ARCHED ErSTIC EKIDGE. 



CHAPTER IX. 



KOADS, "WALKS, AND BKIDGE3. 



234, The possession of property confers a rig-lit of way, and this right of 

 way, combined with man's gregarious nature, warlike propensities, and com- 

 mercial necessities, has originated the necessity for, and covered the earth 

 with, roads. Peace and war have run a neck-and-neck race in the matter, 

 and Alexander, the Caesars, and Napoleon, have vied in road-making with the 

 Telfords, McAdams, and Stephensons. The great Roman roads stretched, it 

 is said, a distance of 6,000 miles from the capital, and so well made were 

 they, that some of them are still in existence ; Napoleon's great Simplon 

 and Mount Cenis roads eclipse in dignity and grandeur any of our turn- 

 pikes, and are worthy of being compared with George Stephenson's iron 

 pathway for his fiery locomotives across Chat Moss. It is also worthy of 

 remark, that the very principles upon which railroads are formed were 

 those adopted by the Roman engineers. They made a straight nearly level 

 road between two localities, throwing down mountains, filling up valleys, 

 tunnelling through or bridging over all obstacles in their path. To be 

 enabled to reach distant places by the nearest route, with the greatest ease, 

 in the shortest time, being the main principles of perfect transit, it will be 

 useful to bear this in mind while treating of the formation of roads and walks. 

 A carriage-road, for instance, should always appear to be the best and most 

 direct route to the house. If this principle is not violated, it matters less 

 whether it is long or short, straight or curved, level or undulating, carried 

 through parks stocked with bounding deer or noble woods abounding with 

 game ; but let it once become obvious that the road is unduly lengthened for 

 the sake of effect, and the charm vanishes at once, — the same scenery that 



