xxviii RIVERSIDE LETTERS 219 



One or two patches, here and there, still remain, 

 but the rest has been badly raddled by villas, 

 huge hotels, lodging-houses, rows of shops, 

 roads, lamp-posts and corporation gardens 

 buildings of one sort and another extend- 



O 



ing along the coast for more than seven miles 

 of what must have been its prettiest part. 

 Every villa, large or small, rejoices in some 

 fine-sounding name, and has from one to a 

 great number of the indigenous pine-trees still 

 standing in its garden or grounds. To me 

 it seems very sad, but I suppose it cannot be 

 helped. The beach and bathing are splendid, 

 however, and my children, who I am glad to 

 say are all strong swimmers, enjoyed them- 

 selves immensely. 



In my last letter I wrote about the wych 

 elm as essentially Gainsborough's tree, some 

 fine young sweet chestnuts that I noticed in 

 this neighbourhood reminded me that this 

 may truly be considered Titian's tree, for it is 

 the one he most frequently introduces in his 

 backgrounds. These trees, I am told, flourish 



