17 



of the ground, and other surrounding circumstances, to some extent 

 governed the arrangement, and prevented the buildings being so freely 

 planned and arranged as they might have been. The plans were well 

 considered, and no pains were spared to perfect and make them as 

 complete as possible ; but some alterations and changes took place in 

 the training arrangements shortly afterwards, and the building of this 

 establishment fell through. 



Enough, perhaps, has been said about bygone days. I shall be 

 very pleased if these little reminiscences will stir up pleasant reflec- 

 tions in the memories of those who remember these times. The 

 pleasures of our youth, when all appeared bright and glorious, have 

 been the happiest times with most of us, and one may be pardoned for 

 fondly dwelling on them and the good old days, which, I fear, are not 

 destined to return to this country again. 



The author now respectfully desires to make a few remarks on 

 building stable offices. Besides possessing a really good and well- 

 arranged plan, the stables ought to have some pretension to archi- 

 tectural taste, as they are frequently placed near the house ; and on 

 a large property, where the owner is fond of horses, they form an 

 important adjunct. 



Stables ought not to be placed too near the house, and yet not 

 too far removed to be inconvenient. In adding new stables to old 

 mansions, the position would be governed by circumstances ; but in 

 an entirely new building the author suggests their position being in 

 the vicinity of the servants' offices, unless, of course, the nature of the 

 ground, and the desire to obtain certain views of the surrounding 

 scenery, render this impossible. There are no hard-and-fast lines 

 wdiere the stables should be placed. To be within easy reach of the 

 mansion, not too obtrusively situated, and comfortably nestling in 

 some convenient spot, to blend and group with the surrounding land- 

 scape, would appear to be all that could be desired. It is most 

 important that the position ought to secure as much of the sunlight 

 as possible, and, in fact, be bright and cheerful for both man and 

 beast. 



Sometimes stables may be so placed in connection with the 

 mansion-house as to greatly enhance the picturesque appearance as 

 seen from the garden front and terraces ; and when partially concealed 

 by judicious planting the effect is good. They may be sometimes 

 arranged to adjoin the kitchen-gardens, and so form proper fruit-walls 



