THE GARDENS OF VENICE 
among the ancients,” consisted in setting trees in 
a square with a fifth in the centre, and repeating this 
device again and again, so that whichever way you 
turned your eyes, parallel alleys might be seen. 
“All the trees and hedges,” the writer continues, 
“are clipped in different shapes, and are exquisite 
examples of topiary art. The sight indeed greatly 
exceeded my highest expectations. The apple trees 
are all planted in regular rows, at discreet intervals, 
and have grown with amazing rapidity, since they were 
put in the ground by our Navagero himself, only a 
few months ago. Nothing could be more beautiful 
in shape and colour, nothing sweeter in smell and 
taste, or more excellent in size and variety, than the 
fruit which this orchard bears. For Messer Andrea, 
as you know, takes the greatest delight in rural pursuits, 
and is more industrious than most agriculturists, devot¬ 
ing the same diligence and careful attention to his 
garden that he does to our own art.” 1 
In his reply, Bembo expressed the greatest satis¬ 
faction at Longolio’s account of Messer Andrea and 
his garden. 
“ What you wrote of Navagero,” he says, “ was very 
pleasing to me. The man is admirable, because he 
does not cultivate learning and gardening in solitude, 
but shares both his studies and rural pleasures with his 
friends. I am delighted to hear that he is spending 
the summer in his garden at Murano, and feel no 
1 C. Longolio, Eftistolce, i. 108. 
ii 7 
