park wall could be removed; because otherwise the drive must cross the road twice at No. 12, as I suppose it to enter a field at No. 13, which might be planted to connect it with the Broomfield copse, No. 14, from whence, after crossing several interesting small enclosures, with forest-like borders, it enters and sweeps through the wood, Little Fentums, No. 16, to join the old drive, or at least such parts of it as can be made subservient to a more interesting line. After crossing a valley and streamlet at No. 17, and another at No. 18, it should ascend the hill of Piper's Wood, in which there are at present no drives, and at No. 19, a branch may lead on to the common, as a green way to London. The drive sweeping round to No. 20, opens on a view of the village and valley of Fulmer, with a series of small ponds, which, in this point of view, appear to be one large and beautiful piece of water: this scene may be considered the most pleasing subject for a picture, during the whole course of the drive. This would be a proper place for a covered seat, with a shed behind it for horses or open carriages; but it should be set so far back as to command the view under the branches of trees, which are very happily situated for the purpose at No. 20.

From hence the drive descends the hill, in one bold line, No. 21, with a view towards the opposite wood across the valley. Having again ascended the hill, in wood, there are some parts of the present drive which might be made interesting by various expedients. At No. 22, one side of the drive might be opened to shew the opposite hanging wood in glades along the course of the drive. At No. 23, a shorter branch might be made to avoid the too great detour, though there is a view into the valley of Fulmer, at No. 24, worthy to be preserved. In some parts the width of the drive might be varied,

* In long drives such attention to convenience is advisable; a thatched hovel of Doric proportions, may not only be made an ornament to the scenery, but it will often serve for a shelter from sudden storms in our uncertain climate; for this reason it should be large enough to contain several open carriages.

I have distinguished, by Italics, some peculiar circumstances of variety, from having observed great sameness in the usual mode of conducting a drive through a belt of young plantation, where trees of every species are mixed together. There is actually more variety in passing from a grove

and some of the violent curvatures corrected; in others, the best trees might be singled out, and little openings made, to be fed by sheep occasionally; and another mode of producing variety would be to take away certain trees, and leave others, where any particular species abound: thus, in some places, the birches only might be left, and all the oaks and beech and other plants removed, to make, in time, a specimen of Birkland forest, while there are some places where the holly and hawthorn might be encouraged, and all taller growth give place to these low shrubs, with irregular shapes of grass flowing among them. This would create a degree of variety that it is needless to enlarge upon.

The course of the drive through Shipman's Wood, No. 26, may be brought lower down the hill, to keep the two lines as far distant from each other as possible, and also to make the line easier round the knoll at No. 28, though an intermediate or shorter branch may also diverge, at No. 27, towards the valley. There is some difficulty in joining this drive with the park without going round the gardener's house; but as the kitchen-garden must be seen from this part of the drive, and as it forms a leading feature in the establishment of Bulstrode, it will sometimes become part of the circuit to walk through it, and the carriages may enter the drive again at No. 31; I have, therefore, described two ways, No. 29, and No. 30, as I suppose the bottom of this valley to be an orchard, through which the drive may pass, or make the shorter line along the garden wall, to No. 31.

The course, along the valley, is extremely interesting; and, as some consider the farm-yard and premises a part of the beauty, as well as the comfort, of a residence in the country, I have supposed one branch of the drive, No. 32, to pass near a large tree, and the other to go on the bank at No. 33, and cross the corner of Hedgerley green, which I suppose might be planted round the gravel pit; but when the drive enters the farm enclosures, it ought, if possible, to follow the course of the hedges, and not to cross a field diagonally. From No. 34 to No. 35, is perfectly flat, and follows the line of the hedges to

of oaks to a grove of firs, or a scene of brushwood, than in passing through a wood composed of a hundred different species of trees as they are usually mixed together.

the corner at No. 35, where a new scene presents itself, viz. a view towards the village of Hedgerley, in a valley, surrounded with woody banks. The drive now skirts along the hedge, and passes, at No. 36, a farm-house, which might be opened to the field, and then enters Wapsey's Wood, in which the first bold feature will present itself at No. 37, where the drive may come so near the edge as to shew the view along the valley, and the amphitheatre of wood surrounding these small enclosures: it then passes through the wood to a very large oak, at No. 38, which may be brought into notice by letting the drive go on each side of it, and afterwards, following the shape of the ground, it sweeps round the knoll at No. 39, with a rich view of the opposite bank, across the high road, seen under large trees; it then ascends the hill by the side of a deep dell at No. 40, and makes a double at No. 41, to cross the valley, that it may skirt round the knoll on the furze hill at No. 42, from whence it descends into the valley at No. 43, and either returns to the house, by the approach from Oxford, or is continued under the double line of elms at No. 44, to ascend by the valley from whence the drive began.

