116 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



by another light gate, and between thick underwood, we found 

 ourselves close to the entrance front of the Hah 1 . 



" It is considered the most splendid specimen of the pointed Gothic. It 

 consists of a centre and three stories, finished with octagonal turrets, con- 

 nected with the main part by lofty intermediate towers, the whole enriched 

 by buttresses, niches, and pinnacles, and adorned with elaborately carved 

 heraldic designs, fretwork, and foliage, surmounted throughout by an en- 

 riched battlement." 



So much from the Guide Book. It is not my business to at- 

 tempt a criticism of " the finest specimen of the pointed Gothic" 

 in England ; but I may honestly say that it did not, as a whole, 

 produce the expected effect upon us, without trying to find rea- 

 sons for the failure. Even when we came to look at it closely, 

 we found little to admire. There was no great simple beauty in 

 it as a mass, nor yet vigorous original character enough in the 

 details to make them an interesting study. The edifice is long 

 and low, and covered with an immense amount of meaningless 

 decoration. 



Such was our first impression, and we were greatly disappoint- 

 ed, you may be sure. We admired it more afterwards on the 

 other side, from the middle of a great garden, where it seems to 

 stand much higher, being set up on terraces, and gaining much, 

 I suspect, from the extension of architectural character to the 

 grounds in its front. Here we acknowledged a good deal of 

 magnificence in its effect. Still it seemed as if it might have 

 been obtained in some other style, with less labor, and to be much 

 frittered away in a confusion of ornament. 



This garden is a curiosity. It is in the geometrical style, and 

 covers eight acres, it is said, though it does not seem nearly that 

 to the eye. It is merely a succession of small arabesque figures 

 of fine grass or flower beds, set in hard, rolled, dark-colored 



