4 ARBANGEMENT OF GARDENS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS 



meant to adorn the grounds of the'more aristocratic or the more 

 wealthy owner. These herbers, of whichever shape, stood at 

 the side of alleys, which he mentions in the title to this chapter. 

 And this feature of his garden views and garden delights is thus 

 simply described : — " They are to be even trodden out, and levelled 

 by a line, as either three or four feet broad, and are to be cleanly 

 sifted over with sand, to the end that showers of rain falling may 

 not offend the walkers (at that instant) in them, by the earth 

 cleaving or clogging to their feet." Very plain all this — very 

 straightforward — but surely not very exquisite in ideal or real 

 beauty. But the author falls back upon the plea of utility. He 

 declares the use of alleys to be that the owner may be able " so 

 to view the prosperity of his herbes and flowers." The truth is 

 manifest — that what would be regarded in these days not as 

 a beautiful ornament but simply as a convenience, and that, too, 

 to a house of only moderate pretensions, was magnified into a 

 feature of the scene which was not only indispensable but worthy 

 of all admiration. But the alleys would be incomplete without 

 tlie walks. And his language is worthy of observation, as show- 

 ing how completely i\\e formal reigned in every part of the plan. 

 They are strictly enjoined to be " strait." " These strait walks, 

 the ivealthy made like galleries, being all open towards the garden, 

 and covered with tlie vine spreading all over, or some otlier trees 

 which more pleased them. Thus briefly have I touched upon 

 the benefit of walks and alleys in any garden -ground, which the 

 gardener of his own experience may artly tread out by a line 

 and sift over with sand for the causes above uttered." 



The only matter now remaining for him to discuss was the 

 arrangement of the ground between the alleys and the walks, 



