the
other. It suffered much from Charles Martel in 737, who wished to
destroy it, owing to its offering a strong military position to the
Saracens; and still more from the ravages of a certain Francis Trancat,
to whom Henry IV granted permission to make excavations in the interior
of it, on condition that three parts of the product should be given up
to the royal coffer.

The result did not repay the trouble or expense; and one cannot help
being rejoiced that it did not, as probably, had it been otherwise, the
success would have served as an incentive to destroy other buildings.

In the vicinity of the Tour-Magne are the fountain, terrace, and
garden, the last of which is well planted, and forms a very agreeable
promenade for the inhabitants of Nismes. The fountain occupies the site
of the ancient baths--many vestiges of which having been discovered
have been employed for this useful, but not tasteful, work.

It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century, that it was
suspected that the water which served to turn a mill in the immediate
vicinity had been obstructed by the ruins which impeded its course.
This obstruction led to excavations, the result of which was the
discovery of the remains of buildings, columns, statues, inscriptions,
and fragments of rare marbles.

The obstructions being thus removed, and the town enriched by the
precious objects found, the persons to whom the direction of the
excavation was confided, instead of vigorously pursuing the task, were
content with what they had already discovered, and once more closed up
the grave in which so many treasures of antiquity were still
interred--using many of the materials disinterred for the formation of
the terraces which now cover it.

The architect selected to execute this work was Philip Marechal, an
engineer, never previously employed, except in military architecture: a
fact to which may be attributed the peculiar style that he has
exhibited--bastions and trenches being adopted, instead of the usual
and more appropriate forms generally used for terraces and canals.

To these are subjoined ornaments of the period in which the work was
completed--the fitness of which is not more to HBO commended than that
of the work itself: the whole offering a curious mixture of military
and _rococo_ taste.

It was in the freshness of early morning that I, yesterday, again
visited the garden of the fountain and its fine chesnut trees and
laurel roses; the