SITUATION. 17 



Structures, constitute the harmonizing link between art in the 

 building, and nature in the grounds. The latter are neither 

 artistical nor natural. 



Let the reader fancy to himself a horticultural structure, of 

 unusually large dimensions, situated on the southern declivity 

 of an open field, without a single green leaf of foliage to inter- 

 vene between the unbroken whiteness of the structure and the 

 distant sky. The very ornaments of the building are altogether 

 hidden, even at the distance of a dozen yards, because their forms 

 are viewed upon a background of cloudless vacancy ; directly in 

 front is a terrace, more than a dozen feet deep, and so steep as 

 to require a ladder to scale it, and at the bottom it terminates 

 with an abrupt angle, adjoining a potato and cabbage garden. 

 However unquestionable may be the position of the splendid 

 structure here referred to, there is something so irreconcilably 

 incongruous about its precincts, that the most untutored imagi- 

 nation is at once struck with the total want of harmony, unity, 

 and effect. The terrace itself has the unfinished appearance 

 of a dwelling-house, where the work has been suspended before 

 the roof and chimneys had been put on ; a thing appearing to 

 have an isolated and independent existence, having no apparent 

 relation either to the structure or the grounds, and heartily 

 despised by both. Now the position of the building referred to 

 is, undoubtedly, excellent, and a better site could not be found, 

 to produce a more imposing effect from a front view, which, in 

 horticultural structures, is generally the best, providing the 

 structure be sufficiently elevated above the axis of vision. But 

 in the present case the effect is destroyed ; first, by a total want 

 of unity and harmony in the foreground, and, secondly, by a want 

 of the deep, dark foliage of trees, presenting their irregular 

 outlines against the sky in the background, which gives all 

 buildings, and more especially those of a light character, as hot- 

 houses, &c., that picturesque and pleasing appearance, particu- 

 larly when the surface of the ground is broken by undulations, 

 and the scenery diversified with a variety of objects, distinct in 

 themselves, yet harmonizing with each other. 



From the foregoing observations, the propriety will be seen 

 of placing horticultural erections in the immediate vicinity of 



