Demesnes. 95 



DEMESNES. 



Perhaps we might close here with quite enough to 

 afford occupation till continuing advance supplies 

 material for another edition of this little book. I 

 Imow not a plant in our largest demesne that is not, 

 in some stage, in villa grounds ; but the choicest of 

 these are limited in size, and without space for forest 

 trees fully to develop their grandeur and beauty, and 

 compose such features as they do in large demesnes. 

 And now, with admiration of what is already within 

 our reach in the various branches of gardening of 

 which we have spoken, the mind, even of a citizen in 

 the city, seems to enlarge and expand, by prospect of 

 what will yet be accomplished in demesnes of our 

 beautiful island. We may remember how refreshed 

 we saw Socrates, as described by his friend and pupil 

 Plato, by even an evening walk in the outlets of 

 Athens, within whose walls his life was habitually 

 spent. If we continue to advance only at the rate 

 we have gone within our own memory, what a series 

 of gardens will our country present at the close of 

 a century ? 



Already we have spoken of some country seats 

 as villas, which perhaps might well be called de- 

 mesnes ; but we have increasing numbers of noble 

 demesnes which cannot be mistaken for villas, as to 

 some of which a few words may be added. And 

 though each branch of our subject presents a large 

 field for profitable as well as pleasant employment of 



