From London to Lands End | Page 5

agreeable a retreat, fixed upon a building
formerly made use of chiefly for landing from the river, and therefore
called the Water Galley, and here, as if she had been conscious that she
had but a few years to enjoy it, she ordered all the little neat curious
things to be done which suited her own conveniences, and made it the
pleasantest little thing within doors that could possibly be made, though
its situation being such as it could not be allowed to stand after the
great building was finished, we now see no remains of it.

The queen had here her gallery of beauties, being the pictures at
full-length of the principal ladies attending upon her Majesty, or who
were frequently in her retinue; and this was the more beautiful sight
because the originals were all in being, and often to be compared with
their pictures. Her Majesty had here a fine apartment, with a set of
lodgings for her private retreat only, but most exquisitely furnished,
particularly a fine chintz bed, then a great curiosity; another of her own
work while in Holland, very magnificent, and several others; and here
was also her Majesty's fine collection of Delft ware, which indeed was
very large and fine; and here was also a vast stock of fine china ware,
the like whereof was not then to be seen in England; the long gallery,
as above, was filled with this china, and every other place where it
could be placed with advantage.
The queen had here also a small bathing-room, made very fine, suited
either to hot or cold bathing, as the season should invite; also a dairy,
with all its conveniences, in which her Majesty took great delight. All
these things were finished with expedition, that here their Majesties
might repose while they saw the main building go forward. While this
was doing, the gardens were laid out, the plan of them devised by the
king himself, and especially the amendments and alterations were made
by the king or the queen's particular special command, or by both, for
their Majesties agreed so well in their fancy, and had both so good
judgment in the just proportions of things, which are the principal
beauties of a garden, that it may be said they both ordered everything
that was done.
Here the fine parcel of limes which form the semicircle on the south
front of the house by the iron gates, looking into the park, were by the
dexterous hand of the head gardener removed, after some of them had
been almost thirty years planted in other places, though not far off. I
know the King of France in the decoration of the gardens of Versailles
had oaks removed, which by their dimensions must have been above an
hundred years old, and yet were taken up with so much art, and by the
strength of such engines, by which such a monstrous quantity of earth
was raised with them, that the trees could not feel their remove--that is
to say, their growth was not at all hindered. This, I confess, makes the
wonder much the less in those trees at Hampton Court gardens; but the
performance was not the less difficult or nice, however, in these, and

they thrive perfectly well.
While the gardens were thus laid out, the king also directed the laying
the pipes for the fountains and JET-D'EAUX, and particularly the
dimensions of them, and what quantity of water they should cast up,
and increased the number of them after the first design.
The ground on the side of the other front has received some alterations
since the taking down the Water Galley; but not that part immediately
next the lodgings. The orange-trees and fine Dutch bays are placed
within the arches of the building under the first floor; so that the lower
part of the house was all one as a greenhouse for sometime. Here stand
advanced, on two pedestals of stone, two marble vases or flower-pots
of most exquisite workmanship--the one done by an Englishman, and
the other by a German. It is hard to say which is the best performance,
though the doing of it was a kind of trial of skill between them; but it
gives us room, without any partiality, to say they were both masters of
their art.
The PARTERRE on that side descends from the terrace-walk by steps,
and on the left a terrace goes down to the water-side, from which the
garden on the eastward front is overlooked, and gives a most pleasant
prospect.
The fine scrolls and BORDURE of these gardens were at first edged
with box, but on the queen's disliking the smell those edgings were
taken up, but have since been planted again--at least, in many
places--nothing making so fair