European and Japanese Gardens 
the climax of accomplishment under the famous gardener of 
the Grand Monarque, who in his single practice summed up 
all that was best in what preceded him. 
It is easy to see the influence that Italy had upon the early 
development <of agronomy in France, just as it is easy to trace 
the growth of the other arts from Italian sources. Italian en¬ 
lightenment preceded the brench ; and in the same way that, 
in the early (centuries of the Christian Era, Gaul drew her in¬ 
spiration from Rome, so later through the ages, France, while 
always coloring with her own character what she appropriated 
from" her instructress, sat at the feet of Italy. This is true in a 
measure of all the arts,—but most distinctly so in gardening. 
It would evem be difficult in many instances to distinguish the 
design of a Prench garden of the middle ages from an Italian 
example of a similar period. And this for a twofold reason :— 
THE BASIN OF CEREfS 
VERSAILLES 
IOI 
