'ture, must be broad and unbroken, or the eye. will be 'distracted by the flutter of the scene; and the mind will be 'rather employed in retracing the former lines of hedge-rows, 'than in admiring the ample extent of lawn, and continuity of 'wood which alone distinguishes the park from the grass or 'dairy farm. This defect will, of course, easily be remedied'when the new plantations shall have acquired a few years' 'growth, and many of the old trees shall be either taken down 'or blended into closer groups by young ones planted very 'near them but there can be little occasion for dotting young 'trees with such profusion; and I do not hesitate to affirm, 'that of several hundred such trees now scattered upon the 'lawn, not more than twenty can be absolutely necessary.

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'The other defect of Wembly arises from a sameness of objects; and this is a defect common to all the countries 'where the grass land is more generally mowed than fed. It 'proves what no landscape painter ever doubted, that a scene consisting of vegetable productions only can seldom make a 'pleasing picture. The contrasted greens of wood and lawn 'are not sufficient to gratify the eye; it requires other objects, ' and those of different colours, such as rocks, water, and cattle; 'but where these natural objects cannot easily be had, the ' variety may be obtained by artificial means, such as a build'ing, a tent, or a road; and, perhaps, there is no object more 'useful in such countries than a good coloured gravel road, gracefully winding, and, of course, describing those gentle 'swells of the ground, which are hardly perceptible from the ' uniform colour of grass land.

'The approach-road to the house will be a feature on the lawn, both as seen from thence, and also from the high ground ' about the park. Cattle might be more frequently introduced 'than seems to be the custom of this country, especially sheep, 'than which nothing contributes more to enliven a lawn, and ' even to improve and fertilize its verdure; and though some 'objections may arise, from the nature of the soil, they are by 'no means insurmountable.'

'CASTLE HILL. A scene, however beautiful in itself, 'will soon lose its interest unless it is enlivened by moving ' objects. This may be effected by sunk fences; and, from the 'shape of the ground, there is another material use in having

'cattle to feed the lawn before the windows. The eye forms 'a very inaccurate judgment of extent, unless there be 'some standard by which it can be measured; bushes and 'trees are of such various sizes, that it is impossible to use 'them as a measure of distance; but the size of a horse, a sheep, or a cow, varies so little, that we immediately judge ' of their distance from their apparent diminution, according 'to the distance at which they are placed; and as they occasionally change their situation, they break that surface over 'which the eye passes, without observing it, to the first object 'it meets to rest upon. This doctrine will, I hope, be ex'plained by a reference to plate No. XIII. [Our figs. 29 and 30.] It has been objected to the slides with which I eluci

Fig 29. A view at Castle Hill, seen disadvantageously, for the want of cattle or other moving objects in the foreground, as well as by the flatness of the surface by which it is foreshortened.]

[Fig. 30. The view at Castle Hill, with cattle introduced in the foreground.]

date my proposed alterations, that I generally introduce, in 'the improved view, boats on the water, and cattle on 'the lawns. To this I answer, that both are real objects ' of improvement, and give animation to the scene; indeed it 'cannot be too often inculcated, that a large lake without 'boats, is a dreary waste of water, and a large lawn without

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cattle, is one of the melancholy appendages of solitary gran' deur observable in the pleasure-grounds of the past century.' 'WEMBLY. The expedient of producing variety at Wembly, by buildings, is perhaps the most difficult, and 'requires the greatest attention; because one source of our 'admiration is, that in the neighbourhood of the metropolis a ' place should exist so perfectly secluded and detached from "the "busy haunts of men:" we must, therefore, be particularly cautious that every building should appear to be an appendage or inmate of the place, and not a neighbour 'intruding on its privacy. From hence arose some difficulty ' in the style of building proper for the prospect on the hill: 'a very small one would have been inadequate to the purpose ' of containing such companies as may resort thither; as well 'as forming a dwelling house for those who should have the care of the prospect rooms, and the dairy; yet in building a large house, there was danger of making it appear to 'belong to some other person. A design has at length been 'made for such a building as is worthy of the situation, from 'whence a view is presented, of which it is very difficult for 'the pencil to give any just idea; yet it is here inserted, No. 'XIV. [Our figs. 31 and 32], for the sake of shewing the im'provement of which it is capable, on the principles already 6 enumerated, viz.—

First. By collecting the wood into larger masses, and distinguishing the lawns in a broad masterly manner, without 'the confused frittering of too many single trees.

'Secondly. By the interesting line of road winding through 'the lawn.

Thirdly. By the introduction of cattle, to enliven the scene; and,

'Lastly. By the appearance of a seat on the knoll; and a 'part of the house, with its proposed alterations, displaying 'its turrets and pinnacles amongst the trees.

'To the common observer, the beauties of Wembly may ' appear to need no improvement; but it is the duty of my 'profession to discover how native charms may be heightened by the assistance of taste: and that even beauty itself may

'be rendered more beautiful, this place will furnish a striking

example.'

[Fig 31. View from the tower at Wembly, in which there is an evident confusion; and the chief circumstance attracting notice, is the smoke of a distant limekiln seen in the horizon.]

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[Fig. 32. View from the tower at Wembly, in which it is attempted to shew how breadth of light and shade is produced, and that flutter corrected which had been the consequence of too many trees dotted on the lawn. The attention of the spectator is no longer attracted by the smoke of the limekiln, in consequence of introducing objects within the park, by which the view becomes more appropriate and concentrated; and the distance rendered more subordinate in the general composition.]

CHAP. VI.

ON THE ANCIENT STYLE OF GARDENING; OF SYMMETRY AND UNIFORMITY.

'FINEDON. There is no part of my profession more diffi'cult and troublesome, than the attempt to modernise, in part only, those places which have been formerly decorated by 'the line and square of GEOMETRIC TASTE. To explain this difficulty, I will briefly state the difference between the principles on which improvements are now conducted, and those 'which governed the style of former periods.

'The perfection of Landscape Gardening consists in the 'four following requisites: First, it must display the natural 'beauties, and hide the natural defects of every situation. 'Secondly, it should give the appearance of extent and freedom, by carefully disguising or hiding the boundary. Thirdly, it must studiously conceal every interference of art, 'however expensive, by which the scenery is improved; mak'ing the whole appear the production of nature only; and, 'fourthly, all objects of mere convenience or comfort, if inca'pable of being made ornamental, or of becoming proper 'parts of the general scenery, must be removed or concealed. 'Convenience and comfort, I confess, have occasionally misled 'modern improvers into the absurdity of not only banishing 'the appearance, but the reality, of all comfort and conveni'ence to a distance; as I have frequently found in the bad 'choice of a spot for the kitchen-garden.

'Each of the four objects here enumerated, are directly ' opposite to the principles of ancient gardening, which may 'thus be stated. First, the natural beauties or defects of a 'situation had no influence, when it was the fashion to exclude, 'by lofty walls, every surrounding object. Secondly, these 'walls were never considered as defects; but, on the con