ON FORMING THE DIRECTIONS OF PLEASURE-GROUND WALKS. 257 



in all cases would be faulty ; as in the surface of the earth generally, 

 hills, valleys, trees, shrubs, or water, points out the necessity, so in 

 the case we refer to there should always be a reason for diversion of 

 path, and if the situation does not naturally possess such, art must be 

 employed to effect the necessity. Windings, however, must not occur 

 60 frequent in wide walks as in narrow ones, but be in proper pro- 

 portion where art is employed generally, as is to be done in flat situa- 

 tions, taking care that two curves are not seen at one view, but an 

 object of concealment exists, unless in the case of a winding stream 

 of water. 



In marking out roads the artist must greatly depend upon his 

 feeling, in the choice of a line which shall at once be inviting and 

 productive of pleasure, as leading to those spots where beautiful 

 natural scenes are presented to view. These lines may be accurately 

 marked out from a plan, or by means of arrangements in nature; but 

 a line of this sort always betrays a compulsory course, it wants that 

 free and bold sweep, or, in other words, it wants nature. 



It also frequently happens, that a line which appears particularly 

 beautiful on paper is not pleasing in nature. The paper is a flat 

 surface, this is seldom the case in nature ; consequently, the lines must 

 appear different, as we have previously observed. Therefore lines 

 rising from vallejs, and ascending over hills, are much more difficult 

 to trace out than those on a level surface. In the first case, their 

 appearance is as varied as the forms of the hills and dales over which 

 they are to wind. To overcome this difficulty, I know of no other 

 rule than that these lines should be carefully tested, and by repeated 

 corrections and improvements be brought nearer to nature as well as 

 to beauty. 



Tracing out walks should therefore, 1st, not be considered so 

 trifling, because much more is required from the lines which define 

 them than that they should merely describe curves. They should 

 have a noble, majestic, and graceful curve. 2nd. At every new turn, 

 directly opposed to the preceding one, the reason and necessity which 

 occasioned it must be shown. 3rd. The objects to which the walk 

 leads should account for its existence. 



Walks may be so constructed as to make gardens appear much 

 larger than they actually are, by never allowing the boundary, which 

 is often very limited, to be seen, but which must be concealed by 



