of rounding off too much of the angles of junction in the walks and roads, was less obvious at this place than in most others which we have seen in the neighbourhood of Paris; for example, Madame de Cayla's (see fig. 25.). When we saw this villa in 1828, the whole was in a state of dilapidation; but we have no doubt that, when it was in complete repair, it displayed much natural beauty, though with a greater mixture of architectural objects, and with less repose of effect, than harmonises with the British taste in landscape-gardening. The Villa of Fromont, on the Seine-M. Soulange Bodin combines, at Fromont, an elegant villa residence with an exotic nursery, and an institution for young horticulturists. M. Soulange Bodin, like M. Vilmorin, is at once a skilful cultivator, a marchand grenetier (seedsman), a scholar, and an accomplished gentleman. As connected with the army, he has been all over Europe; and having been long (to use the Prince de Ligne's phrase) under the influence of the jardinomanie, wherever he went, the gardens were the main objects of his attention. At one time he had the principal management of the gardens of the Empress Joséphine at Malmaison. On M. Bodin's retirement to Fromont, in 1814, he commenced laying it out in the English manner, and so as to combine the picturesque scenery of the park with the profitable culture of the nursery. The grounds exceed a hundred acres of a surface gently varied, and sloping to the Seine. They are surrounded by a walk or drive, which displays varied views of the interior, the main feature of which is the château; and of the Seine, with some rising grounds, beyond the boundary. In various spaces among the groups of trees are formed beds of peat earth, in which seedlings of American shrubs are raised; the more rare kinds being propagated by artificial methods. In the walled garden near the house are numerous pits and frames, in which the more popular exotics, such as the orange, Caméllia, Azalea índica, and numerous other green-house and hot-house plants, are increased by hundreds. In effecting this, one of the principal modes employed is herbaceous grafting, or grafting on the young wood. The plants thus raised are sent to all countries. In the larger green-houses and hot-houses there is a collection of fine specimens, intended principally for ornament. The object of the institution for the instruction of young gardeners is, to supply French country gentlemen with young men well acquainted with both the practice and the theory of their art in all its branches. For this purpose there are professors, a library, a museum of implements and models, and a monthly journal, entitled Annales Horticoles de Fromont. There is not a more striking example, in all France, of the gentleman and the man of science being united with the tradesman than in M. Soulange Bodin; nor a villa in which more industry and activity goes hand in hand with picturesque beauty. There is nothing of the kind that we know of in England; nor can there be in the present state of things. It is, perhaps, one of the finest moral features in France, that most gentlemen are either manufacturers, tradesmen, or farmers; and that nearly all of the persons practising these professions are, in education and manners, gentlemen. The Villa of Admiral Tchitchagoff, at Scéaux (fig. 29.) contains 15 or 20 acres, on a nearly flat surface; but it has been laid out with extraordinary care by the proprietor, aided by the constant advice of Mr. Blaikie. The object is, to compress as many as possible of those beauties of which a pleasure-ground is susceptible into a small space. The references to the plan will show how this has been done. 29 1, The house. 2, Stabling, cow-house, coach-house, dog- 3, Poultry-yard, place for rabbits, Guinea pigs, 5, Pump and reservoir, from which leathern 6, Gardener's house and office, pigeon-house, 7, Granaries, wash-house, and tool-house. 10, Great basin surrounded by a flower-garden 11, Collections of biennials. 12, Foreign esculent vegetables. 13, Orchards for vines and peach trees. 17, Bee-hives. 16, Rockwork. 18, Rosary. 31, Herbaceous plants, and nursery. 45 and 46, Groups of magnolias and other trees, 47 and 48, Reading and breakfasting pavilions. 49, Banc bâti (alcove of masonry). 50, Grotto. 51, Banc des amis (seat dedicated to Friendship). 52, Choice fruit trees and esculent vegetables. 19, Flower-borders, and a horloge de flore (a 53, Salle de jeux (billiard-room, &c.). clock of flowers). 20, Orangery. 21, Green-house. 22, Garden of variegated plants. 23, American garden. 24, Pelouse du nord (north lawn). 25, Magnolias. 26, Mount Lebanon, a collection of cedars, 27, Conservatory of orange trees planted in the 54, Salle de danse (ball-room). 55, Pelouse de l'ouest (west lawn). 56, Shrubs and forest trees; pomegranate trees in the open ground. 57, Grande porte (principal gate). 58, Porte de charretier (gate for carts, &c.). 60, Porte du nord (north gate). 