190 



CHAPTER XL 



THE VILLA. 



Introductoiy Remarks. 



Sect. I. General Properties of the Villa. — The LocalitJ^ — The 

 Site. — Eoads. — Position of the House. — Style and Arrange- 

 ment of the House. 



Sect. II. Laying out of the Grounds of a Villa. — Seclusion. — 

 The Approach. — Kitchen Garden. — Trees and Shrubs. — 

 Water. — Leading varieties of Villa Scenery. — The Pleasure- 

 Grouiid ViUa.— The Park ViUa. 



Probably there are few raen, not possessed of ancestral 

 lands^ or without the prospect of succeeding to them, 

 and who betake themselves therefore to business, that do 

 not wish and hope, in their outset, to realize so much 

 wealth as will enable them, in the decline of life, to retire 

 to some comfortable villa near their native place, or in 

 some other locality to which they have become attached. 

 Such visions are not unfrequently realized; and the 

 desire in which they have originated has sometimes led 

 to the amassing of large fortunes, and to the possession 

 of extensive estates provided with parks and pleasure- 

 grounds. But even if all that is attained is the \dlla, still 

 a great good may have been reached. Such residences, 

 whether as retirements from active life, or occasional 

 retreats from business, or the dwellings of competence. 



