ON WOOD AND PLANTATIONS. 51 



rious quincunx, obelisks, and pyramids, — fitting objects of 

 admiration of those who wallced in high heeled shoes, ruffs 

 and fardingales, with fan in hand, or in trunk hose and laced 

 doublet." • 



Regularity, uniformity, and symmetry, were the leading 

 and indispensable principles of the ancient style. Even in 

 the most simple country residences, the plantations were al- 

 ways arranged in some regular lines or geometrical figures. 

 Long parallel rows of trees were planted for groves and 

 avenues along the principal roads and walks. The greatest 

 care was taken to avoid any appearance of irregularity. A 

 tree upon one side of the house, was always opposed by an- 

 other vis a vis, and a row of trees at the right of the man- 

 sion, was always accompanied by one on the left : or, as Pope 

 in his Satire has more rythmically expressed it — 



Grove nods at srove, each alley has its brother, 

 And half the platform just reflects the other. 



In the interior of the park, the plantations were generally 

 disposed, either in straight avenues crossing each other, or 

 clumped in the form of circles, stars, squares, etc. ; and long 

 vistas were obtained through the avenues divaricating from 

 the house in various directions, over level surfaces. One of 

 the favourite fancies of the geometric gardener, was the La- 

 byrinth, (fig. 1,) of which a few celebrated examples are still 

 in existence in England, and which consisted of a multitude 

 of trees thickly planted in impervious hedges, covering some- 

 times several acres of ground. These labyrinths were the 

 source of much amusement to the family and guests, the trial 

 of skill being to find the centre, and from that point to re- 

 turn again without assistance ; and we are told by a historian 

 of the garden of that period, that " the stranger having once 

 entered, was sorely puzzled to get out." 



