A journey to Paris in the year 1698 by Dr. Martin Lister.

These Private Gardens I saw in Paris.

D'Aumont. Its Green House opened in∣to the Dining Room: The Orange Trees seemed to have suffered, and had their Leaves withered; for the Room was too broad by half.

The Treillage, at the upper end of the Garden, was very well adorned with Gilding, and had in the middle a Pavil∣lon,

in which was an old Roman Statue of a young Man, very well preserved: The fashion of the Toga here was so evi∣dent, that it might well pass for a con∣viction to those, who have thought it to be a Plade, or a Garment open before like a Cloak.

This Treillage is performed with that variety of Ornaments, that it resembles Filegreen Work, and is large. The Painting of these Works in green is not well performed in all places alike; it is either too yellow, or of a sad dirty green, or Sea green; few have hit the right Grass green colour. To do it well, it is to be primed in yellow, and then to be covered with Vert de Montagne or La∣pis Armeniacus; of which last colour we have plenty in England about Maulham in Craven in Yorkeshire.

This is the great benefit of Treillage in Cities, that besides the beauty of it to the Eye, it takes away and hides the ill prospect of the Neighbouring Houses.

Here were very many Fig-Trees well grown in square Boxes; and Parterrs well stockt with Flowers; each sort by them∣selves; as Tulips a-part; Junkills a-part; Anemonies a-part; Ranunculus's a-part; Daffadills a-part.

Puissart. This Garden is very neat, and open at the end to the Tuilleries. The Treillage Walk or Arbor at the upper end is very fine, 70 Paces long, and 8 broad, hath 3 Pavillons all open at the top. It is all of Iron, painted green, and cost 15000 Livers.

The Gardner was an Artist; and had some Plants in Cases in good order, not to be seen elsewhere, as large Rosemary Bushes, Jacobaea Maritima, Marum Syriacum, &c.

The Walls were well covered with Fruit Trees; he had not cut his Peaches; when I askt him the reason, he told me, it was his way, not to cut them till after flowring, which he found by Experience to improve the Fruit; whereas he said, the early cutting Stockt them, and im∣paired the Fruit.

The Orangery here was the most beau∣tiful Room, for the bigness, I had seen, paved with Marble, and neatly Wain∣scoted with Oak, from the top to the bot∣tom, after our English manner. I make no doubt it served to eat in in Summer, when cleared of Trees.

Bouvillier. I found not any thing more remarkable here than the Trellage at the end.

Comartin. The Trellage in this Garden was most admirable in the fashion of a Triumphal Arch; half of it was an A∣viarie, with a Fountain in it, well stor'd with Birds.

Here were large Iron Vasa's upon Pe∣destals, the first I had seen of the Kind, painted over of a Copper colour.

Les Diguieres. This is the only House in Paris, I saw kept in all the parts of it, with the most exact cleanliness and neatness, Gardens and all.

In the Garden there were several pieces of Trellage; that at the upper end was very noble, and cost 10000 Livres; an∣other piece of it cost 6000. But I saw a small one all of Iron-leaves painted green, the only one of the Kind. Here also were great Vasa's of Trelliage upon Pede∣stals.

The Fountains in this Garden were very curious, though small, with proper Or∣naments, which had a marvellous effect, when the Spouts plaied off.

The first Court was set about with Cases of extraordinary large Laurus Tinus, and in the Gardens there were some cut into square Pyramids.

A Person of Quality came into the Garden to me, who with great Civility conducted me up to the Apartments.

In the Apartment of the Dutchess, which was all of her own Contrivance, and had an Air of State and Agreeable∣ness beyond any thing I had seen, I observed hanging down in the middle of the Bed-chamber the finest Crystal Candle∣stick in France: The Pieces were all bought single by her, and the Contrivance and setting them together was her own; it cost 12000 Crowns.

But before I left the Garden, in an obscure Parterre I saw the Tomb of a Cat, viz. a Black Cat Couchant upon a White Marble Cushion, fringed with Gold, and Gold Tassels hanging at the corners upon a square Black Marble Pe∣destal: On one of the sides of that Marble is writ in Letters of Gold.

Cy gist Menine la plus aimable & la Plus aimee de toutes les chattes.

On the other side.

Cy gist une chatte jolie Sa maistresse qui n'aimoit rien L'aime jusques à la follie Pour quoy dire! on le voit bien

This is not the first Instance of this kind of folly; I have seen something of it in England; and have read much more in History.

If you blame me for Transcribing this Epitaph, I will submit; but I could ne∣ver have forgiven my self, if I had Tran∣scribed the many fine Inscriptions I met with at Paris, though in most Elegant and truly Roman Words; others in pure Court French. You may read them in the Description of Paris.

