CHAPTER IV. 



The Public Gardens and Parks of Paris. 



ARISj if not already the brightest and most beautiful of 

 all cities, is in a fair way to become such ; and the greatest 

 part of her beauty she owes to her gardens and trees. A 

 city of gardens and palaces indeed; but which is the most magnifi- 

 cent — the view up that splendid main avenue and garden stretching 

 from the heart of the city to the Arc de Triomphej or that of the 

 Tuileries or any other architectural feature of Paris ? What would 

 the magnificent new boulevards of white stone be .without the 

 softening and refreshing aid of those noble lines of well cared-for 

 trees that everywhere rise up around the buildings, helping them 

 somewhat as the grass does the buttercups ? The makers of Paris — 

 who deserve the thanks of the inhabitants of all the filthy cities of 

 the world for setting such an example — answer this question for us 

 by making parks and gardens in every direction, and by planting 

 such quantities of trees as no British planter would believe with- 

 out having walked some dozen miles in and around Paris ; and by 

 relieving in every possible direction man's work in stone with the 

 changeful and therefore ever-pleasing beauty of vegetable life. 



A great point is gained when the public gardening of a city is 

 not quite out of the way of its more busily occupied inhabitants; 

 when, instead of having to go a mile or two to see a public park or 

 garden, one can scarcely go out of doors without encountering 

 something green and pleasant to the eye ; and it is so to a great 

 extent in Paris, and will be much more so if improvements there 



