41 



demesne and free warren, with paramount rights ov<-r the sur- 



rounding country: but, though built in a forest, it is evident, 

 from its name and style, that it was not meant to be situated in 

 a desert, the haunt only of wild beasts: on the contrary, it was 



to be a desert beautified— un-bcau-descrt ; rendered habitable, 

 with all the elegance, magnificence, and comfort, of which it 



was capable. We must therefore look back to the reiirn of 

 Henry VIII, when this mansion was presented to the family, 

 was at that time surrounded, not only by the wild scenery 

 of the forest, but by the animals which then made forests ter- 



rible; such as stags, boars, and wild cattle: to which might 

 perhaps be added the uncivilized human beings, against whom 

 some decided line of defence was absolutely necessary. This 

 was the origin of those court-yards and lofty terrace-walls ob- 

 servable in old pictures of places of this date : so few of these 

 now actually remain in our modern days, that I rejoice to find 

 it the wish of the noble Proprietor of this noble pile to restore 



its pristine character; and if we are to retain any part of the 

 grandeur of the Mansion, we must not surrender its outworks. 

 Although the same motive for defence no longer exists, yet the 



semblance must be preserved, to mark the limits betwixt the 



gardens or pleasure grounds, which belong to man; and the 



forest or desert, which belongs to the wild denizens of the 



chace.* 



* In the architectural arrangement of such parts of the following plan, as require a 

 knowledge of ancient forms, I am happy to have the advantage and assistance of my 

 ingenious friend, John Shaw, Esq. 



G 





