A VISIT TO MONTGOMERY PLACE. 



155 



way up its length, the lines of planted trees 

 give place to a tall wood, and this again is 

 succeeded by the lawn, which opens in all 

 its stately dignity, with increased effect, 

 after the deeper shadows of this vestibule- 

 like wood. The eye is now caught at once 

 by the fine specimens of Hemlock, Lime, 

 Ash and Fir, whose proud heads and large 

 trunks form the finest possible accessories 

 to a large and spacious mansion, which is 

 one of the best specimens of our manor 

 houses. Built many years ago, in the most 

 substantial manner, the edifice has been 

 retouched and somewhat enlarged within a 

 few years, and is at present both commo- 

 dious, and architectural in character. 



Without going into any details of the in- 

 terior, we may call attention to the unique 

 effect of the pavilion, thirt}' feet wide, which 

 forms the north wing of this house. It opens 

 from the library and drawing-room by low 

 windows. Its ribbed roof is supported by a 

 tasteful series of columns and arches, in 

 the style of an Italian arcade. As it is on 

 the north side of the dwelling, its position 

 is always cool in summer ; and this coolness 

 is still farther increased by the abundant 

 shade of tall old trees, whose heads cast a 

 pleasant gloom, while their tall trunks allow 

 the eye to feast on the rich landscape spread 

 around it. (See Frontispiece.) 



To attempt to describe the scenery, which 

 bewitches the eye, as it wanders over the 

 wide expanse to the west from this pavilion, 

 would be but an idle effort to make words 

 express what even the pencil of the painter 

 often fails to copy. As a foreground, ima- 

 gine a large lawn waving in undulations 

 of soft verdure, varied with fine groups, 

 and margined with rich belts of foliage. 

 Its base is washed by the river, which is 

 here a broad sheet of water lying like a 

 long lake beneath the eye. Wooded banks 

 stretch along its margin. Its bosom is 



studded with islands, which are set like 

 emeralds on its pale blue bosom. On the 

 opposite shores, more than a mile distant, 

 is seen a rich mingling of woods and corn- 

 fields. But the crowning glory of the land- 

 scape is the background of mountains. The 

 Kaalskills, as seen from this part of the 

 Hudson, are, it seems to us, more beautiful 

 than any mountain scenery in the middle 

 States. It is not merely that their outline 

 is bold, and that the summit of Roundtop, 

 rising 3000 feet above the surrounding 

 country, gives an air of more grandeur than 

 is usually seen, even in the Highlands ; 

 but it is the colour which renders the 

 Kaatskills so captivating a feature in the 

 landscape here. Never harsh or cold, like 

 some of our finest hills, nature seems to de- 

 light in casting a veil of the softest azure 

 over these mountains — immortalized by 

 the historian of Rip Van Winkle. Morn- 

 ning and noon, the shade only varies from 

 softer to deeper blue. But the hour of sun- 

 set is the magical time for the fantasies of 

 the colour-genii of these mountains. Seen 

 at this period, from the terrace or the pavi- 

 lion of Montgomery Place, the eye is filled 

 with wonder at the various dyes that bathe 

 the receding hills — the most distant of 

 which are twenty or thirty miles away. 

 Azure, purple, violet, pale grayish-lilac, and 

 the dim hazy hue of the most distant cloud- 

 rift, are all seen, distinct, yet blending magi- 

 cally into each other in these receding hills. 

 It is a spectacle of rare beauty, and he who 

 loves tones of colour, soft and dreamy as 

 one of the mystical airs of a German maes- 

 tro, should see the sunset fade into twi- 

 light from the seats on tt.is part of the 

 Hudson. 



THE MORNING WALK. 



Leaving the terrace on the western front, 

 the steps of the visitor, exploring Montgo- 

 mery Place, are naturally directed towards 



