40 PARKS AND PLEASURE-GROUNDS. 



upon its iucouveniences or its expense. They adoj^t it, 

 in short, because it is the fa.-hion. One buys a piece 

 of ground -without knowiug its capabilities fur the ob- 

 ject to winch it is designed, and throws himself into 

 the hands of his professional landscape undertaker, and 

 •his architect, heedless of then- skill or fitness to execute 

 their work. They squander his money, and put up a 

 place — after the fashion — and perhaps before it is 

 ready for his occupation, he becomes disgusted with 

 the expense and place together, gets over his passion 

 for retirement, and sells it on the first good ofi^er, at a 

 heavy sacrifice. Another may retain his, and try 

 country life for a year or two, and then, finding it un- 

 satisfactory, disposes of it at perhaps a better price 

 than the last, and pockets the loss with the best grace 

 be can. Another, still wiser, buys a place already built, 

 at a considerable discount, and occupies it, intending 

 to make it a j)ermanent residence; but his circum- 

 stances changing, in business or family, it is again 

 sold, most usually at a loss, for, coming into his hands 

 ever so complete, his own propensity for improvement 

 has involved an outlay of some thousands for its far- 

 ther embellishment, for v.^hich the new purchaser is 

 not inclined to pay. And so goes almost the entire 

 chapter, until there is rarely to be found a " country 

 place" within striking distance of our principal cities, 

 which has been occupied for twenty years by the same 

 family, or name, and but very few for half that period. 

 They have proved the most expensive luxuries in 

 which their proprietors have indulged, and are thrown 

 off their hands like any other bauble which amused 

 their fancy for the time, and with quite as little regret. 

 These are facts which it is well to weigh before 



