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342. The English garden o f the new palace at Stuttgard was laid out, in 1809, from a
design by the late king. I t was planted with lirac trees, from twenty to forty years old,
from the avenues of Ludwigshurg and Solitude. All of these trees died in three y e a rs ;
their heads were not reduced, and their roots were not cut rouird and prepared a year
or two before transplanting. The ])laces of the dead trees have been since supplied by
lime trees, with stems of four inches in diameter; horscchcstnuts, eighteen inches in
diameter; poplars stiU larger, and platanus nine inches in diameter; all of whicli were
planted with their branches severely cut in, and have succeeded perfectly. An avenue
from the front of the palace through tho centre of this gai-den, planted with platanus,
rising from hedges of mixed roses, chiefly of the Provence sort, leads to the new palace
of Rosenstein.
343. Mon Repos ( fg . 89.) is a highly finished retreat belonging to the king, in the
ncighhom-hood of Ludwigsbm-g. The pavilion is small, but iu regular Roman architecture,
surrounded by an ai-cade, over which is a broad terrace on a level with the
first floor. The apartments are full of curiosities; china, mirrors, sculptures, timepieces,
&c. Some of the lai-gest mirrors ai-e composed of several plates, joined together
at the angles, in a manner considered now in this country some years ago (Gard. Mag.,
vol. iv. p. 178.), but which is evidently old enough here. The situation of the house is
on the margin of a large artificial lake, irregular in shape, and yet not natural in appearance.
Tho house, on the garden front, contains several tcn-aces, ornamented vases,
statues, and other sculptures; and these, in November, 1828, were covered with cases of
boards, with far-projecting, mushroom-like tops to throw off the rain, which had an
exceedingly good effect. The boundaiy fence to the grounds is composed of stone
piers, with intcmcdiate panels of wood. After being shown the house, strangers arc
taken in a boat to an island in the lake. Here they ascend some bold artificial rock-
work, and, by a circuitous route, shaded by Scotch pines and other evergreens, arrive
at a spacious cave, containing a number of grotesque figures, modelled in wax, as largo
as life, and sitting round a table, which wc were told were representations ol the ancient
judges of the country. The president was pointed out to us, with a book under his
hand, and his secretary standing beside him. From this cave we ascended still through
rockwork, and under the sliade of pines, to a snudl Catholic cha]iel, at one end of which
is a low building thatched with heath, about the size of a cottager’s pigsty, containing a
mechanical hermit, whose interior machinery, hy the opening of the door, lifts up his
hand, stretches it out, and shakes his head. Our attendant informed us that the late
king took pleasure iu frightening women with this gewgaw.
344. The palace, or landhaus (country-house), as it is called, o f Rosenstein, is beau-
tifully situated on rising grounds in the neighhotirhood of Stuttgard, with tho royal
palace in which, it communicates hy a straight road, three miles in length, through a
mixed style of landscape. Tlio palace is from the designs of Salucci, and is chavactonsed
by an elegant simpHcity of stylo. In the view of the entrance front ( fg . 90.), the
chapel of Rothcnhorg is seen from the summit of tho hill of that name. This chapel
(Jig. 91.) was built hy the present king, at tho request of Ins first wife, as a hurial-placo
for her remains. In the view of tho garden front ( fg . 92 ) will be seen to the left, the
valley of tho Nockar ; in tho foreground, orchards ; and m the distance, hills covered with
vines I t is utterly impossible to give an idea of the great beauty of the situation ot the
palace at Rosenstein otherwise than by very large views The hills and
which every where surround it, all of the most varied and beautiful forms, and at the
most suitaUe distances for effect, tho lower ranges covered with fru,t trees,
and vineyards ; and the higher summits hare or clothed with forests ; tt a t noWo river
the Neckar, at tho bottom of a steep bank, immediately under tho eye ; its fertile valley,
with the ancient village of Constadt on one side of the palace; on the other, at some
distance, the city of Stuttgard ; and in eveiy direction the parkhke styfo r f the countiy
form altogether one of the noblest situations for a princely residence winch wc taj® 3
where seen. So admirably do tho orchards, vmcyaris, and plantations of
proprietors harmonise with the park, that it seemed to us, m 1828, as if the whole
kmgdom of Wirtomhcrg had joined together m forming a park and palace for then king.