402 



Ehould be at least a hundred yards, if the ground will allow It, and that 

 the pales and gateway should, of course, cross the coach-road at right 

 angles. Moreover, the external grass-plot, which in front should be 

 kept neat with the sythe, must be protected from stray-cattle on the 

 turnpike road, by a low rough fence of larch-stakes, about two feet high, 

 or less, of which the I)ark is allowed to remain upon the stakes. 



If, in laying out an entrance-gate, on such picturesque principles, at 

 an old place, where great trees could be commanded for the external 

 wooding, and for the park-like margins on each side of the carriage- 

 way, the effect would be splendid, were any tolerable skill displayed in 

 the execution ; and it would, I am certain, do much to bring this style 

 into fashion in any district, in which it chanced to be executed. Without 

 the passport of fashion, I know, that nothing will go down in England ; 

 as even there, picturesque effect, in the details of the handsomest places, 

 is not always studied. In Scotland the things is neither known nor stu- 

 died at all : but wherever it does appear, it seizes our approbation we 

 know not why, and powerfully detains it, without our being able to 

 assign the true cause. — At places where great trees cannot be com- 

 manded, the power of the transplanting machine may be called in to 

 our assistance ; and that with a good choice of subjects spreading and 

 spiral, as the different parts may require to be brought out, will accom- 

 plish any design of ordinary magnitude, within a short period. 



One of the chief recommendations of the plan of improving park 

 entrances by external wooding consists in this, that it surmounts all 

 obstacles, and cures all deformities, at least possible expense. The 

 means of cure, namely Wood, is so beautiful in itself, that it throws 

 its own delightful character over every thing which it touches. If your 

 ground be high, it will give it shelter ; if tame and flat, variety and eleva- 

 tion ; and if it be irregular and deformed, it will oftentimes convert those 

 seeming obstructions into playful intricacy, and unexpected beauty. 



Note II. Page 288. 



Although, from the estimate given in the text, it appears, that, by the 

 common method of planting, park-wood may be obtained at thirteen 

 times the expense of wood obtained at once by the transplanting ma- 

 chine, yet I believe, if full justice were done to the comparative state- 

 ment, that the superiority of the latter would appear still greater. 



There are many items, which have been omitted here, that would teU 

 surprisingly in a correct estimate. For example ; independently of the 

 immediate and picturesque effect of the removed trees, on which no 