62, Carrefour des six ifs (square of six yew 63, A slip of outside ground, planted with osier. The Mass in fig. 29., in front of the House, is thus arranged (fig. 30.): 30 m P n a, Pines. b, Cedars, c, Junipers, &c. d. Malvàceæ, e, Geraniums. Tuberoses. h, Pelargoniums. i, Ligustrum, Metrosidéros, and Banksias. k, Jonquils, Narcíssi, crocuses, snowdrops, aconites, &c. 4, Cássia. m, Camellias. n, Fritillarias, a, Tulips. P, Irises, q, Laurels, &c. f, Roses. The Park of Neuilly is in a dull flat situation on the Seine. There is a small spot near the house, which bears considerable resemblance to an English pleasure-ground; but the rest of the place is very deficient in picturesque interest. There is, however, an arboretum, containing a considerable collection of rare trees and shrubs; and some hot-houses, into which the industry of the very skilful gardener has collected a number of stove plants. The Park of Marshal Massena, at Ruelle, formerly belonged to the Duc de Richelieu, and is said to remain pretty much in the state in which it was when occupied by that minister. It presents a tolerably complete specimen of the ancient style, but is much neglected. The Park of M. Morel Vindé is delightfully situated on the side of a hill; and the château looks across a narrow parklike valley, to a well-wooded hill, on which is seen a part of the aqueduct of Marly. Looking from the house to the left, the winding of the valley conceals its termination; looking to the right, the valley opens into a level country richly cultivated, with hills and the château of St. Germain in the extreme distance. With every desirable feature for the exercise of the natural style, this place was laid out, many years ago, in the geometric manner; and the natural lines of an undulating surface, to a considerable extent from the house, are changed into levels and regular slopes, or counteracted by avenues, hedges, and straight canals. We do not know a finer subject to work on in the English manner, in the neighbourhood of Paris. M. Morel Vindé is an excellent agriculturist, and the author of by far the best work on rural architecture which has appeared in France. The Château de Neuviller (fig. 31.) is situated on a com manding situation in the valley of the Moselle, between Nancy and Roville, and affords a specimen of a large French château of the time of Louis XIV. This château stands on an eminence, which protrudes boldly from the range of hills which skirt the north side of the valley. The summit of this eminence has been levelled, so as to form a platform of nearly two acres. About half an acre is occupied with the château and its different courts and offices, the remainder is laid out as a geometrical garden. The entrance is through a short avenue from behind; the carriage of the visiter passes under an archway to the court of honour, and the stranger, entering the saloon, is struck with astonishment and delight at the magnificence of the prospect, which comprises the fertile valley of the Moselle, with its numerous villages, farm-houses, cornfields, and vineyards, bounded by undulating hills covered with wood. The remains of terraced gardens, orchards, avenues, canals, and of all the component parts of a highly enriched geometric garden, still exist, though they have been utterly neglected for upwards of thirty years, and though the house was pillaged during the first excesses of the Revolution. At the base and on the sides of the knoll on which the château stands are the cottages which compose the village of Neuviller, and the public road; and we were told that it was the unjust acts perpetrated by the proprietor, in endeavouring to remove this village and road to a distance, which cost him his château, and ultimately his demesne. On looking over the numerous apartments, of spacious dimensions, on the ground floor, we found that a number of them had never been finished; and that very few of the bed-rooms were what in England would be considered habitable. As Specimens of Town Gardens in Paris, we shall give the plan of the Elysée Bourbon, that of M. Boursault, and that of Bel Respiro. The Garden of the Elysée Bourbon (fig. 32.) belongs to a palace of that name, and is situated in the Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré. It was laid out by the architect Bélanger, and contains a long glade of lawn (a); a straight covered walk (b); open winding walks (c); shady winding walks (d); a piece of water with an island (e); and a handsome terrace in front of the palace (ƒ). As far as design is concerned, the ground is made the most of; but it was planted at a time when little regard was had, and as little opportunity afforded, for the introduction of American shrubs. We found this garden in excellent order. The Garden of M. Boursault is situated in the Rue Blanche; and, for its size and situation, is one of the richest, not only in France, but in Europe. It contains less than two acres, and is surrounded on every side by high houses. The winter garden comprises a range of architectural conservatories, ornamented with columns of marble in the Corinthian order; another range of upright glass at an angle of nineteen degrees, as in Holland, and with opaque roofs containing rooms used for various garden purposes. At a time when gardening pursuits in France were confined to few, and when rare plants were only to be procured at an enormous expense, M. Bour |