0 , properly so called, th at is, the graduated elevation of tho spectators, consists of eight rows of
theatre,
The luudhig-place, or lobby (tho pnccinctio), occurs after tho first live rows of scats, so that the
two upper rows scinnto scoin to bo rendered rendered'waste.waste. All tliat remains of the upper part o
of tho external wall is
a central niche. T h re e straight flights of steps leading up to tlie seats, ono in th e middle and one at
each cud of the semicircle, characterise this as a Homan theatre. Tho whole is built of stone; and,
wherever wo may scat ourselves, we arc sure to enjoy a dellghtlbl prospect.
The grotto lies behind the theatre, and has tho appearance of a double arcade. Thre e largo arches
open straight before us, and wo are surprised by th e views obtained through th e two to tlie right.
Opposite ono o fth e latter, and on our left, there is, in a large deep niche, a gypsum cast of a Venus sitting
ami drying her feet, the original of wliich is at Florence. Water runs under the niche, from pipes, into
a stone trough, upon which tho oceanic birth of Venus is represented. The outermost arcade stands in
th e water; we pass through it by means of a gondola.
The Cabinet i f Night forms part of this grotto. Tho Prince de Llgno, speaking of this singular effort
o f human ingenuity, says, “ wo ascend a little staircase; th e gloom increases, and we are a t last involved
in complete darkness. On turning to the left, a sudden brightness strikes tho eye; a magic ray beams
forth. Wo proceed to the spot whence It issues; and, by an open door, enter a saloon, in the middle
o f which a beautiful statue, of dazzling whiteness, on a black pede.stal, reflects the light streaming
from a moon and stars set in tho dark-vaulted roof of tho cabinet. T h e effect is strik in g ; bnt, when wo
rocovor from our first astonishment, wc perceive th a t tlie stars arc of yellow glass, sprinkled thickly over
tlio roof; while the moon consists of ono largo pane, which closes an umbilical aperture in tho centre.
The cabinet is about twenty feet square, and tho walls uro covered with Etruscan entablatures,
encased with black stones. Couches covered with black cloth arc placed in recesses; and tho statue,
which is a cast from an nntiquo vestal, holds an alabaster vnso In hor hand, in which a t night is placed a
wax candlo. From tlio position of this taper, the only light then admitted into the cahmet is thrown
strongly upon tho figure ; while tho black pedestal on wliich it stands is no longer perceptible, and the
vestal seems floating in a ir.”
The Cabinet of Day is anotlier part of tho grotto, and is Intended to bo tho counterpart and companion
picture of the former; but it is not completed: it is, therefore, unnecessary to notice it further
a t present. There is also within th e same mountain a funereal vault, with urns for ashes ; and numerous
repositories and cavities, which servo for dillercnt p urpose s: some are used for tho preservation of
plants in winter.
The Volcano. By some rough steps between rugged rocks, wo reach a break in the side of th e mountain,
which serves as a landing-place, und from which there is a view to th e right, over th e ruins of the
theatre. T h e funnel-formed and lava-covered crater of the volcano is seen above to th e left. In the
representation of eruptions, tho hollow which surrounds the crater, and out of which it seems to rise, overflows
with water, which is thrown up by a machino within th e mountain, and which, like a magniliceni
cascade, rushes down, foaming and roaring, over th e rocky ridgo into th e lake. A stone bridge, whicli
Is thrown over this hollow, lends to th e great caldron, where th e fireworks, projected through the
mouth of tho crater, are prepared, and in which, when the volcano is working, all kinds of inllammablo
materials arc burned ; wlion an immense smoke issues from th e numerous apertures, and covers the ton
o f tho mountain with heavy black elouds. At th e same time millions of snarks, rising from tho gulf,
form columns of fire, and streams of meltwl lava appear to flow down th e sides of tho mountain.
The pavilion is an imitation of tho villa built by Sir William Hamilton a t Fosilliipo, near Naples.
