European and Japanese Gardens 



the climax of accomplishment under the famous gardener of 

 the Grand Monarque, who in his single practice summed up 

 all that was best in what preceded him. 



It is easy to see the influence that Italy had upon the early 

 development of agronomy in France, just as it is easy to trace 

 the growth of the other arts from Italian sources. Italian en- 

 lightenment preceded the French ; and in the same way that, 



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THE BASIN OF CERES 



VERSAILLES 



in the early centuries of the Christian Era, Gaul drew her in- 

 spiration from Rome, so later through the ages, France, while 

 always coloring with her own character what she appropriated 

 from her instructress, sat at the feet of Italy. This is true in a 

 measure of ail the arts, — but most distinctly so in gardening. 

 It would even be ditftcult in many instances to distinguish the 

 design of a French garden of the middle ages from an Italian 

 example of a similar period. And this for a twofold reason : — 



