MR. URBAN AND A COUNTRY HOUSE 



when these were removed, the view was sadly 

 interfered with by the mossy wall already 

 spoken of. To obviate this difficulty I sug- 

 gested a gap in the wall thereabout, and the 



establishment of a broad rustic gate under 

 whose rude arch the distant spire would come 

 into sight as through a frame-work, A rough 

 sketch will give a hint of the vista. 



No pencilling, however, will represent that 

 soft suffusion of smoky color which enwraps 

 the little spire and house-roofs, as they come 

 to the eye through the gap in the sharp dark 

 green of the foreground. 



The view to the northeast (in the direction 

 of the dotted line /), at the time of taking 

 possession, looked over a foul marsh lying 

 upon the opposite side of the high-road; this 

 marsh received the drainage of all the elevated 



309 