T h e Prince de Ligne describes this structure as most simple in its outward form, most magniflcent
within, and altogether in the Ilcrculanoum style. It is thirty-eight feet long, sixteen broad, und twenty-
two feet high.
The kitchen oi t\\e pavilion is fitted up in tho antique style. T h e walls are painted with xcnia,o\-
representations of chickens, eggs, fruit, and other articles for the table, which th e Greeks used to givo
as visiting presents to th eir guests.
The .Tetvish temple, and several fountains, also desorvo notice, though not o f sufllclent Importance for
a lengthened detail.
365. Such are, or were, the gardens o f Wörlitz, tho most cclchnitcd in Germany. To
us they seem more calculated to cxcitc wonder at the midtitudc of contrivances, and tho
expense iiicuiTcd, than pleasure at tho beauty of tho effects produced. Every one mu.st
feel that, after all that has been done at Wörlitz, it is but the toy of a man of wealth ;
there is no evidence, in any part of the above description, that tho place contains much
natural beauty, or that art has been employed in heightening what there might bo. Tho
wliolc garden seems to bo an assemblage of costly buildings : but buildings that neither
lU'o nor ever were of any real use, bo their architecture what it may, can never please a
well-regulated mind. As some atonement for the multiplicity of useless edifices, and the
absurdity of tho allegorical scenes at Wörlitz, wc may notice, that the gi'ounds contain
a number of fine American trees, some of which are described in tho foiu'tli and lifth
volumes of tho Transactions o f the Prussian Gardening Society.
366. The cemetery o f Dessau is said to ho the finest in Germany, and ono worthy of
serving as a model for that of every other country.
Division xii. Gardening, as an A r t o f Design and Taste, in Saxe-Cohurg-Goiha.
367. The principality o f Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has been lately formed by tho union of
Saxc-Gotlia and Saxc-Coburg. I t coraprohends a great pai-t of the tenitory of Thuringia,
and includes a considerable portion of the finest forest scenery of that extensive district.
The Gardens of Saxc-Coburg wore of no great note in tho time of llirschtbld, since they
arc not noticed either in the Théorie des Jardins or in VAlmanach du Jardinage, jniblishcd
towards the end of tho last ccntuiy. Soon after the general peace, however, the ducal
gardens of Coburg received some botanical accessions from those of England ; a part of
t ho ]>ark, or public promenade, was planted in a more free or natiual style, and the whole
?ias been kept in better order. (Encyc. o f Geog. § 2972.)
368. The ducal gardens o f Sa<cc~Golha are remarkable for their fine lawns, and for a
. ruiticd castle, whicli was first built complete, aud then ruined exprès, by firing caimon
against it.
Division xiii. Gardening, as an A rt o f Design and Taste, in the Neighbourhood o f the
Free Tincns o f Pranlifort and Bremen,
369. The public garden at Franhfort is one of the haiul.somcst in Germany, though
it docs not po.ssess the extent and pavklike appearance of the English garden at Municli.
Frankfort is surrounded, except on the side bounded by the Maine, with a pleasure-
ground at least two miles iu length, and occupying the breadth of the former ditch and
rnm¡)avts ; it is laid out in tlic English style, and affords great viu-icty of shady walks
and picturesque scenery, with tho grand advantage of being accessible from every ¡lart
ol' the city in a lew minutes. One jicculiar feature of this pleasure-ground is, tliat
it is not confined to trees and shrubs, but contains a profusion of the choicest roses,
dahlias, chrysanthemums, &c., togctlicr with most of tlic showy annuals, such as balsams,
stocks, China asters, &c. In 1827 even pelargoniums and Tigridia Pavon/a,
planted in large masses of each, and intermixed with vast beds ol' mignonette, were iu a
high state of luxuriance and beauty. Nothing could be more brilliant than tho display
ol' this garden in September in that year, when the dahlias and the superb clumps of
Bruguuiiis/a suavèolcns, »Salvia coccínea, &e., were iu ilowcr ; and, as a proof of the
scale on which it is managed, and the attention paid to it, it may be mentioned, that the
gardeners were then pi'cparing a bed of irregular ligure, wholly for ]>inks, above sixty
feet long, and from nine to iiftccn feet broad, which tlicy were trenching two feet deep,
al'ter laying manure at the bottom of each trench, aud carefully iiicking out tho stones.
