528 APPENDIX. 



a fine river residence, by cutting up the breadth of a fine lawn with a 

 ridiculous etfort at what he considered a very charming- arranofement of 

 wallis and groups of trees. In this case he only followed a mode 

 sufficiently common and appropriate in a level inland country, like that 

 of Germany, from whence he introduced it, but entirely out of keeping 

 with the bold and lake-like features of the landscape which he tliu3 

 made discordant. 



One of this kind of improvers was, some years ago, very cleverly 

 satirized by Mr. Peacock, an English reviewer of celebrity, in a comic 

 work entitled " Headlong Hall." The latter is the name of the sup- 

 posed seat of Lord Littlebrain, who has assembled around liim during 

 the Christmas feastings an odd party, among whom is Mr. Milestone, 

 the landscape gardener, evidently a portrait of " Capability Brown." 

 Mr. Milestone has been examining the estate, and, full of his projected 

 park, is e.xhibiting his portfolio of drawings of the proposed improve- 

 ments to his host and some of the guests. 



" Mr. Milestone. — This, you perceive, is the natural state of one 

 part of the grounds. Here is a wood, never yet touched by the finger 

 of taste ; thick, intricate, and gloomy. Here is a little stream, dash- 

 ing from stone to stone, and overshadowed with these untriramed 

 boughs. 



Miss Tenorina. — The sweet romantic spot ! How beautifully the 

 birds must sing there on a summer evening. 



Miss Graziosa. — Dear sister! how can you endure the horrid 

 thicket ? 



Mr. Milestone. — You are right. Miss Graziosa ; your taste is correct, 

 perfectly en regie. Now, here is the same place corrected — trimmed — 

 polished — decorated — adorned. Here sweeps a plantation, in that 

 beautiful regular curve ; there winds a gravel walk ; here are parts of 

 the old wood, left in these majestic circular clumps disposed at equal 

 distances with wonderful symmetry; there are some single shrubs 

 scattered in elegant profusion; here a Portugal laurel, there a juniper; 

 here a laurustinus, there a spruce fir ; here a larch, there a lilac ; here a 

 rhododendron, there an arbutus. The stream, you see, is become a 

 canal : the banks are perfectly smooth and green, sloping to the waters 

 edge, and there is Lord Littlebrain, rowing in an elegant boat. 



