66 THE PLEASURE, OR [JAN. 



squares, angles, circles, and other geometrical figures, &c. all 

 corresponding in the greatest regularity, to effect an exact symme- 

 try and proportion. 



Straight walks were every where observed, and all arranged pa- 

 rallel, and crossing one another in regular intersections ; generally 

 a grand one of gravel was extended in a straight line immediately 

 from the front of the main house, having each side verged either 

 with a regular straight border of earth, furnished with a variety of 

 flowers, &c. and sometimes having a verge of grass three or four 

 1 feet wide, then a border embellished as above with various plants ; 

 this main walk being often intersected by others at regular distances, 

 so as sometimes to divide the space immediately in the front of the 

 house, into four, six, or more equal squares, some of which were 

 sometimes formed into parterres, sometimes only naked grass- 

 plats, or other uniform divisions ; and often the whole garden was 

 thus divided by straight, parallel, and intersecting walks, into many 

 regular squares and angles, without any variation. 



Grand parterres were very commonly presented immediately on 

 the front of the main house, having a grand walk of grass or gravel 

 directly from the house through the middle, or dividing the parterre 

 ground into two divisions. 



A parterre, is a spacious level plot of ground, divided into many 

 partitions, of different figures and dimensions ; by means of edgings 

 or lines of dwarf-box, &c. or by verges of grass-turf, and tracks of 

 sand, fine gravel, shell, and scroll-work, &c. 



These works were in great estimation in ancient gardening, and 

 were commonly situated, directly in front of the house, generally the 

 whole width of the front, or sometimes more. 



The general figure of a parterre, is an oblong or long square ; 

 because by the rules of Perspective, or the natural declension of the 

 visual rays in opticks, a long square sinks almost to a square, and 

 an exact square appears much less so than it really is, when 

 viewed at a distance; therefore parterres were generally made 

 twice as long as broad. 



These were bounded by a long bed, or border of earth, and the 

 internal space within, divided into various little partitions, or inclo- 

 sures, artfully disposed into different figures, corresponding with 

 one another, such as long squares, triangles, circles, various scroll- 

 works, flourishes of embroidery, and many ether fanciful devices ; 

 all of which figures, were edged with dwarf-box, &c. with interven- 

 ing alleys of turf, fine sand, shells, &c. 



The partitions or beds were planted with the choicest kinds of 

 flowers ; but no large plants, to hide the different figures, for such, 

 were intended as a decoration for the whole place, long after the 

 season of the flowers was past. 



Though parterres in general are now become rather unfashion- 

 able, a little of that kind of work, might still be permitted for variety 

 sake, though not immediately in front of the house as heretofore. 

 A spacious lawn, bounded with rural shrubberies, is the most 

 eligible situation for such ; but a plain parterre of a moderate ex- 

 tent, either formed with lines of box, or with turf, might be intro- 