Tliis garden affortls a striking, and, to an Englishman, very mortil'ying, proof of the great
superiority ofthe manners of the German lower classes over those ofthe linglish. Though
merely separated I'rom a public high road by alow hedge, which may be stridden across ;
though at all times accessible (there being no doors or gates of any kind to the entrances)
to every individual of a po]-)ulation of 50,000 souls ; and though constantly frequented
by soiwants and children oi' all descriptions, not a flower, or even a leaf, of any one of tho
plants, from tho earliest and most sliowy to the humblest, seems ever touched. Even
the bods of mignonette looked ns untrodden and unpluc.kcd as if in an English ]>rivato
garden. I t is needless to say how utterly impossible it Avould be to have near any largo
Englisli town a similar garden thus open to the public, and thus scrupulously kept from
injmy ; and yet tliei-e were aiiparcntly no persons to watch ; and, instead of threats of
heavy penalties, a printed ]>aper was affixed to a boiu-d at eacli entrance, exin’cssing, in
German, that, tlic public authorities having originally formed, and annually keeping
uj) the garden for the gratification of tho citizens, its trees, shrubs, and llowers arc
ctunmittcd to the safeguard of their individual protection. This simple appeal is quite
sufficient. (Gard. Mag., vol. v. p. 209.) Tliis garden was designed and cliiefly laid
out by M. Zcycr, of Schwezingen ; aud it docs him the highest honour. It was planted
by M. Rinz, nurseryman at Frankfort. I t is paiticiilarly gratifying to find that iu many
p.irts of the Continent pulilic gardens arc taking the place of ramparts and fortifications,
a, circninstancc whieh wo trust wo may regard as a jilcdgo for the general peace of
Europe; or, at all events, as a proof tliat nations contemplate, in case of any future quarrel,
a moro speedy mode of bringing it to a conclusion than the ancient tedious ones of
besieging and defending fortified towns. Tlie pulilic gm*dcii at Frankfort is under the
conti-ol of the corporation ; for in Frankfort, as in most other places on the Continent, the
public garden has not originated from (he spirit of the people, but from that of tlio
government.
370. Bremen is built on both banks of tlic Wcscr, and tlic two parts arc united by a
wooden bridge. TIic gi'catcr pari oi' the town is, however, situated on the right hank ;
and it is round this part that tho puhlic walk lias been made. Trees have been pianteci
througliout tho whole length of the ancient wall, and the outer part has been sloped
away, and ornamented witli jasmines, lioncysucklcs, and roses. Bowers, thickets, little
forests, and tufts of swcct-smelling shrubs, arc now tlio only sentinels. The bastions,
which might once have frowned with cannon, arc now smiling with beautiful flowers ;
the parapet has become a shady grove, and the i'ornicr ditch is now a handsome little
lake, the abode of stately swans. There arc straight and serpentine walls, with walks
on- the top, on the sides, and at tlic bottom. A t tho lower end of the town, tlic walk
terminates in a higli mound, also well laid out, and planted with trees. Fi'oni it there is
a clianniiig view of the Wcsor, of the town, and of tlic whole adjoining country. To be
situated on tlic borders of a large town, it is a most elegant puhlic promenade. Nature
did nothing for it, but it is indebted for its beauties to the old mound wliicli was raised
for defence, and to the good taste o fth e inhabitants. I t is admirably calculated to promote
both their health and their enjoyment ; and is a proof that a sound mind and an
elegant taste may be found in the small commercial cities of the north, as well as in the
capitals of the south. Tn the flat country, immediately outside of tho walk, arc many ol
those houses of entertainment called kcgc.lbalms (bowling-greens, or skittle-grounds),
that must bo dear to the Germans, for they pass there many calm and happy hours.
(Travels in Germany, )). 268.)