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The approach to a palace ought unquestionably to enter a court, (see 

 Palace Plan), enclosed by walls in character architecturally with the edifice. 

 There should also be proper lodges, rising higher than the walls. These, 

 with the stables and any ornamental outbuildings partially presenting them- 

 selves embosomed in trees, would add extent and importance to the whole. 

 Within the court, broad gravel roads should surround a plot or plots of 

 lawn, grouped with shrubs and sculpture, for the purpose of accommodating 

 carriages in waiting during their stay. There should be borders, too, of 

 shrubs, to mask out the stable yard, with a few ornamental trees to give 

 variety — without, however, entirely shutting out the stables. (See Plan.) 

 Perhaps, in the case of a royal palace, where the approach is by a direct 

 avenue, the enclosed front ought to be of grass, interspersed with rich 

 shrubs, statuary, and fountains, and not all gravel, as at Buckingham Palace ; 

 and I should allow a greater extent than what is there, say sixty yards or 

 more, in order to give an air of freedom, as well as to keep the public further 

 from the windows. Then, in front of this, I would allow a breadth of forty or 

 fifty yards of gravel, extending the whole length of the front, and as far beyond 

 as is necessary for the convenience of military, carriages waiting, and spectators. 



An approach should never run parallel with the public road from which 

 it starts. Such an arrangement would not only cause useless expense, but 

 indicate both bad taste and foolish display. It is far better to foUow the public 

 road, so as to be able to start directly from it, either through the kept ground 

 or otherwise, taking care not to enter too near, and thus disturb the privacy 

 of the residence by the gaze of the public. 



Neither should we fall into another common error. I well remember an 

 approach which had been studiously arranged with a view to increase its 

 length as much as possible. It started from the turnpike road at one end of 

 the estate, and passed through a newly planted park of scarcely any interest, 

 for about three-quarters of a mile, having in view nearly the whole of the 

 way the farm, kitchen gardens, and all the back premises. Its course was 

 then directed past the principal living rooms to the entrance hall. Three 

 sides of the edifice were by this very expensive process brought into view ; 

 but the grand object of the projector might have been accomplished by 

 forming a drive, of about two hundred yards in length, from the same 

 turnpike road. 



