fountains and cascades, with their grotesque and strange ornaments ; his gi'ovcs, M l
of architecture and gilt trellises ; his profusion of statues and therms : all these wonders
springing up in a dcscrt-looking open country, dazzled and enchanted evciy class of
observers. Lc Notre was educated an arcbitcct; and had attained his fortieth ycai-
before he finished his first work in the rural department of his profession, tlic garden of
Vaux lc Vicomte afterwards Vaux Praslin. The king, enchanted Avith the decorations
of this garden, made Lc Nôtre his controller-general of buildings and director of
gardens, loaded him with presents, gave him a patent of nobility, and made him kmght
of the order of St. Michael. His principal works iu*e Versailles, Avliich cost nearly 200
millions of iraiics ; Trianon, Meudon, Saint Cloud, Sceaux, Chantilly, and the celebrated
terrace of St. Germain. The gardens of the Tuileries, the Champs Elysécs, and
many others, Avcro cither formed by him, or improved from his designs. In 1678 he
Aveiit to Italy, where he furnished the plans of several gardens, particularly those of the
A'illas Paniili and Ludovisi. England, Sweden, and all Europe, adopted his manner.
He died iu 1700. (7//r.vc/i/t'W, tom. v. p. 298.)
213. The gardens o f Versailles, tho grand effort of Lc Notre, and the model of excellence
in the geometric school, have been so frequently described, and arc so generally
knoAvii, that Ave shall only quote one or tAvo opinions concerning them. Gray the poet
was struck with their splendour when filled with company, and when the waterworks
Avcrc in full action. Lord Karnes says they would tempt ono to believe that nature was
below the notice of a great monarch, and therefore monsters must bo created for lum, as
bein«- more astonishing productions. Bradley calls Versailles, tho “ sum of evciy thing
that has been done in gardening.” George Andi'cas Agricola, a German physician at
Ratisbon, says, “ Avhcn I reflect on Versailles only, and what I have seen tliere, I cannot
but think I had a foretaste of paradise : all ray senses were struck Avith astonishment
: and though I have the Avliolc represented in fine prints, it is only a shadow of
what was so naturally figured there. Therefore I think it absolutely nccftsary that
<>-ardcncrs should traverse foreign countries.’’ (PhiL Treat, on Agr., trans. by Bradley,
4to, 1726, p. 60.) Our opinion coincides with Gray’s. “ Such symmetiy,” as Lord
Byron observes, “ is not for solitude.”
The menageries in these gardens, daring the reign of Louis X IV ., contain wl every description of foreig*
animal then known, or to be procured ; they are said also to have contained every aquatic animal that
in 1816, were played ara
year, and cost a t the rate of 200¿. per hour. A later writer, however, asserts th a t when t f t whole m e
played off, which is only once ay e a r, on the fete day of th e king, the cost for th e hall hour during which
air of a place intended for coolness than for warmth and
light. “ There are two magnificent flights of stops ; but, not being directed towards the p.alace, t f ty are
ratlicr deformities than beauties, as they have the appearance of leatbng to nothing.^ ( Wood s Lett<^ s,
SiC. vol. i. p. 75.) T h e orange trees are not intended to be seen by the public when in their cellars ; but
when set out (Jig. •I'l.), they have an imposing and characteristic effect. Neill mentions (Iloid. Tour,
1). 409.) that in 181G he saw an orango tree a t Versailles “ semé cn 1421,” and th irty feet high.
