ON CHINESE GARDENS. 155 



ARTICLE V. 



ON CHINESE GARDENS. 

 (Continued from page 134.) 



Frequently too, the course of the walk is interrupted by a large 

 oak, or elm, or tulipifera, placed in the middle ; or by a screen of 

 trees running quite across ; which, when the part on one side of 

 the screen is opened and illuminated by the sun, and the part on 

 the other side close and shaded, produces a pleasing contrast. 



I have often seen, in China, berceaus and arbors, not of lattice- 

 work, as in France, but of bamboo, hazel, and elm; whose bran- 

 ches being interwoven at the top, formed an arch not at all dis- 

 pleasing to the eye, and exceedingly useful, during the heats of 

 summer : and to render these cool retreats more agreeable, jess- 

 amine scarlet beans, sweet-scented peas, granadillas of several sorts 

 nasturtiums, the convolvus major, and many other kinds of clim- 

 bers, were planted round the outside ; forcing their way through, 

 enriched the sides and arches of the walks in a very beautiful 

 manner, I have likewise seen, in Chinese plantations, walks bord- 

 ered with the cut yew and elm hedges, so common in most coun- 

 tries of Europe, which the Chinese Artists sometimes admit of, for 

 variety's sake ; but they never have the stiff appearance of our 

 European ones : the shears are used sparingly ; towards the top 

 the branches are suffered to spread unmolested ; and even in the 

 cut parts of them are seen large masses of other plants forcing 

 their way through ; such as the sycamore, the fig, the vine, and 

 others, whose foliage and verdure are most opposite to those of 

 the hedge. 



The dimensions both of their straight roads and walks, vary 

 according to the purposes they are designed for ; and, in some 

 degree too, according to their length. Roads or avenues to 

 considerable objects, are, as has been observed, generally com- 

 posed of three parallel walks: that in the middle being from thirty 

 to one hundred and fifty, or even two hundred feet wide ; those 

 on the sides, from fifteen to forty. In their Gardens the prin- 

 cipal straight walks are never narrower than twenty feet; and 

 seldom broader than forty-five or fifty : and the smallest are at 

 least twelve feet wide. Thirty to thirty-six feet is called a suffi- 

 cient width for a length of two hundred yards ; forty to fifty for 

 one of four hundred; sixty for one of six hundred; and seventy 



