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finishing touches. The fairest scenes, that de- 

 pend upon themselves alone, weary when often 

 seen. The Doric portico, the Palladian bridge, 

 the Gothic ruin, the Chinese pagoda, that sur- 

 prise the stranger, soon lose their charms to 

 their surfeited master. The lake that floats the 

 valley is still more lifeless, and its lord seldom 

 enjoys his expense but when he shows it to a 

 visitor. But the ornament whose' merit soonest 

 fades is the hermitage, or scene adapted to con- 

 templation. It is almost comic to set aside a 

 quarter of one's garden to be melancholy in. 

 Prospect, animated prospect, is the theatre that 

 will always be the most frequented. Prospects 

 formerly were sacrificed to convenience and 

 warmth. Thus Burleigh stands behind a hill, 

 from the top of which it would command Stam- 

 ford. Our ancestors, who resided the greatest 

 part of the year at their seats, as others did two 

 years together or more, had an eye to com- 

 fort first, before expense. Their vast mansions 

 received and harbored all the younger branches, 

 the dowagers and ancient maiden aunts of the 

 families ; and other families visited them for a 

 month together. Their method of living is 

 now totally changed, and yet the same superb 

 palaces are still created, becoming a pompous 

 solitude to the owner, and a transient enter- 

 tainment to a few travellers. If any incident 



