further semi-circular bay. A wide grass verge and turf slope form the
edging. Broad walks pass all round, with pleasant views at various
points into the cool and shaded woodland alleys. Near the further angles
of the pool’s green court, the great yew hedge, which bounds the whole
garden, swings back into shallow segmental niches to take curved stone
seats. Just beyond, on the return angle, the view from the path, here
passing the right side of the pool, is ended by the lead figure of
Perseus, of heroic size, also standing in a niche cut in the yews. The
companion statue of Andromeda occupies the corresponding niche on the
other side.
After passing the Mercury, the view across the pool is met by a curious
piece of wrought-iron work in the form of a high, dome-topped
summer-house; a masterpiece of Jean Tijou. It is entered by steps, and
leads, through the trees, to higher ground beyond.
Right and left of the middle and upper portions of the garden the great
yew hedges are double; planted in parallel lines, with an open space
between. Scotch Firs, now very old and towering high aloft, give great
character to this part of the garden. In one place there are three
parallel hedges of yew, the two outermost forming the “Dark Arbour,” a
tunnel of yew a hundred yards in length, only broken near its lower end,
where a small fountain marks the crossing of a broad path.
All the lower portion of the garden is surrounded by a dense grove of
trees, in which other tall Scotch Firs stand out conspicuously. Its most
extensive area is on the right side of the Great Water, where several
grassy paths, bounded by clipped hedges of yew and lime, radiate from a
large circular space where there is a wide, round basin and
fountain-jet. Looking along one of the pleasant green ways, other jets
are seen springing from further fountains where more paths cross. The
ends of some of the walks are finished with alcoves or arbours. One of
them, that runs diagonally from the right-hand side of the large pool,
crosses the great wood fountain, and passing on some distance further
ends at a magnificent lead urn on a massive pedestal. This is also the
terminal point of view of another of the longest of the green paths.
The water that supplies the pools and fountains comes from a wild pond,
the home of many wild-fowl, that is on a higher level, outside the
grounds and beyond one of the roads that bounds them. A stream from the
pond meanders through the wooded ground, and is conducted by a culvert
to the large pool; the overflow passing out on the opposite side in the
same way.
Important in the garden’s decoration are the unusual number of lead
statues and other accessories, of excellent design. The upper lawn has
two kneeling figures of negro or Indian type, bearing on their heads,
partly supported by their hands, circular tables with moulded edges that
carry an urn-finial. The central ornament of the next level is the
Flying Mercury, after John of Bologna. Referring to this example,
Messrs. Blomfield and Inigo Thomas tell us in “The Formal Garden in
England” that “lead statues very easily lose their centre of gravity.”
This is exemplified by the Mercury at Melbourne, which has already come
over to a degree which makes its evident want of balance distressing to
the eye of the beholder, and forebodes its eventual downfall.
Lead as a material for such use in gardens is much more suitable to the
English climate than marble. It acquires a beautiful silvery colouring
with age, whereas marble becomes disfigured with blackish
weather-streaks. During the eighteenth century the art of lead casting
came to great perfection in England. Some good models came from Italy;
the original of the kneeling slave at Melbourne is considered to have
come from there. Others were brought from France. The inspiration, if
not the actual designs or moulds, of the many charming figures of
_amorini_ in these gardens must have been purely French. The pictures
show how they were used. They stand on pedestals at several of the
points of departure of the green glades. In fountain basins they form
jets; the little figure appearing to blow the water through a
conch-shell. They are also shown, sometimes singly, sometimes in pairs,
disputing, wrestling or carrying a cornucopia of flowers. One little
fellow, alone on his pedestal, is whittling his bow with a tool like a
wheelwright’s draw-knife. All are charming and graceful. They are
probably more beautiful now than of old, when they were painted and
sanded to look like stone.
[Illustration: MELBOURNE: AMORINI