510 THE MAGAZINE *0F HORTICULTURE. 



acquainted with the route, and enjoyed tlie fine views and 

 pleasant weather very much. So highly are these enjoy- 

 ments prized by the English, that, at the time of starting, 

 two ladies had high words as to which should have the only 

 remaining outside seat ; finally, one surrendered, and the 

 other "took Sebastopol.'' 



About eleven o'clock we arrived at Barslow, a small village 

 adjoining Chatsworth, After a few preliminaries I started 

 for Chatsworth, and soon found the head gardener, procured 

 a guide, and went forth to explore the far famed wonders, 

 created by Sir Joseph Paxton and others. 



In passing through the park on my way to the mansion, I 

 fully realized, for the first time, what I had always imagined 

 fine English parks to be : groups of venerable oaks, with 

 room enough for each to spread its arms to their utmost ex- 

 tent, interspersed with smaller trees, of various kinds and 

 sizes, down to the hawthorn ; all being arranged in the most 

 irregular and picturesque shaped groups, and connected to- 

 gether by scattering trees and shrubs, in a very natural and 

 happy manner, in the shade of which were reposing herds of 

 fallow deer, sheep and cattle. 



The mansion is a grand old structure, built of a drab stone, 

 in the Roman style. The main building, by Sir Christopher 

 Wren, architect, was finished in 1706, having been about 

 twenty years in building. The old mansion, which formerly 

 occupied the same site, was celebrated as being the occasional 

 residence of Mary, Q,ueen of Scotts, during her imprisonment, 

 from 1570 to 1581. Some of the furniture used by her, 

 still remains, and is exhibited to visitors. The new wing is 

 385 feet long, and is a continuation of the east and west 

 fronts to the north ; it was built by Sir Jefl'ry Wyatville, 

 architect, and is a modern structure in the Greco-Roman 

 style. It harmonizes well with the older portion, and makes 

 one continuous frontage of 557 feet. The interior is finished 

 in very different style from our modern upholstery affairs ; 

 the stairs, halls, door jambs, &c., are all real stone, built into 

 the walls as they were constructed ; the halls have tassellated 

 pavements, in colored marble ; the floors of the best rooms 