* J er.i.. re,-.,..« ,« o-rerA-«..« of VM-xnille.s. hv Louis XIV.. on the 7th Mav, 1GG4. will A fête given in the gardens Versailles,hy XIV.,May,1GG4,ggiivvee ssoommee ii dea of
the use to which these gardens were applied by that monarch. This fete was continued for several suc-
. 1 ............______ii.,.1 „„»„...-„I- .»Yi illuminated fo'’-' «nnr> nftprwards hv the
court prim
from sunset
so as to represent
cceding days, and supplied m.atorials for an illuminated folio, officially published soon afterwards by the
:r, under th e royal license. All tlio gardens, tiirougnout meir wnoic exicni, weie iiiuiu ii.n.uu
to sunrise, by lights emitted from transparent vases ; th e branches of the trees were clipped
resent difTeront orders of architecture, and musicians in the garb of shepherds were perched
• • ietottrc, licens.e .A. ll. t.ho. g ardens,throughout. tf.iei.r w. hf.fic extent,I w..e...r.e.. .i.l.l..u..m...i..nated
sylvan pipes, and flutes, and violins innumerable ; tables were
every where among tho boughs, playing a n - .........- ................ _ . ,
loaded with tho most sumptuous banquets, disposed with an elegance which almost inspired reluctance
,f<i.lQUl-v_r , \ ! ______—, ...;.t.l._. ._... ■ vrelnf.for.rere
to disarrange them : Chinese fireworks detained a splendid twilight in th e firmament; th e atmosphere
was odoriferous with the perpetual splash of scented fountains ; masks and dances alternately ministered
to the amusement of the court, among whom the sovereign himself was conspicuous by his silver armour
à la Grecque, studded with a profusion of diamonds, and tho fire-coloured plumes th at nodded in his
helmet. (Fraser's Mag., vol. iv. p. 70S.)
The palace and gardens of Versailles, during theJirst Revolution, wcTQ-proposcA to be sold as national
property ; but M. Lc Iloy, the architect, greatly to his honour, stepped forward, and represented that
th e palace might be usefully employed for public purposes, and th e garden rendered proiluctive of food
lor the people. “ This satisfied the citizens : a m ilitary school was established in the palace; and by
planting some of the parterres with apple trees, and otliers with potatoes, tho garden was saved.” (Neill’s
Hort. Tour.) At the second revolution in 18.80, they passed into the hands of Louis Philippe, who made
considerable improvements in them ; and at tho third revolution in 1848, it was agreed th a t they were to
bo kept up at the expense of the nation.
214. The gardens o f S t. Cloud, also by Lc Nôtre, are less celebrated tlian tliose of V ersailles
; but, from their natural. advanta.ges, they arc, iu the present age, considered more
bcautiiiil. A t St. Cloud, nature and art arc struggling for tlic mastciy ; Avlicrcas, at
Versailles, art is every thing. F o r this reason the garden at Versailles is hy far the
more perfect production ; that is, it more fully answers the end proposed hy the artist.
Speaking of the gardens of St. Cloud, Avith a vicAv to the taste of his OAvn time, an intelligent
Avriter obseiwcs, “ that they are beautifully situated, and by nature not less beautifully
diversified ; hut nature is here every Avlicrc subdued, and made subservient to art. In sipid
and affected marble nymphs, and trimmed orange trees in tubs with coiTcsponding
regularity, conduct the eye to fountains Avhieh seldom flow, and, Avhcn they do, make art
ridiculous, hy showing how nature may be lost in childish puerilities. Here is a little
channel about tAvo feet wide, and a hundred and fifty feet long, with small pipes at given
distances from each other, wliich spirt up Avater like so many syringes ; and on each side
a favourite gravel Avalk. Tlic Fi-ench ai-e lively and gay, and fond of the comitry ; but
the country must be trimmed, and made fashionable, before it can be tn ily delightful.”
(IJuppa’s Observations, &c., p. 14.) “ The fountain at St. Cloud, which is called the
Grand Jet, from its amazing elevation, is,” Batty observes, “ from its delightfully retired
situation, ono of the most beautiful of the kind in Em*ope (fig. 45.). It is formed of a
single jot, which shoots up from the centre of a quadrangulai' resciwoir, to tho height of
one Imndred feet. The best time for viewing this fountain is a little before sunset,
Avhcn the gloAving rays of tho setting sun gleam tlu'ough the spray of the fountain iu its
fall, and give a sparlding lustre to the surrounding foiiagc. The gai'dens of St. Cloud
abound iu fountains; but this simple je t cannot fail to bo preferred before all the
fantastical designs of the grand cascade.” (B a t tfs French Scenery.)
215. The park o f Chantilly is of great extent, but of little beauty. The surface is
nearly flat, the soil light and sandy, and the Avliole naturally a scattered forest of beech,