of the fountains and
groves; others were renamed. In
1739-1740 there were placed near the Basin of
Neptune three groups that still lend
adornment to this spot. This was the final
attempt to decorate the gardens during
the reign of the House of the Bourbons.
Strangers from every clime marveled at the
beauty of the fountains. The ambassadors
from the Court of Siam were astounded
"that so much of bronze, marble and gilded
metal could find place in a single garden." A
member of the train of the Ambassador
from England described the park, in 1698,
as "a whole province traced by avenues,
paths, canals, and ornamented in all ways
possible by masterpieces of ancient and
modern art."

The avenues were of white sand, with
grassy by-ways on either side bordered by
elms and iron railings six or seven feet
high. Beyond these were thickets and
niches where statues, sculptured urns and
benches of white carved stone were placed.
Occasional archways of green led down dim
arbors to new enchantments. Here and
there were round or star-shaped retreats
whose carpets of grass were sprayed by
murmuring fountains. In each recess were
marble pedestals, busts, a long bench that
invited repose.

Trees of mature growth were brought in
great numbers from distant parts of France
and Flanders. Despite difficulties of
transportation, twenty-five thousand trees were
carried on wagons from Artois alone. The
forests of Normandy were denuded of
yew-trees; from the mountains of _Dauphine_ the
King's emissaries brought _epicea_ trees, and
India sent chestnut trees for the adornment
of Versailles.

Among these groves Louis delighted to
promenade in the evening, sometimes, in the
_belle saison_, until midnight. Often he went
on foot, but oftener in a light carriage drawn
by a team of small black horses that had
been given him by the Duke of Tuscany.

THE GRAND TRIANON

This palace decorated with pilasters of
pink marble was not the first building chosen
by the Grand Monarch to occupy the site
at the end of the north arm of the canal of
Versailles. Ambitious to extend his domain,
the King had purchased and razed a shabby
little village named Trianon, and on its
somewhat dreary site erected for Madame
de Montespan a villa so unpretentious as to
arouse the comment of courtiers accustomed
to the ruler's profligacy at Versailles. The
vases of faience that shone among the figures
of gilded lead, the walk ornamented with
Du