302 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK III. dominions with so necessary a material, we have mentioned in this 

 '^^''>f'^ chapter, and how impohtic a waste there was of timber in France in 

 John Bodin's time, see his Book de repub. hb. vi. cap. i. 



But leaving this sad and melancholy prospect, I return to the effects of 

 peace, and it shall be to that plantation of Elms, carried out of England 

 by Philip II. of Spain, to adorn his royal palace at Aranjuez, (of which 

 I have already spoken, lib. i. cap. iv.) near Madrid in Spain : the palace 

 is seated on the banks of the famous river Tagus, and the plantation on 

 the north, where there is a piece of ground inclosed, formed into walks of 

 six hundred and eighty yards long, and three hundred in breadth, in shape 

 of a trapezium or parallellogram, about which the Tagus is artificially 

 di"awn to fence it. Next the river-side are more walks, not above twenty 

 feet in breadth, for closer shade, planted on each side with double ranks 

 of Elm, some of which are forty yards high, stript up to the top, and so 

 near set as fifteen feet space : the second row is about six feet distant from 

 the other ; not planted exactly against its usual opposite, but the interval 

 and through the space between, glides a narrow shallow channel of water 

 to refresh the trees upon occasion ; thus, 



o o o o o o o 



o o o o o o o 



Which is the method used in many ridings of Elm- walks, some of which 

 are a league in length, adorning this seat beyond any palace, some think, 

 in the world. Many of these indeed are on the decay, prejudiced by their 

 being planted so near one another; but for all that, it takes not much from 

 the beauty of the vista, which is certainly the most surprisingly agreeable; 

 to which the ample fountain, and noble statues in the cross-walks, make 

 so glorious an addition as would require a particular description. 



And now do I not for all this so magnify it, as if not to be paralleled 

 in our own country, where, I dare affirm, there are many that exceed it, 

 both in form and planting, (which has there several defects,) but as we 

 said, for an exotic example, so admired and celebrated by that boasting 

 nation, as if the universe could not shew the like. 



