Pleury^ Chateau de RadepoJit. 647 



given may be rendered ridiculous, when the execution of it is 

 committed to men wliolly ignorant both of the science and the 

 practice of that part of their ai't. Frequent as are the handsome 

 residences, and numerous as are the examples of beautiful land- 

 scape-gardening, in England, yet it is certain there is not one 

 residence in a hundred that is any thing like well laid out ; 

 comprehending under this term, well designed and well exe- 

 cuted. Every competent judge will allow that we are correct in 

 this assertion : and we know, from 25 years' experience, that 

 things will never be otherwise till the patrons of gardening ac- 

 quire by a very different education from that which they receive 

 at present, by travelling, and by reflection, a degree of taste 

 far superior to what one in a hundred of them now possesses ; 

 or till a new race of gardeners arise, educated to the utmost, 

 and allowed by their masters opportunities of looking about 

 them, and of reading, reflecting, and sketching from nature. It 

 is not likely that there ever will be many such serving gardeners 

 in this or in any country ; and, therefore, our hopes of im- 

 provement are from the rising generation of small proprietors, 

 who, highly educated, travelled, and accomplished, will act as 

 their own architect, landscape-gardener, and botanist. All the 

 professions in the world have arisen from the ignorance, pri- 

 vations, or superfluities of individuals. When, by a high degree 

 of education and its effects, mankind become more nearly 

 alike in knowledge and in property, professional men will be 

 less necessary, and some professions, and among these that of 

 landscape-gardener, will probably cease to exist. But in this, 

 as in every other contemplated advance in the progress of mind 

 and of happiness, all will depend on the degree of increased 

 education given to both the employers and the employed. 



Fleury is a small village of one straight street across a valley 

 ten or twelve miles from Rouen, on the road to Paris. A 

 stream which drives two or three cotton machines is the prin- 

 cipal cause of the village, and accounts for the houses being 

 chiefly new. Radepont is about half a mile distant from it 

 down the stream, on the north side of the valley ; it is ap- 

 proached through some very wretched-looking thatched mud 

 cottages, with earthen floors and small windows. 



The Chateau de Radepont, M. le Marquis de Hadepont, pre- 

 sents no fTi'and or striking feature ; but the grounds are varied, 

 well planted, very well laid out, and exceedingly well kept. 

 The extent of the demesne may be 30 or 40 acres, partly on 

 the side, and partly along the bottom, of a valley. The house, 

 a plain modern building, is situated in the middle of a low flat 

 surface, and unaided by any external feature. The interesting 

 part of the grounds is the irregular declivity which rises from 



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