ex- 

 terior of the building to indicate that one room within is larger 

 or better furnished than another, which ought to be the case if 

 possible in every dwelling-house ; and more especially in those 

 built in the country, where the artist is never restrained for want 

 of room. The glaring white of these villas is objectionable in a 

 picturesque point of view, and is even hurtful to the eyes M^hen 

 we are near them ; but this, to those who feel it to be a fault, is 

 easily remedied. All the villas in the neighbourhood of Paris 

 are in the same style ; as far as we know there is not one which 

 displays any variety of Gothic, or any character, such as castle, 

 abbey, cottage, &c. There are indeed Swiss cottages in the 

 grounds of Baron Rothschild at Surrene, and Baron Delessert 

 at Passy, and one or two English cottages on the road to Sevres ; 

 but these are chiefly to be considered as ornaments of villas 



