18 TEE SOUDAN. allow of the full charm of variety. Nothing can be more beautiful than the wonderful clusters of purple bougainvillea growing all over a kind of grotto made up of petrified wood, from the celebrated forests of the same. In a little water in front of the grotto is the lotus-flower, a regular Indian plant; while in the shade of some of the petrified wood are several beauti ful English ferns. Overshadowing the water bends a graceful clump of bamboos, hardly hiding a group of ash trees which spring straight up behind it. Mixed with all these are beautiful clusters of roses, enor mous tropical aloes, palm trees of every kind; while darting through them here and there, and adding life to the scene, are small birds of various colours, pursuing the bright dragon-flies that flit about the water. While, to complete all, the bright, soft radiance of a Southern winter sun diffuses its cheer ful influence all round, making one think that here at least perfect peace and happiness is possible. A little past the grotto is another small piece of water, springing from the centre of which is a rockery tastefully covered with ferns, and forming the pedes tal to two statues of children, a boy and girl, the boy holding an umbrella over the girl’s head; the trees around cover them with a deep shadow, and the tout ensemble is very pretty and shows great taste. We did not go into the house, as it requires special permission from the owner ; and, after all, it is only furnished in the gaudy Parisian style. Cicolani himself comes here from his shop, for an hour or so, morning and evening, and when he does sleep here
