149 



manner, a proper gradation from them to. 

 the simple pathway. The garden scene at 

 Blenheim is one of the best specimens of 

 the present st^'le, and I have aheady en- 

 deavoured to point out what arc its few de- 

 fects, and whence its many beauties arise.* 

 Had Vanbruoh formed an architectural orar- 

 den for a certain space immediately before 

 the house, it would not have interfered 

 with this more extended garden, or pleasure 

 ground ; on the contrary, it would probably 

 have enhanced the pleasure of it, and with 

 a slight alteration or disguise, the one style 

 might have been blended with the other, 

 and magnificence of decoration happily 

 united, with the maunificence and beauty 

 of natural scenery. In the garden scene at 

 Blenheiin the gravel walk appears in great 

 perfection : the sweeps are large, easy, and 

 well taken ; and though in wild and ro- 

 mantic parts such artificial bends destroy 

 the character of the scenery, yet in gardens, 

 "where there must be regular borders to the 

 ^valks, an attention to the different curves 



* Essa^r on the Picturesque, part 2, chap. S,' 



