HISTORICAL SKETCH 



xxiii 



height of their glory, the art of gardening was carried to 

 great perfection, and a typical garden of these times must 

 have, first of all, been directed to the furnishing of important 

 necessaries of life ; the growing of cooling fruits, fragrant 

 flowers, and aromatic herbs ; and ultimately, to an assort- 

 ment of such plants of utility would be added the objects 

 of luxury and ornament. Amongst the flowers would be 

 found the Rose, Myrtle, Narcissus, Jonquil, Cyclamen, and 

 Iris. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon laid out originally 

 by Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife Amytes, daughter of 

 the King of the Medes, have been represented as uniquely 

 romantic in point of situation, rich in scented plants, and one 

 of the wonders of their day on account of the difficulties 

 surmounted in their construction, great extent, and diversity 

 of uses and products. According to Dr. Falconer — 



* These magnificent gardens covered a space of four acres ; 

 they were made to rise in terraces one above the other in the 

 form of steps, each supported by stone pillars of a height of 

 more than 300 feet, gradually diminishing upwards until the 

 area of the superior surface was reduced to an infinitesimal 

 compass. Each terrace was carefully planted with attractive 

 flowers and fragrant trees, so that at a distance the garden 

 appeared as a great pyramid covered with luxuriant growth 

 from which the most elegant perfumes were wafted about. 

 Water was supplied from the Euphrates for the fountains and 

 reservoirs, for cooling the air and feeding the plants and trees. 

 The poets even have not forgotten to celebrate its wonders : — 



" Within its walls was raised a lofty mound 

 Where flowers and aromatic shrubs adorned 

 The pensile garden. . . . 



Where sloping vales, and odorous plants entwine 

 Their undulating branches." 



To the scene of all this splendour of Eastern luxury, inter- 



