PUBLIC PARKS CONNECTED WITH LARGE TOWNS. 



Public Parks for large towns are of very great importance to persons whose 

 occupations compel them to dwell in a smoky and impure atmosphere. They 

 are, indeed, almost necessary; and they ought to be of sufficient extent to 

 afford a spacious promenade, to have a great variety of pleasure ground, and 

 to present, if not a complete, at least a judicious collection of attractive 

 kinds of trees, shrubs, and flowers, varied with lawn, arranged in the best 

 possible manner and most attractive style. 



An Arboretum, upon the principle of that at Derby, would also be highly 

 attractive, as well as instructive. When the extent of ground is of sufficient 

 magnitude, room must also be afforded for various athletic games, and for 

 other amusements, as at Manchester. In forming the three parks at Man- 

 chester, (which we had the privilege of designing), the committee particularly 

 wished us to arrange our plans so as to offer convenience for as many varieties 

 of games as possible. In order, therefore, to make the most of the ground 

 we had to operate upon, we designed the pleasure ground as near as prac- 

 ticable to the skirts of the plot, and then took advantage of every nook or 

 recess which was to spare for the different play-grounds, — for archery, quoit 

 alley, skittle ground, bowling green, climbing poles, gymnasium, marbles, 

 see-saws, &c, for males; and see-saws, balls, skipping rope, the Graces, &c, 

 for females. A general play-ground was formed in the centre of the whole 

 plot, of about twelve or fifteen acres, for cricket, knor and spell, leaping poles, 

 football, and foot races, &c, and also for the additional purpose of large 

 public meetings. These plans, with but a few exceptions, were generally 

 approved and acted upon. One exception I think it necessary to mention, 

 because the omission very much deteriorated our general arrangements; and 

 the committee would not have permitted it had their funds been larger. I 

 allude to an inner fence of wire, by which it was intended to divide the 



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