296. THE FLORIST. 
quite as easy as to,write when the habit: isiformed and practicerenders’ 
the act familiar.,; I.,wish, that; my countrymen, would) think: iofsthisy 
and educate themselves. in. a; like,familiarity) withthe structure of alk 
vegetable forms., .When 1,,inquired| the, altitude) of :ax giant: Cypress 
near the Payilion I was told that it-was upwards of 100 feets: Avfriend: 
of mine denies. that; in Europe, there are any: trees. 100: feet highw: Inj 
passing through, the, Black Forest: in;Germany, a -sciéntifie -fellow=! 
traveller took observations,by-a quadrant; and: noted) severabbir trees’ 
of 70, 80, or 90 feet.,, We did, not trust:to, his profession of accuracy: 
The Cypress inthe Boboli gafdens: was measured iby flying a: kite over’ 
it, entangling the, string when it} was; brought) in contact >with’ the 
summit; then, giving. it,a precise perpendicularity, measuring the cord? 
 In,those gardens, of the.Pitti Palace allisformaland regular.! “Drees 
are planted in rectangular rows; and their branches are: so trained and 
interlaced. as to form.long. aisles. of foliage, as:if alateral shaft: hade:been 
cut in a solid mass of fresh;green.. Theivholecarrangement of- the 
place proclaims the luxury of.shade, and-of defences against a tyrannous 
and intrusive sun,,,,,For|this,end, are treared-those high verdurous walls, 
to refresh the eye,dazgled withthe fervour of| a! summer's cnoonso: Yor 
this, grottoes are hollowed,out,of the rock, and, sun-proof roofs:of follage 
are woven where: the freshness and. coolness of the! mornimg ‘long lingers 
and slowly: retires,.;.At.every! turn the» stranger vencounters: statues, 
standing singly or in groups+some colossal,..some | quamt,:and /some 
imposing; . some jcaryed,,by -hands: no léss»illustrious!:thanm those of 
Michael Angelo,,and.others,by Jolin of; Bologna: }The ground is very 
irregular in, its surface, and. this inequality! makes the formality of the 
style less offensive... From: the heights inxthe/rear ofithe palace a-fine 
view of Florence is.obtained, epi dk cloidw of stil to monsie dens 
At the end of the gardens is a fountain, or, more properly, -aecireular 
basin, in which are three colossal statues which claim to represent 
rivers. This sheet of water is enclosed by a thick belt of trees and 
evergreen shrubbery ; but a broad smooth margin of marble and turf 
is left between the two; which is a favourite sporting place for children, 
whose; innocent gambols! and hilarity oné delights’t6 witness, ooo 2" — 
~The gardens of Prince “Torregiani ‘are’ next to the Boboli the 
most extensive in Florence... Jn the centre is a loftytower representing’ 
the armorial. bearings of the family,,, -The villa, with::this lange space 
enclosed by a very; high; wall, is, surrounded! by streets, yet: neither; 
sight nor sound ‘intrudes ,on,the, exclusiveness/ 0 More: tham ‘six acres: 
are dressed with ornamental,.plants--sculpturein: bronze; marble, and 
richer materials, Several, fountains of, pure sparkling :watery send up: 
jets of brilliancy. or, fall, murmuring|into,tazzas)of precious oriental 
alabaster, polished granite, porphyry,,ormarble, -The prevailing fashion! 
for fancy devices in..tiny.flowers has. not; invaded this: regal: gardenw 
Many of the walks. are inlaid with coloured, stones:in graceful patternsy 
and the whole may be.called,|an.,out-of-doory drawing-room.) The! 
family live in the garden, and .chiefly.\nse,,the: villa for) its: bed+rooms? 
and baths. , The Indians, onthe, eastern.slopes:of: the Andes also live! 
almost entirely in the open..air,jand,/ seldom, occupy stheir habitations’ 
except at night... They; bask, in, the, sun until,it is a)dpleasantochange: 
