LETTERS FROM 



LETTER VII. 



Berlin,, January, 1786. 



I WENT the next morning, as early as the day be- 

 fore, to the fame place again. From the new palacfc 

 there runs a long ftrait walk quite through the whole 

 gardens, which are not extremely fpacious ; of the 

 beauty of them, now in the winter feafon, I can indeed 

 form no judgment, however they ftrike me with nothing 

 peculiarly remarkable. There are a great number of 

 ftatues difperfed about them, and you know that among 

 them there are fome which are the work of very emi- 

 nent mailers. The gardens begin as foon as ever you 

 are out of the gate of Potfdam. On the right-hand of 

 the chief entrance from thence runs a row of hills, 

 which inclofes the whole garden on that fide, and 

 Teaches quite to the new palace, which likewife ftands 

 upon an eminence. The gardens therefore lie entirely 

 in the glen, and are very well defended by the hills 

 againlt the north weft winds. One of thefe hills is 

 fomewhat more prominent than the reft, and is round ; 

 upon this is built the palace of Sans Souci. The king 

 had it divided into feven large terraffes, and on the 

 declivity of each of thefe terraffes he has his hot-houfes ; 

 the glafs-windows to which ftand consequently all to- 

 wards the garden, and in winter form exactly the lin- 

 gular appearance of a mountain of glafs. In fummer, 

 thefe terraiTes are all befet with the trees of the oran- 

 gerie, when, the glafs windows being concealed behind 

 them, you imagine you behold a mountain of green- 



houfe- 



