42 The Art of Landscape Gardening 



ing it, to the first object it meets to rest upon. It has 

 been objected to the sHdes with which I elucidate my 

 proposed alterations that I generally introduce in the 

 improved view boats on the water and cattle on the 

 lawns. To this I answer that both are real objects of 

 improvement, and give animation to the scene ; indeed 

 it cannot be too often inculcated that a large lake with- 

 out boats is a dreary waste of water, and a large lawn 

 without cattle is one of the melancholy appendages of 

 solitary grandeur observable in the pleasure-grounds 

 of the past century. 



Wembly. The expedient of producing variety at 

 Wembly, by buildings, is perhaps the most difficult, 

 and requires the greatest attention ; because one source 

 of our admiration is that in the neighbourhood of the 

 metropolis a place should exist so perfectly secluded 

 and detached from the " busy haunts of men " : we 

 must, therefore, be particularly cautious that every 

 building should appear to be an appendage or inmate 

 of the place, and not a neighbour intruding on its 

 privacy. From hence arose some difficulty in the style 

 of building proper for the prospect on the hill — a very 

 small one would have been inadequate to the purpose 

 of containing such companies as may resort thither, as 

 well as forming a dwelling-house for those who should 

 have the care of the prospect rooms and the dairy ; 

 yet in building a large house there was danger of mak- 

 ing it appear to belong to some other person. 



To the common observer, the beauties of Wembly 

 may appear to need no improvement ; but it is the 

 duty of my profession to discover how native charms 

 may be heightened by the assistance of taste : and that 

 even beauty itself may be rendered more beautiful, this 

 place will furnish a striking example. 



