ROADWAY OF THE APPROACH. 29 



the ground is level_, a suitable termination is compara- 

 tively easy ; but in other cases some cutting and filling 

 up of the sm-face may be needful before access can be 

 had with a gentle inclination to the hall door, or a suf- 

 ficient breadth of level surface can be formed in front of 

 it. Almost every case has some peculiarity of its own. 

 There should always be a level platform of gravel of 

 sufficient breadth to allow caiTiages to turn on it. 

 When this platform is small, it is very desii'able that 

 the adjoining portion of the approach should be level. 

 When the nature of the ground admits of it, the plat- 

 form should be extended, and its exterior portions should 

 be laid down in grass. T\Tiere the ground slopes rapidly 

 from the entrance front, it is proper to support the plat- 

 form by an ornamental wall or balustrade. The approach 

 should, if possible, never descend towards the house, 

 without a considerable space of level ground intervening 

 between the lowest point of the descent and the entrance 

 platform. Any visible descent near the house always 

 imparts to the latter a mean and inferior appearance. 



Roadway of the Approach. — The road, to have any- 

 thing like a tolerable appearance, cannot be below 

 twelve feet wide. From twelve to sixteen feet may be 

 regarded as a medimn breadth; but it may be neces- 

 sary to make it as much as twenty feet. A long narrow 

 approach through an extensive park has veiy much the 

 look of a footpath. The road should be well formed ; 

 for, though it may not be subjected to the bm-den of 

 heavy cartages, the carriages that pass over it are not 

 always of the lightest description. Besides, in addition 

 to its being a good road, it should also be a good walk, 

 and this cannot be effected without its being finished in 

 a superior manner. The roadwav should have its bottom 



