30 HYDE PARK. 



brated in America, and which Mr Stuart describes as being 

 &quot;embellished as a fine residence and fine grounds in Eng 

 land.&quot; The house is situated some hundreds of feet above 

 the level of, and at a considerable distance from the Hudson, 

 the intervening grounds being finely undulating. In front of 

 the house there is a road, leading from the landing-place 

 on the river, along a small stream, over which there is an ele 

 gant wooden bridge, and several artificial cascades have been 

 formed in its channel. The house is composed of wood, as 

 well as the offices and lodges, painted white, and are very 

 neat of their kind. The conservatory had been dismantled a 

 few days before our arrival, by placing the plants in the open 

 air; the collection seemed extensive and well kept. The 

 flower garden is small, the walks limited, and both destitute 

 of beauty. I am aware that most of the evergreens which 

 impart loveliness to the residences in Britain cannot withstand 

 the rigours of an American winter, but this circumstance is 

 no excuse for the nakedness of Hyde Park walks, the aid of 

 many native plants having been disregarded. The matchless 

 beauties of the situation have not only been frequently ne 

 glected, but destroyed by stiff, formal, naked walks, and the 

 erection of temples resembling meat-safes, without a climbing 

 plant, which the country produces in endless variety, to hide 

 their deformity, and harmonize them with the surrounding 

 scene. In short, while I greatly admired the situation of 

 Hyde Park, I do not recollect having seen a celebrated place 

 where nature had done so much, and man so little, to render 

 beautiful. The embellishments at Hyde Park, contrasted 

 with those met with every day in Britain, place American 

 landscape-gardening immeasurably behind, if it can be said to 

 exist. 



The progress of a people in refinement and taste, mani 

 fested in a combination of nature and art, is commonly the 

 work of time, and the decoration of grounds an unproductive 

 investment of capital. Thus the residences of England having 

 descended for ages in the same line, without the power of 

 possessors changing their destination, may be said to represent 

 the accumulated savings, labours, and tastes of many genera- 



