168 THE VILLA GARDENEK. 



ciple as the regular curves, or nearly straight lines, constituting the line of 

 direction. It will be taken into account, that the general surface of the 

 ground over which such an ajjproach is to be formed will have pre- 

 viously been rendered artistical, by the smoothing down of all minor protu- 

 berances, the filling up of small inequalities, and the obliteration of all minor 

 elevations and depressions which interfere with tlie regular flow of outline, 

 over the entire surface of the park or pleasure-grounds. The inclination of 

 the surface of an approach ought also to be considered with reference to the 

 effect which it has on the character, or expression, of the house. Every one 

 feels that a house which is approached by an ascending road appears a far 

 more dignified object, than one the road to which is level or descending. In 

 order to obtain ascent in the direction of the road between the entrance-lodge 

 and the front of the mansion, the former ought to be placed on a lower level 

 than the latter ; and the ascent should be either regularly dis'ributed over the 

 whole length of the road, or, what is preferable, it may be very gradual at 

 first near the entrance-lodge, and increase as it proceeds towards the mansion. 

 In residences of limited extent, where the approach is necessarily short, the 

 road can seldom, with propriety, descend from the lodge, and afterwards re- 

 ascend to the mansion ; nevertheless, there are exceptions : such as when a 

 brook or lake is to be crosssed at no great distance within the lodge, to which 

 the road may descend, and, having crossed it, may reascend immediately 

 afterwards, and continue rising till it reaches the house. In approaches of 

 considerable extent, there may be various ascents and descents between the 

 entrance-lodge and the mansion, provided none of the points of ascent are as 

 high as the ground on which the mansion stands; because, in that case, they 

 would interfere with its dignity. In general, where there is great variety in 

 the surface of the grounds in the limited space over which the approach road 

 is to pass, the rises and falls in the inclination of the road will be numerous ; 

 though care must always be taken that the last variation before arriving at 

 the house is one of ascent, and not of descent. On the other hand, where 

 the variations on the surface are very gentle or verj' few, and where, as in all 

 small places, the approach is not very long, there may be an ascent from the 

 entrance-gate to the front of the mansion, eiiher regularly distributed 

 throughout, at the rate of so many inches of rise in a yard or pole of length, 

 or the rate of inclination may vary in different parts of the road. One of the 

 finest descriptions of approach road that we can imagine is, where a road of 

 several miles in extent is made to wind its way through hilly or mountainous 

 scenery at one uniform rate of ascent, till at last it arrives at an open level 

 area containing the mansion. 



201. llie materials of which approach roads are formed, to be artistical, 

 ought not to be those used in the common roads of the country : for example, 

 if the common roads are Macadamised with granite, then the approach road 

 ought to be gravel ; or, if the common roads are gravelled, as in most parts of 

 the neighbourhood of London, then the material of the approach road ought 

 to be gravel of a finer kind, such as that of Kensington or Bayswater; or 

 the approach may be Macadamised with granite, flints, blue limestone, or 

 sandstone. The artistical effect of the materials, whatever they may be, of 

 approach roads, may be heightened by the use of a heavy roller, so as to 

 render them perfectly smooth and even ; and by keeping them at all times 

 free from weeds, horse-droppings, and other offensive objects. 



