SPASIO having fome Letters of Importance to answer, as foon as the Cloth was taken away, retired from Table.-His epiftolary Engagements being difpatched, he inquired for Theron. The Servants informed Him, that their Mafter walked into the Garden.-A very little Search found Him, feated on an airy Mount, and fheltered by an elegant Arbour. Strong and fubftantial Plants of Liburnum formed the Shell; while the flender and flexile Shoots of Syringa filled up the Interstices. Was it to compliment, as well as to accommodate their worthy Guefts, that they interwove the luxuriant Foliage? Was it to represent those tender but close Attachments, which had united their Affections, and blended their Interefts?—I will not too pofitively afcribe fuch a Design to the Difpofition of the Branches. They compofed, however, by their twining Embraces, Embraces, no inexpreffive Emblem, both of the Endearments and the Advantages of Friendfhip. They compofed a Canopy, of the frefheft Verdure, and of the thickest Texture. So thick, that it intirely excluded the fultry Ray; and fhed both a cool Refreshment, and an amufive Gloom: while every unfheltered Tract, glared with Light, or fainted with Heat. You enter by an easy Ascent of Steps, lined with Turf, and fenced with a Balustrade of floping Bay-Trees.-The Roof was a fine Concave, peculiarly elevated and stately. Not emboffed with Sculpture; not mantled over with Fret-work; not encrufted with fplendid Frefco; but far more delicately adorned with the Syringa's filver Tufts, and the Liburnum's flowering Gold. Whofe large and lovely Clufters, gracefully pendent from the leafy Dome; disclosing their Sweets to the delighted Bee; and gently waving to the balmy Breath of Spring; gave the utmoft Enrichment to the charming Bower. Facing the Entrance, lay a fpacious graffy Walk; terminated by an octangular Bafon, with a curious Jet d'Eau playing in the Center. The Waters, fpinning from the lower Orifices, were attenuated into innumerable little Threads; which difperfed themselves in an horizontal Direction, and returned to the VOL. I. Refervoir Refervoir in a drizling Shower. Thofe, which iffued from the higher Tubes, and larger Apertures, either fprung perpendicularly, or spouted obliquely; and formed, as they fell, feveral lofty Arches of liquid Crystal; all glittering on the Eye, and cooling to the Air. Parallel to the Walk ran a Parterre; planted with an Affemblage of Flowers, that advanced, one above another, in regular Gradations of Height, of Dignity, and of Beauty. -First, a Row of Daifies; gay as the Smile of Youth, and fair as the Virgin-Snows. Next, a Range of Crocufes; like a long Stripe of yellow Sattin, quilted with Threads, or diverfified with Sprigs of Green.--A fuperior Order of Ranunculufes, each resembling the Cap of an Earl's Coronet, replenished the third Story with full-blown Tufts of gloffy Scarlet. -Beyond this, a more elevated Line of Tulips *, raised their flourished Heads, and opened their * Here is, it must be confeffed, fome little Deviation from the general Laws of the Seafon; fome Anachronism in the Annals of the Parterre. The Flowers united in this Representation, do not, according to the usual Process of Nature, make their Appearance together. However, as by the Oeconomy of a fkilful Gardener, they may be thus affociated; I hope, the Poffibility of the Thing, will screen my flowery Productions from the Blafts of Cenfure !-Or, may I not fhelter my blooming Affembly, under the Remark of a masterly Critic? Which is as pertinent to the Cafe, as if it had been written on purpofe for our Vindication; and fo perfectly elegant, that it must adorn every Work, which quotes it; and delight every Perfon, who reads it. "A their enameled Cups; not bedecked with a fingle Tint only, but glowing with an intermingled Variety of almost every radiant Hue. -Above all arofe, that noble Ornament of a royal Efcutcheon, the Flower-de-Luce; bright with etherial Blue, and grand with imperial Purple. Which formed, by its graceful Projections, a Cornish or a Capital of more than Corinthian Richness; and imparted the most con-' "A Painter of Nature is not obliged to attend Her in "her flow Advances, which fhe makes from one Season to "another; or to obferve her Conduct in the fucceffive Pro❝duction of Plants and Flowers. He may draw into his "Description all the Beauties of the Spring and Autumn; "and make the whole Year contribute fomething to render "it more agreeable. His Rofe Trees, Woodbines, and. "Jeffamines may flourish together; and his Beds be cover"ed at the fame Time with Lilies, Violets, and Ama"ranthuses. His Soil is not reftrained to any particular "Set of Plants, but is proper either for Oaks or Myrtles, "and adapts itself to the Product of every Climate."Oranges may grow wild in it; Myrrh may be met with "in every Hedge; and if He thinks it proper to have a "Grove of Spices, He can quickly command Sun enough "to raise it. His Concerts of Birds may be as full and "harmonious, and his Woods as thick and gloomy, as "He pleases. He is at no more Expence in a long Vista, "than a short one; and can as eafily throw his Cascades "from a Precipice of half a Mile high, as from one of "twenty Yards. He has his Choice of the Winds, and can turn the Course of his Rivers, in all the Variety of "Maanders, that are moft delightful to the Reader's Ima"gination. In a Word; He has the Modelling of Nature "in his own Hands, and may give Her what Charms He "pleases, provided He does not reform her too much, and "run into Abfurdities by endeavouring to excel." Spect. Vol. VI. N° 418. confummate Beauty to the blooming Colonade. The Whole, viewed from the Arbour, looked like a Rainbow, painted upon the Ground. And wanted nothing to rival that refplendent Arch, only the Boldness of its Sweep, and the Advantage of its ornamental Curve. To this agreeable Recefs Theron had withdrawn Himself. Here He fat mufing and thoughtful; with his Eye fixed upon a Cut, representing fome magnificent Ruins.-Wholly intent upon his Speculation, He never perceived the Approach of Afpafio; till He had reached the Summit of the Mount, and was ready to take a Seat by his Side. Afp. Loft, Theron! quite loft in Thought! And unaffected with all thefe amiable Objects; infenfible amidft this Profufion of Beauties; which, from every Quarter, make their Court to your Senfes !-Methinks, the fnarling Stoic in his Tub, could hardly put on a greater Severity of Afpect, than my polite Philofopher in his blooming Eden. Ther. Ah! my dear Friend, these flowery Toys which embellish the Garden, are familiar to my Eye, and therefore cheap in my Esteem. I behold them frequently; and, for that Reafon, feel but Little of the pleafing Surprise, which they may poffibly awaken in a Stranger. -Some |