fruit, and other kinds of trees, which the ingenuity of man has been able
to accomplish--this is peculiarly interesting. Here, a tree is trained to
resemble a large basin, another is made to look like a gigantic umbrella,
and a third like a lady's fan.

"In one enclosure are collected together all the various specimens of
culinary vegetables that have usually been appropriated to the sustenance
of mankind; these, you will readily believe, occupy no small space; and
near them, are to be seen specimens of all the varieties of fruit trees of
which France and its neighbouring kingdoms can boast.

"In addition to all this, there are extensive green-houses and hot-houses,
filled with many thousand of the choicest plants, attached to each of
which is its scientific and its common name. Many of them were extremely
curious; I tried to remember so many, that I find I confound one with
another, and now I can scarcely recollect any, save the useful bread tree,
the curious coffee plant, and the tempting sugar cane, all of which are to
be seen here to great advantage.

"Attached to this beautiful garden, is a splendid museum, containing all
sorts of treasures connected with natural history. Here are to be seen
more than two hundred varieties of monkeys only; of birds, there are
myriads; and one or two species are shown, that are believed to be the
only ones of the kind extant; these, of course, are not alive. Here are
also collected hundreds of bird's nests, of all shapes, kinds and sizes,
from one almost as large as a hand basin, to one about the size of a green
gage plum: most of these contain eggs of such kinds of birds as those to
whom the nests belonged; and indeed the ingenuity with which many of these
little houses are constructed, surprised me more than any thing I ever
before witnessed. The collection of butterflies too is most remarkable,