De Lorge. We had the good fortune here to find the Marshal himself walking in his Garden; who Entertained us with great Civility, viz. the Dean of Win∣chester and my self. This Garden was not finisht, and the House it self was but building; but it is one of the finest in Paris, and has the advantage of a most free and extended prospect of the Fields and Montmarter: At the end of the Gar∣den rises a Tarrass equal with the Ram∣part.

That which was in this House and Garden very commodious and noble was, that betwixt the two Courts the Coaches drive through a stately Hall upon Pillars, and might land on either side, up a step

or two, which leads to the Staircases and other Apartments; and then in the fur∣thest Court, which is only divided from the Garden by high Pallasadoes of Iron, they turn, and take up the Company a∣gain; so that no Weather offends them. Which is much wanting here; and more with us at London, where we most need it.

This Hall is open upon Arches to the Garden, and the Staircase it self is so contrived, that you enjoy a full prospect of the Garden and Montmarter in descend∣ing.

The Marshal very obligingly shewed us his own Apartment; for all the rest of the House was full of Workmen; and in his Bedchamber his little Red Damask Field Bed, which he lay in now, and which also served him, when he com∣manded upon the Rhine.

He shewed us his great Sash Windows; how easily they might be lifted up and down, and stood at any height; which Contrivance he said he had out of Eng∣land, by a small Model brought on pur∣pose from thence: There being nothing of this Poise in Windows in France be∣fore.

He also had us into a Set of small Closets or Rooms, after the English fashi∣on, very prettily furnished, neatly kept, and retired, with his English Keys to them, as he told us; and from thence we descended a back Pair of Stairs: We did all we could to hinder him from see∣ing us take Coach: He sent his Page af∣ter us, to invite us some day to Eat with him.

Hostel Pelitier. The Garden here was very neat, with a Trelliage at the end after the manner of a Triumphal Arch, but not very high, nor well Painted; yet its Beauty and Finishings differ much from any I had seen before. In the two Niches were plac'd great Iron Vasa's or Flower Pots, right before the middle of a Basin of Water, which was set a Playing for our Entertainment, which is a Com∣pliment the French are willing to ob∣lige Strangers with.

In the Orangerie were very large Trees, and two pair of Mirtles in Cases, cut Globe-wise, the best and biggest I had seen: Large Bushes in Pots of Marum Sy∣riacum. Great store of Tulips, Anemo∣nies, Ranunculus, and other Flowers in Beds, in the Parterre, each by them∣selves.

Also Anemonies and Ranunculus's in little Earthen Pots, as with us; but in very light Mold. Great and very fair Laurus Tinus's in Cases. And, which was singular, a-long one of the Garden Walls were planted Abel Trees, whose tops were disposed and spread by an Iron Trelliage into Arches at equal distances, which had a very good effect.

* 1.1The Garden of the Hostel-sullie had no∣thing remarkable in it.

* 1.2The best Piece of Treillage of Iron Bars and Wood intermixt, is that in the Garden of feu Mons. Louvois. And this is one of the neatest Gardens in Paris. The whole upper end is adorned with a noble Treillage after the manner of a Triumphal Arch; it cost a great Sum of Money: There are 4 Statues disposed on Pedestals under it, which have a good effect; these are Antique, rarely good. One of the first Empresses, a Diana, an Apollo, &c. Here the Walks are hard Gravel, but not Rowled. On one side of the Treillage is a large Aviary well stored with Birds.

The Walls of the Green House are Matted; and large Pans of Iron hang down in the middle of the House, at

equal distances, to every Window one; They have Pullies to let them down or run them up to what height they please. This way may very well correct the moistness of the Air, which the breath of the Plants cause, and sufficiently warm them. Hot Beds puff up Plants; yet a warm Air over their Heads may be as useful to re∣fresh and nourish them in Winter.

* 1.3The last Private Garden I saw, was that of Mr. Furnier, a few days before we left the Town, nothing could be pret∣tier. At the upper end a noble Treillage, two great Vasa's of Iron painted of a Brass∣colour and gilt.

Here I saw an Apple Tree Potted, as the Figs and Oranges use to be; it was the White Queenen, (or Calvil d'Este) the Stem of the bigness only of my Thumb, full of Fruit the first of June.

Many Pots of Sedum Pyramidale, now a most elegant Ornament. But nothing is here so pompous as double red and stript stockes; which they multiply with care; and their Pains are justly Rewarded. With a thousand other things, which my short turn in the Garden would not give me leave to remember.

There are great numbers of these Pri∣vate Gardens in Paris, which deserve

seeing; but the Season of the year not much favouring our Curiosity, we did not much enquire after them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hostel-sul∣lie.
• * 1.2

  Louvois.
• * 1.3

  Furnier.