March 80, 1876. 1 



JOUENAL OF HORTICULTUKfl AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



2S3 



figaration of the ancient part of this place. We find Deep- 

 dene firet noticed as a residenco by Evelyn in his Diary in 

 1555, in which he says, " I went to see Mr. Cha. Howard's 

 amphitheatre garden cr eoUtaire recess, being fifteen acres 

 invironed by a hill. He showed us divers rare plants, caves, 

 and a elaboratory." At that time Mr. Howard had been its 

 owner about three years, and had planted a vineyard and 

 otherwise beautified the estate. Aubrey also speaks of this 

 place, which he visited between the years 1G73 and 1692, in 

 the following enthusiastic terms: — "Here the Hon. Charles 

 Howard hath very ingeniously contrived a long Hope in the 

 most pleasant and deUghtful solitude for house, gardens, 

 orchards, &c., that I have ever seen in England. He hath 

 cast this Hope into the form of a theatre, on the sides whereoff 

 he hath made several narrow walks, which are bordered with 

 Thyme and some Cherry trees, and Myrtles. In short it is 



an epitome of Paradise, and the Garden of Eden seems well 

 imitated here." 



It was in this delightful retreat that Mr. Howard lived 

 many years, ohitfiy employing himself in experimental re- 

 searches in natural philosophy ; but chemistry was his favour- 

 ite study, and for the more commodious prosecution of which 

 he erected laboratories in subterranean grottoes formed for 

 that purpose. Amongst other works which he carried on here 

 one was a passage through the hill, which was intended to 

 let in the prospect of the Vale of Sussex from the south, 



I but the earth having faUen-in the design was not carried out. 



! The passage is now used for a Potato stoie ; and a second one, 

 50 yards long, is now used as an Apple room, and the Potatoes 

 and fruit keep remarkably well in these capacious caves. 



Mr. Howard died in 1713, and the following tribute to his 

 character was written by the late Lady Burrell in 1792. It is 



Fig. 76.— Debpdese 



recorded on a tablet in the original garden affixed near the 

 eatranee to the grottoes that formed part of his laboratory. 



" If worth, if leamiDf?, shonld willi fame be crowneti, 



If to soperior talents praise be due, 



Let Howard's virtues consecrate the ground 



Where once the fairest flowers of science grew. 

 " "Within this calm retreat the illustrious sage 



Was wont his rjrateful orisons to pay ; 



Here he perused the legendary page. 



Here gave to chemistry the fleeting day. 

 " Cold to ambition, far from courts removed. 



Though qualifled to fill the statesman's part. 



He studied Nature in the paths he loved, 



Peace in his thoughts and virtue in bis heart. 

 " Soft may the breeze sigh through the Ivy boughs 



That shade this humble record of his worth, 



Here may the robin undisturbed repose. 



And fragrant flowers adorn the hallowed earth." 



A descendant of Mr. Charles Howard afterwards became 

 Duke of Norfolk, whose son, the eleventh Duke, sold The Deep- 

 dene in 1791 to Sir William Burrell, from whose son it was 

 purchased by Mr. Thomas Hope about 1806. 



Thomas Hope, Esq., the purchaser of The Deepdene, wa3 of 

 the family of the Hopes of Amsterdam, a great banking firm. 

 He was a great patron of the fine arts, and also a cultivator of 

 the same in his own person. He was a distinguished writer, 

 and was the author of " Anaatatius " and several other works 

 on costnmes and architecture. He was a great collector of 



works of art, both ancient and modern, as the splendid col- 

 lection of sculpture, paintings, furniture, etrusoan vases, &c. , 

 in the mansion at Deepdene amply testify. 



Mr. Hope died in 1831, when Henry Thomas Hope his eldest 

 son Bueoeeded to the estates, which he held till hia death in 

 1862. Mr. H. T. Hope was a great friend of Mr. Disraeli, the 

 present Prime Minister, and his firet novel " Coningsby " was 

 written here, as may be setn in hia dedication. Mrs. Hope 

 has held The Deepdene since Mr. Hope's death, and by her 

 great taste and with the assistance of able gardeners has 

 added considerably to its beauty and atirnctiveness. 



Of Deepdene it has been said that no place in England 

 would be so appropriate for performing the religious rites of 

 the Celts, its amphitheatral form, its dells, mounds, and 

 bowery solitudes imparting to the demesne a romantic aspect. 



The mansion, which is a large and imposing striicture in the 

 Italian style of architecture, is erected on t);e northern declivity 

 of a richly wooded hill overlooking a picturesque valley and 

 commanding extensive views. The grounds- are approached 

 from Dorking through a young avenue of Limes, and the 

 undulated psrk contains ornamental groups of Scotch Firs, 

 Beeches, Oaks, &a., with here and there a sohtary Birch weep- 

 ing in BUvery gracefulness. Entering by the kitchen garden 

 we pass through an avenue of pyramid fruit trees, and arrive 

 at the pleasure-ground boundary — a massive hedge of Laurels 

 and Ivy. Through a fine natural arch of the latter plant we 



