SQUARES 231 



down in 1800, and Russell Square was built on the 

 garden. Both Bloomsbury, or Southampton Square, as it 

 was sometimes called, and Russell Square have good trees, 

 and in each garden there is a statue by Westmacott. 

 Charles James Fox, seated in classical drapery, erected in 

 1 8 16, looks down Bedford Place, where stood South- 

 ampton House, towards the larger statue, with elaborate 

 pedestal and cupids, of Francis, Duke of Bedford, in 

 Russell Square. This is one of London's largest 

 Squares, being only about 14O feet smaller than Lin- 

 coln's Inn Fields, and included most of the garden of 

 Southampton House, with its fine limes, and a large 

 locust-tree, Robinia pseudo acacia. 



The laying out is more original in design than most 

 of the squares, having been done by Repton in 18 10. 

 \n Repton's book on Landscape Gardening he goes 

 fully into his reasons for the design of Russell Square. 

 " The ground," he said, " had all been brought to one 

 level plain at too great expense to admit of its being 

 altered." He approves of the novel plan of placing the 

 statue at the edge instead of in the usual position in the 

 centre of the Square. " To screen the broad gravel-walk 

 from the street, a compact hedge is intended to be kept 

 dipt to about six feet high ; this, composed of privet 

 and hornbeam, will become almost as impervious as a 

 hedge of laurels, or other evergreens, which will not 

 succeed in a London atmosphere." He says he has not 

 " clothed the lawn " with plantation, so that children 

 playing there could be seen from the windows, to meet 

 "the particular wishes of some mothers." "The outline 

 of this area is formed by a walk under two rows of lime- 

 trees, regularly planted at equal distances, not in a perfect 

 circle, but finishing towards the statue in two straight 



