THE FLORIST. 237 



island, are only so many arrangements in planting, by which three 

 beautiful and extensive views are obtained from the house and 

 grounds, — up and down the river and across into Kew Park, from 

 which, you observe, we are separated by this narrow piece of water, — 

 ditch I cannot call it, for see how the trees are reflected on its clear 

 surface. But step out, or we shall linger too long. That is Isle- 

 worth and its church ; the tower of which, adorned with ivy, is a beau- 

 tiful object, whilst the body of the building is barbarously out of 

 keeping with it : no doubt the year it was " beautified" the church- 

 wardens were bricklayers or brick-makers, not stonemasons. To 

 our right, in the park, is the Observatory; and, far beyond, the Queen's 

 laundry ; nothing like good air and water for washerwomen ! But 

 away, and there on the left is Syon House, the seat of the Duke 

 of Northumberland, at present tenanted by the Duchess Dowager. 

 Notice that row of arches or cloisters supporting the building ; some 

 few weeks back all the charity children in the neighbourhood were 

 there entertained by that munificent lady, — ay, and the poor work- 

 house children too. What a day for them to remember all their 

 lives ! for it was no mere parade of kindness, no ostentation, but 

 that kindly address to the better feelings of our nature, shared alike 

 by peer and pauper, and which may bear fruit in days to come. May 

 she happily live to see it ! 



Beyond is Brentford, dirty Brentford, busy Brentford : who that 

 coached through Brentford in bygone days can either forget or for- 

 give it, — rumble, tumble, tit, bump ! one's very bones ache at remem- 

 brance of it ; so stretch on, and let us get those beautiful alders on 

 yon island between its wind, redolent of stenches of all kinds, and 

 our nobility. What a good object Kew Bridge makes in the dis- 

 tance ! And look, here is a floating greengrocer in his boat, — 

 " Apples ! pears ! all ripe, ripe !" and see, there is a hail for him to 

 go alongside from a boat-load of boys. But we turn up this lane, and 

 here is Kew Green, and yonder are the entrance-gates, handsome, as 

 they should be ; and see, mark that chap in his cart, with his short 

 pipe stuck in the corner of his mouth ; look at the fellow ! with 

 what an air he " tools along" his spavined beast, whose every motion 

 seems an active agony ! no short cut for him — out of the way, every 

 body ; round he drives, and pulls up with the air of a lord in his 

 buggy, and unloads his freight of some six or eight men and women 

 for a sight of the gardens. Capital fellow, that ! a true English- 

 man. " Knows his rights," ay, and enjoys them too ; calls it " My 

 gardens !" And so they are ; and long may he and the like find in 

 them a pleasant resort ; for we may be sure that so long as they go 

 to such places for enjoyment, they will feel an interest in their pre- 

 servation, and the effect cannot fail to be a refining one. — But wait 

 awhile : I must over the Green, to buy, beg, borrow, or steal some 

 paper ; for I have forgotten my memorandum-book : strange over- 

 Bight for 



An Erratic Man. 



