Chap. XIV.] THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES. 203 



haye been more than a year or two in the open air are half-covered 

 with a dirty blackish mould-like lichen, which adheres to them 

 as closely as if it were part of the marble itself. The result is 

 grotesque in nearly every garden where statues or busts are 

 seen ; the expression is distorted, or the form defaced, from half 

 its surface being obscured by an offensive blackish lichen. If 

 this would only grow equally over the whole surface, the statues 

 might be mistaken for those of a dasky race, but it persists in 

 growing in great flakes, now throwing black patches over Apollo, 

 and now bestowing on Psyche a discoloured nose. These facts 

 being considered, it will probably be admitted that marble 

 statues are best under cover ; and that, in any case, a garden is 

 not the place for them. Another error worth noting is that of 

 placing large groups of sculpture in central positions. In this 

 case, all objections urged against statues hold good ; but here 

 they are more offensive, inasmuch as they occupy the best positions, 

 and frequently destroy the precious quality known as " repose " 

 in landscape-gardening. 



Vases of fine design seem as profuse at Versailles as if the gold 

 and marble had been dug up on the spot, but, good in conception 

 and execution as many of them are, they are open to the same 

 objections as the statues ; though, generally, when well designed 

 and properly placed they have a more legitimate use in the 

 garden. But if such vases as these do not, when too numerous 

 and unrelieved, fail to weary us, what chance can the wretched 

 vases, now so profusely scattered over our gardens, have of 

 satisfying ? In the group illustrated the artist has graced the 

 statuary with a few garlands of Ivy, and other shrubs — a liberty 

 which is never permitted in this garden. All who wish to 

 preserve a little quiet grace in their gardens, would do well to be 

 on their guard against the mistaken use of vases now made in 

 country-seats by certain " fashionable " landscape-gardeners. 

 Vases of terra-cotta and artificial stone, often of poor design, are 

 dotted about so thickly in situations unfitted for them as to 

 destroy all repose and good effect. There are many beautiful 

 gardens in which not one vase is seen, and many extensive ones 

 in .which half-a-dozen would suffice. W here the naAam of the 

 gro und necessitates a terrace o r a jraJljjtheJ[mes_ofihese j,re 

 for being broken by the graceful for ms of vases . It is even then 



