62 



HISTORY OF GARDENING. 



Taut I. 



in the woods, are still recollected by some of the oldest inhabitants of Warsaw, and spoken of with feelings 

 of regret. The grounds were not extensive, nor, excepting near the palace, much ornamented : tliey con- 

 sisted of a number of broad green alleys, crossing each ot'ier at right angles ; of smaller covered paths, 

 leading to open circles of turf for dances and music, and for tents and booths on extraordinary occasions. 

 In several places coffee-rooms and ice-cellars were established, and still remain ; and there are two pavilions 

 for the king's mistresses ; and another, which served as a seraglio, for strangers or visitors of the king : the 

 three being connected with the palace by arbor-like paths, or arcades of trellis work, covered by creepers. 



25 



One thing deserves to be remarked as to these gardens, which is, perhaps, not to be found in any others 

 in Europe. Pedestals, as if for placing statues, were ranged in different parts of the grounds, particularly 

 along the broad walk leading from the palace to the amphitheatre. On these pedestals, on extraordinary 

 occasions, selected Uving figures, male and female, dressed in character, were placed, and taught to main- 

 tain certain attitudes, after the manner of the representations called Tableaux, and which are sometimes, 

 though rarely, produced in private circles at Paris and Vienna on days when theatrical amusements are 

 forbidden. It is not to be wondered at that so luxurious a king should have wanted decision of character, 

 lost his honor, kingdom, and, in short, every thing worth having. In 1813 this seat was nearly in the 

 state in which it was left by Stanislaus j but we understand it has since undergone several changes. 



282. The jmncipal private garden in the ancient style was that of Villaneuve, the 

 property of Count Stanislaus Pototcky, a few miles from the capital, but now modernised. 

 Judging from the excellent views of these gardens, painted by B. Cannaletti, and now in 

 the zamosk, or castle, in Warsaw, they must have been elegant of the kind. At Cracovie 

 there are the remains of a geometric garden, of a few acres, laid out by Marshal Loudon, 

 when Austrian governor of that city ; one of a convent of some extent, and a small public 

 garden. But in the south of Poland, and especially in Gallicia, tlie only thing remark- 

 able as to design in gardens, is the powerfully walled enclosures of the convents and 

 religious houses, in some of which are venerable orchards, broad grass-walks, mossy trees, 

 and curious sun-dials. 26 



283. English gardening was introduced into Poland hy the Princess 

 Isabella Czartorysfca, at Pulhawa. This lady, highly accomplished, of 

 great taste, and much good sense, had been a considerable time in 

 England. She carried to Poland a gardener. Savage, and with his 

 assistance, and that of Vogel and Frey, artists of Warsaw, she laid out 

 Pulhawa, between 1780 and 1784, and published in Polish (Mysli 

 Rozne o Sposobie Zakladania Ogrodow) a work with plates, on English 

 gardening, in 1801. The situation of Pulhawa, like almost every other 

 with which we are acquainted in Poland or Russia, is flat and sandy ; 

 but is somewhat relieved by the Vistula. On the brink of this river, on 

 a wooded bank, stands the house, a plain Grecian building, wliich with 

 the grounds are described by Burnet, in his view of Poland, (chap. xi. ) 

 There are several decorative buildings, and statues (Jig. 26. ) ; de- 

 tached clumps of shrubs are more frequent in these gardens tlian 

 would be admitted by a good taste in England ; but all Poland is a 

 natural forest ; and as the grand object of improvement in every country, is to obtain 

 applause by the employment of art and expense, artificial forms, from their rarity, are 

 better calculated for this purpose than such as are more universally beautiful, but so 

 common locally as to want the charm of novelty, — or whose beauties are too refined to 

 be generally understood. Thus clumps in Poland may be as much esteemed as groups 

 are in England, on the same principle, that, in a wild country, butcher-meat is more 

 esteemed than game, because the latter is the common food. 



Zamoyst the seat of Count Zajnoski, and Villaneuve the residence of Count Potocky, are also examples of 

 the modern style. The first are of limited extent, but the latter, near Warsaw, are very extensive, and 

 were laid out chiefly from the designs of Princess Czartoryska. 



The gardens of General Benningsen, near Wilna, were in a mixed style, surrounded by oak and pine 

 forests. They were destroyed during the retreat of the French army in 1812. 



Those of Colonel Lachanitzki, at Poniemenia, on the banks of the Niemen, at Grodno, are not extensive, 

 " but contain more romantic and picturesque scenery than any garden we have seen in Poland. 



284. The oldest botanic garden in Poland is that of Wilna, founded by CaUierine, soon 

 after the dismemberment of that country ; the most thriving is that of Cracovie, placed in 

 1812 under the direction of Professor Oestricher, a zealous botanist. A garden was also 

 begun about 1810, in Warsaw, on the steep banks of the Vistula. Of the original 



