THE LURE OF THE GARDEN 
“Book of the Courtier.” And, going on to describe 
the particular garden where the young nobleman spent 
his childhood, she writes: “Closed in by thick dark 
hedges of box and yew, sheltered by plane-trees to the 
south, so that there was always shade at noon, the gar¬ 
dens were laid out in terraces in front of the castello , 
from whence stretched out long straight walks covered 
with vine-grown pergolas and bordered with rose-trees 
and jessamine. Green lawns sloped down to the steep 
banks of the river Oglio, with a marble fountain in the 
center of the turf, and orange-trees in boxes at every 
corner, while in distant nooks were sylvan arbors and 
strange grottoes with quaint figures of animals carved in 
stone. A place to dream and linger in of a summer 
evening, green with perpetual verdure, musical with the 
voice of waters, glowing with luscious fruits and the 
sweetest flowers.” 
It was in places like this that the duchessas and mar¬ 
ques as held their choicest parties. What a picture 
must have been presented when, in the latter part of 
the golden afternoons, the company began to gather on 
the shaded terraces, the men in doublets of velvet and 
satin and silken hose, with massive gold chains round 
their necks and wearing splendid jewels as clasps for the 
feathers in their caps, or set into their sword-hilts, the 
women shining in priceless fabrics, with veils of gold 
tissue and strings of gems. Wine was served in crys¬ 
tal cups, and cakes and sweetmeats on golden plates, and 
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