H l
4 0 HISTORY OF GiVliDENING. P a r t I.
The abortions of a whimsical imagination:
‘ Behold,’ said he, ‘ my insnfflciency:
I invented as many monsters as I was able,—
But whore my power ended
There began that of Palagonia.’ ”
“ When I first visited the Bagaria, soon after my arrival in Sicily,” continues Sir Richard Colt Hoarc,
“ the war with those Centaurs and Lapithre was not begun. In th e course, however, of three months,
the balustrade was stripped of a groat part of its grotesque decorations; and their total destruction will
shortly be completed. T h e present owner, who has a considerable number of marble vases, has ranged
them on the balustrade, in place of th e hideous busts which had graced thorn before; but these being in a
taste equally grotesque, and diminutive in their proportions for the posts they occupy, tho general view
is not much improved by the alteration. Orange trees are to be planted on the high pedestals which
supported the groups of figures; th e chapel is already destroyed, and a great part of th e house itself
moclernised. The hall is still ornamentea with a ceiling of looking-glass, and columns or pilasters of
china! Numerous other extravagances still exist, which are destined to undergo a total change. Tho
former owner spent an extensive fortune, and burthened his family with a load of debt, in th e creation
o f a world of monsters and follies: his heir employs his money in destroying them.” (S ir M. Colt
Hoare's Classical Tour, &c.)
The garden o f the Villa Scabrosa, belonging to th e Prince of Biscaris, has been formed out of a
dreadful sea of lava; and a vegetation, not very luxuriant, produced by means of transporting earth.
Here are two reservoirs of water, supplied by fresh springs, and abundantly stocked with fish. On the
verge of one grows thc/*apyrus, transplanted from the banks of the Anessus; though, from the effect
o fth e sea breezes, it does not grow very vigorously. (Sir Rich. C. Hoare's Class. Tour, p. 431.)
1 1G. Public gardens or parks fo r promenades. In all foreign cities, from the most
insignificant village to the greatest metropolis, the public walk is considered an object
of primaiy importance. They arc numerous in Italy, and when the French were tliere,
they remodelled those of several of the priiiciixil cities on tho plan of tlie gardens of the
Tuileries and those of the Luxembourg.
A t Turin, the space formerly occupied by fortifications is now converted into gardens and public walks;
which are a great embellishment, by opening, in every direction, the pleasing view of rich verdure and
fine trees. (BclTs Obs. on Italy, &c., p. 92.)
A t Sassari, in Sardinia, th e public promenades are between alleys of fine tree s, among which th ere
are abundance of fountains. Several of these are richly decorated with marble statues and other ornaments;
and one, called Rosillo, is remarkable for its size and magnificence. Nothing can exceed the
beauty of the surrounding country, which appears one vast grove of orange and lemon trees. (Azuni,
Hist, de la Sai'daigne, p. 57.)
A t Milan, the public walk is on the ramparts, and is planted with Platanus, horse-chestnut, and ^i'cer
Neghndo. (Cadell’s Travels, &c., vol. ii. p. 103.)
At Badiia, th e public walk before th e church of St. Justina is a noble monument of patriotic feeling
in the higher classes. It consists of a large circular road, surrounded by a canal, on both sides of which
are erected the statues of all those who have contributed to illustrate th e city or the university, ty
eminence of any description. T h e whole has a very fine effect. (Galiffe’s Italy and its Inhabitants,
p. 108.)
A t Venice, th e gi-ound formerly occupied by th e m onastery of St. Antonio was laid out by th e French
with alleys of trees, and is still resorted to as a public walk. This garden forms the south-east point
of th e city, and commands a view of some of th e islands in th e Laguna, and of th e land islands th a t
bound th e Laguna. ( Cadell's Travels in Carniola and Ita ly, p. 69 )
A t Florence, th e walk styled the Casino, or Royal Farm, being perhaps the finest in Europe, is weil
deserving m ention. It is situated just beyond the gates of th e city; by its tall trees, chiefly elms ami
chestnuts, and varied pathways, offering a deep, refreshing shade; and, being several miles in extent,
affords an opportunity of solitude, among rich foliage, even in the busy evening hour, when assimibled
throngs crowd its wide and splendid walks. In th e centre of the Casino, among flowering shrubs and
lofty trees, standsa royal rural palace, of simple, plain, but pre tty architecture; where the dairy is kept, the
vintage gathered, th e wine (th e chief produce of the farm) made; and where, also, from ^ ^ , itii iiiciuc:«IUU wijci c,»1 uin utiimiiue to mtimill:e:,, uemnt-eeri--
taiqments are given by the court. In the evening hour these walks are the resort of the whole city;
and on Sunday, or on “ jours de féte,” the scene is gay and ru ral. Every viiriety of equipage m ay b e
seen, from the suite of the grand duke to the little two-wheeled ca lash; while the footpaths at each side
of th e road, under th e shade of th e trees, are filled with citizens of every age and class; all well dressed,
happy, and placid. (Bell’s Obs. on Italy, p. 307.)
A t Leghorn there are some delightful public walks about the town, from one of which there is a view
of the Mediterranean, and th e Cevennes mountains, th e esplanade, and the botanic gardens. (Holman’s
Travels, &c.)
A t Rome, the Corso is th e principal public w a lk ; but Monte Testaceo is a place of great resort for the
Roman populace in fine weather, and a t th e foot of the hill are a number of drinking-houses for th e
guests. The hill is said to be formed of th e broken pottery of the ancient Romans, which was collected
together outside of the city, th a t it might not be thrown into th e river, and so injure th e depth of the
channel. (Eustace’s Classical Tour.)