To some persons this description may appear tedious; to others it will, perhaps, furnish amusement, to trace the course of such a line on the map; but I have purposely distinguished, by Italics, some observations, containing principles which have not before been reduced to practical improvement.

HEATHFIELD PARK is one of those subjects from whence my art can derive little credit: the world is too apt to mistake alteration for improvement, and to applaud every change, although no higher beauty is produced. The character of this park is strictly in harmony with its situation; both are splendid and magnificent; yet a degree of elegance and beauty prevails, which is rarely to be found where greatness of character and loftiness of situation are predominant: because magnificence is not always united with convenience, nor extent of prospects with interesting and beautiful scenery. The power of art can have but little influence in increasing the natural advantages of Heathfield Park. It is the duty of the improver to avail himself of those beauties

which nature has profusely scattered, and by leading the stranger to the most pleasing stations, to call his attention to those objects which, from their variety, novelty, contrast, or combination, are most likely to interest and delight the mind. On this foundation ought to be built the future improvement of Heathfield Park; not by doing violence to its native genius, but by sedulously studying its true character and situation: certain roads, walks, or drives, may collect the scattered beauties of the place, and connect them with each other in lines, easy, natural, and graceful.

A common error, by which modern improvers are apt to be misled, arises from the mistake so often made by adopting extent for beauty. Thus the longest circuit is frequently preferred to that which is most interesting; not indeed by the visitors, but by the fancied improver of a place. This, I apprehend, was the origin, and is always the tedious effect, of what is called a Belt; through which the stranger is conducted, that he may enjoy the drive, not by any striking points of view or variety of scenery, but by the number of miles over which he has traced its course, and instead of leading to those objects which are most worthy our attention, it is too common to find the drive a mere track round the utmost verge of the park; and if any pleasing features excite our notice, they arise rather from chance than design.

To avoid this popular error, therefore, I shall endeavour to avail myself of natural beauties in this drive, without any unnecessary circuit calculated to surprise by its extent. I shall rather select those points of view which are best contrasted with each other, or which discover new features, or the same under different circumstances of foreground; beguiling the length of the way by a succession of new and pleasing objects.

If the circuitous drive round a place becomes tedious by its monotony, we must equally avoid too great sameness or confinement in any road which is to be made a path of pleasure: a short branch from the principal drive, although it meets it again at a little distance, relieves the mind by its variety, and stimulates by a choice between two different objects; but we must cautiously avoid confusion, lest we cut a wood into a labyrinth. The principal road at Heathfield leads towards the tower, the other is no less interesting where

it bursts out on one of those magnificent landscapes so pleasing in nature, yet so difficult to be represented in painting; because quantity and variety are apt to destroy that unity of composition which is expected in an artificial landscape: for it is hardly possible to convey an adequate and distinct idea of those numerous objects so wonderfully combined in this extensive view; the house, the church, the lawns, the woods, the bold promontory of Beachy Head, and the distant plains bounded by the sea, are all collected in one splendid picture, without being crowded into confusion.

This view is a perfect landscape, while that from the tower is rather a prospect; it is of such a nature as not to be well represented by painting; because its excellence depends upon a state of the atmosphere which is very hostile to the painter's art. An extensive prospect is most admired when the distant objects are most clear and distinct; but the painter can represent his distances only by a certain haziness and indistinctness, which is termed aërial perspective. I cannot dismiss this subject without expressing the pleasure which was excited in my mind, on finding a lofty tower erected by the present possessor, and consecrated as a tribute of respect and gratitude to that gallant Commander, for his public services, who derived his title of HEATHFIELD from this domain, and his military glory from the rock of Gibraltar. Over the door is inscribed in large letters, made from the metal of the gunboats destroyed,

In the woodland counties, such as Hertfordshire, Herefordshire, Hampshire, &c. it often happens that the most beautiful places may rather be formed by falling, than by planting trees; but the effect will be very different, whether the axe be committed to the hand of genius or the power of avarice. The land-steward, or the timber-merchant, would mark those trees which have acquired their full growth and are fit for immediate use, or separate those which he deems to stand too near together, but the man of science and of taste