The Gardens at Aranjuez 
THE WEIR AND SUSPENSION BRIDGE 
ARANJUEZ 
prominent part in the presence of ten or 
twelve thousand spectators. The horses, to 
the sound of music, formed in various fig¬ 
ures, resembling a very complicated dance. 
So had the panorama changed from conven¬ 
tual to court life, and from monastic to 
palatial architecture, until in the eighteenth 
century we find Aranjuez amid customs and 
surroundings largely borrowed from France 
—the country which at that time was setting 
the style for all European courts to follow. 
At this point, however, the scene ceased to 
shift; and in many of its features, the Aran¬ 
juez of to-day is the Aranjuez of a century 
ago ; save that the court has fled, the fickle 
taste of Spanish Royalty now preferring La 
Granja as its place of ease. So it is likely to 
remain for the present, since the Spanish Ex¬ 
chequer is now too depleted to allow of any 
large amounts being expended in altering it. 
Interesting as its history is, let us not delve 
too deeply into past records on this glorious 
day. We have come to see the gardens. 
Nature is alive about us, the birds are thick 
in the tree tops, calling to us to come and 
search for more satisfying treasures than the 
doings of bygone kings and queens. Before 
us stretches the great grove of splendid elms, 
arranged regularly, but with foilage so mas¬ 
sive and beautiful that we readily overlook 
the checker-board planting. Let us follow 
one of these parallel avenues. No one for¬ 
bids ; the place partaking somewhat of the 
character of a large public common. Here 
and there a donkey—a remnant, doubtless, 
of the famous herds which were once raised 
here, grazes about at will, almost the only 
sign of animal life. Each vista seems to lead 
the eye to the palace, whose extensive faqade 
and curiously placed domes at the meeting 
of the wings with the central portion, attracts 
our attention. 
As we emerge from the woods a large oval 
grass parterre opens out before the palace. 
About its border are placed great garden seats 
of a rich yellow stone. These, some eight 
in number, and about thirty feet in length, 
are splendid in design, with high paneled 
backs, the central panel rising slightly in 
contour and supporting a well carved basket 
of fruit and flowers. Conforming to the 
shape of the parterre which they surround, 
we find the benches gently curved in plan. 
They furnish pleasant places in which to rest 
a moment and take in the charming situation 
of the palace before us, as it lies banked with 
deep woods on every side. 
We are not satisfied with the facade of the 
building, however; the monotonous lines 
and closed blinds seem especially dull on this 
bright day, but entering, we find within some 
interesting rooms. Splendidly represented 
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