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The garden of the Hoftel-fullie had nothing remarkable in it.
The bed piece of treillage of iron bars and wood intermixed, is that in the garden offeu Mods Louvois. And this is one of the neateft gardens in Paris . The whole upperend is adorned with a noble treillage after the manner of a triumphal arch ; it coft a greatfum of money. There are four ftatues difpofed on pedeftals under it, which have a goodeffedb ; thefe are antique, rarely good. One of the firft: empreffes, a Diana, an Apollo,&c. Here the walks are hard gravel, but not rolled. On one fide of the treillage is alarge aviary well ftored with birds.
The walls of the green-houfe are matted ; and large pans of iron hang down in themiddle of the houfe, at equal didances, to every window one; they have pullies tolet them down, or run them up to what height they pleafe. This way may very wellcorreft the moidnefs of the air, which the breath of the plants caufe, and diffidentlywarm them. Hot beds puff up plants; yet a warm air over their heads may be as ufe-ful to refreffi and nouriffi them in winter.
The lad private garden I faw was that of Mr. Furnier , a few days before we left thetown, nothing could be prettier. At the upper end a noble treillage, two great vafasof iron, painted of a brafs colour, and gilt.
Here I faw an apple tree potted, as the figs and oranges uled to be ; it was the whitequeenen, (or calvii d’efle,) the dem of the bignefs only of my thumb, full of fruit thefirff of June.
Many pots of Sedum Pyramidale, now a mod elegant ornament. But nothing ishere fo pompous as double red and driped docks; which they multiply with care, andtheir pains are judly rewarded ; with a thoufand other things, which my fhort turn inthe garden would not give me leave to remember.
There are great numbers of thefe private gardens in Paris , which deferve feeing; butthe feafon of the year not much favouring our curiofity, we did not much enquire afterthem.
Hitherto 1 have given a fhort account of what I'faw modly in Paris , as to the people,abroad and at home; the country round about it, is full ot populous and neat towns,and many palaces of the king and princes of the blood, which are not to be equalledwith any thing we have in England. But I am unwilling to lead you any further,it being much out of my way and humour to go to court; but becaufe it was my for-tune to be at Verfailles, St. Cloud, Marli, and Meudon , I will venture to fay fomethingof each.
Thefe four royal palaces and their gardens poffefs a barren and hilly country, asbig as mod counties in England ; two of them, Meudon and St. Cloud , have the prof-pe£t of Paris under them ; but the former hath it much more open and fully than thelatter.
This difii may be faid to be Ics Berceau des Roys, or the nurfery of kings; forthe chief of the blood royal are lodged here, viz. the king, Monfeigneur the dauphin,and the three grandfons, the dukes of Burgundy, d’Anjou, and Berry, Monfieur orthe king’s brother, and his fon the duke of Chartres , and Mademoifelle his daughter.All thefe are, or will be (as it is eafy to guefs by the growth and proportions of theyoungeft) very large and well fhaped beautiful people. The other branch of the bloodroyal, of the houfe of Bourbon, as the prince of Conde, the duke of Bourbon, and theprinceffes his daughters, the prince of Conti, are all of lefs ftature, but very well fhapedand handfome.
The duke du Maine and the conte de Touloufe I did not fee; but the princefs dow.ager of Conti often, who is without difpute one of the molt graceful and handfomeft
women