above the porticos, and all the waters rushed
down over the steps of marble. In addition,
twenty-two vases at the sides of the bosquet
threw jets into the air. 'Without having
seen it,' says Blondel, 'it is impossible to
imagine the wonderful effect produced by this
decoration.'"

The Orangery was the chief work begun
in 1678, and in the following year the superb
Basin of Neptune and the Lake of the Swiss
Guards were commenced. In the years
1680-1685 workmen were busy digging, laying
pipes, planting and decorating the _Salle de
Bal_, or outdoor salon of festivities, the
Parterre of Fountains, and the Colonnade,
where amid marble columns and balustrades
the Court often came to sup and make merry.

In all, fourteen hundred gushing fountain
jets animated the gardens. Le Nôtre, the
author of these amazing water-works, died
in the year 1700, when almost ninety years
of age. Saint-Simon declared him justly
renowned in that he had given to France
gardens of so unique and ravishing a design
that they completely outran in beauty the
famous gardens of Italy. European
landscape decorators counted it part of their
education to journey to France for the