239 



CHAPTER XII. 



VEKSAILLES. 



This being one of tlie most celebrated gardens in tbe world 

 it beboves ns to examine it somewhat in detail — were we^ bow- 

 ever, to treat of it in proportion to its real merits as a garden, 

 a very small amount of space would suffice. Let us pass 

 tbrougb tbe vast stone courtyard and take up our position 

 near tbe garden front of tbe palace. Standing near tbe walls, 

 looking over tbe gardens, and following tbe vista of tbe 

 canal into tbe low country beyond, tbe eye first rests on a 

 vast spread of gravel, some marble margins of great water 

 basins, sundry protuberances from tbe level of tbe water, 

 and away in tbe distance an eflPect like tbat afibrded by a 

 suburban canal in a bigbly practical and unlovely country. 

 A few Lombardy Poplars belp tbis remote vista, but tbe 

 effect of tbe wbole is from tbis point of view lamentable. 

 To tbe rigbt of tbe palace tbere is a ratber pleasing garden, 

 witb big box-edgings, clipped conical Yews and otbef trees, 

 and numerous statues well sbown against dense woods of 

 Horse-cbestnut trees. To tbe left tbere is one of tbose 

 spreads of gravel, grass, a few stumpy clipped Yews, &c., 

 generally known as geometrical gardens, tbe Horse-cbestnut 

 groves starting up ratber abruptly and relieving tbe wbole 

 so as to render it tolerable. Advancing from tbe palace, tbe 

 lower terrace and its surroundings come into view, and tbe 

 effect improves. Tbe faces of tbe terrace walls are bedged 

 witb green ; tbe flower borders are somewbat after tbe 

 fasbion of tbose at tbe Tuileries, and surrounded by a line 

 of well-grown Orange trees. Above tbe terrace walls Yew 

 trees are planted and clipped very regularly ; in tbe centre 

 tbere is a fine and costly fountain, and tbe dense groves of 

 trees near at band again save tbe scene from bald formality. 