The Chiaja, at Naples, is a public garden on th e quay, used as a promenade. T h e outline is a parallelogram,
the area arranged iu three alleys, with intermediate winding walks, fountains, rockworks, basins,
statues, parterres with and without turf, and oranges, flowers, &c. in pots. It is surrounded by a
^ r a p e t , surmounted by an iron fence, and contains casinos for gambling, cafés, baths, taverns, &c.
T h e view of th e bay, and, th e breezes arising thence, are delightful. It is justly reckoned one of the
finest walking promenades in Italy. T h e trees here, according to the Rev. J. Mitford, are 3/dlia
Azedarách.
A t Monte I.cone, in Calabria, the public walk is on a hill, on which scats are placed for th e accommodation
of th e inhabitants. T h a t called th e Grand Centaine commands a fine view of the sea, Cape
Palinuro, Mounts jEtna and Stromboli, the Lipari Isles, &c. The surrounding country has the appearance
of one entire garden. (Elmhirst's Calabria, p. 116.)
117. Cemeteries. The emperor Constantino was the first who intmduced buiying in
churches (see § 6 3 .); and this unhealthy practice was continued for many centuries,
from a superstitious notion that in holy places the body was protected from"evil spirits.
The first attempt to establish a public and park-like cemeteiy was in the Low Countries,
hy an edict of the enlightened and benevolent emperor Joseph. The example was
followed soon after in Fi'ance and Italy.
At Genoa, the protestant burial-place is a small enclosure on a hill, surrounded by walls and planted
with roses and other shrubs. (Morton’s Protestant Vigils, p. 218.)
B o o k I, ITiS.LIAN GARDENS.
At Leghorn, the English burying-ground has some of the tombs surrounded by cypress trees, others
by neat railings of ironwork. The ground is enclosed by a wall, and the entrance kept locked. Among
other tombs is that of Smollett. (Holman’s Journey, &c.)
A t Bologna is a public burying-ground a little way out of the town, made out of the suppressed
convent of Certocina: it was first applied to this purpose in 1802. It is an effort to give a kind of
characteristic elegance to th e different conditions of life after death. Rich dignitaries of the churcli are
classed, and inferior clergy are arranged a t a respectful distance. Arched recesses are made to receive
statues and sarcophagi for th e wealthy, and head stones have their allotted district. Sepulchres' are
marshalled for exhibition, with quaint fancies and insipid allegories;—bad monitors to the living, and
destitute of any feeling for the dead. Here, in a room appropriated to skulls, is the skull of Guido,
mounted on a bracket. {Duppa’s Observatiorts, &c., p. 135.)
A t Pisa, the Campo Santo is a large burying-ground, in form a rectangle, about 406 feet by 116 feet,
enclosed within an arcade. It has its name from the holy earth which the Pisans brought from Palestine,
in the year 1192, but th e building was not erected till 1283; and it contains, besides the tombs, a
number of pictures by the old masters. (Duppa’s Observations, &c.)
At Rome, Eustace tells us th a t th e fields called Prati del Popolo Ro:
for foreigi
Romano are used as a burying-place
reigners:—“ They are planted with mulberry trees, and adorned by the pyramidal tomb of Caius
Cestius.” This ancient monument, which is supposed by Galiffe to have been only an ornament to th e
garden, is described by Eustace as being about 120 feet in height, and standing upon a basis of about
ninety feet square. “ Its form on the whole is graceful, and its appearance very picturesque, supported
on either side by the ancient walls o f Rome, with their towers and galleries venerable in decay, half
shaded by a few scattered tre e s ; and, looking down upon a hundred humbler tombs interspersed in
th e neighbouring grove, it rises in lonely pomp, and seems to preside over these fields of silence and
mortality. T h e other tombs are in various forms; sepulchral stones, urns, and sarcophagi,—some
standing in good repair, others fallen and mouldering, half buried in th e high grass th at waves over
them.” (Galiffe's Italy, &c., p. 369.; and Eustace's Classical Tour, &c., p. 226.)
A t Naples, Eustace tells us, “ the two principal hospitals have each a cemetery for the burial of th e
dead. The sum of 48,500 ducats was raised by voluntary contribution for the la tte r ; and a piece of ground
was selected half a mile from the city, on a rising ground. A neat little church is annexed to it, with
apartments for the clergy. See., and the road that winds up th e hill to it is lined with cypVesses.” This
burial-ground Blunt describes as “ consisting of 365 separate vaults. Each morning, the large slab of
lava which closes the mouth of some one of these receptacle.« for the dead is heaved aside, and is not
replaced before the approach of night. To this pit all the corpses destined for burial that day are promiscuously
committed. Thus th e revolution of a year sees them all receive their victims in succession;
while an interval so considerable allows one corpse to moulder before another is laid low.” (Eustace’s
Classical Tour, p. 500.; and Blunt’s Italy.)
At Venice, the practice of burying in churches has been relinquished for some y e a rs ; and the burying-
ground of th at city now occupies th e small island of San Cristofero, situated m the Laguna, between
Venice and Murano. T h e burying-ground of the Jews, on the sandy islands of Liddo, is covered with
•tombstones bearing Hebrew epitaphs. T h e burying-ground of th e protestants is within one of the
bastions of the fortress of Liddo, and contains several tombs of English and Germans. (Cadell's
Journey in Carniola, Italy, ^c., in the Years 1817 and 1818.)
118. Tlie Italian taste in gardening affords excellent hints to the English designer for
the composition of ornamental garden buildings, and for the disposition of vases, sculptm
es, and other mural or lapidarían ornaments in pleasure-grounds. For all that relates
to terraces it also affords excellent h in ts ; and, as Gilbert Laing Meason has shown, not
only the villas of Italy, but the landscape architecture of her great painters {fig. 27.