298 LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



here and there, in the verdant slopes of our village suburbs, 

 appearing as if they had been transplanted, by some unlucky 

 incantation, from the close-packed neighbourhood of city resi- 

 dence, and left accidentally in the country. 



What then are the proper characteristics of a rural resi- 

 dence? The answer to this in a few words is, such a dwelling, 

 as from its various accommodations, not only gives ample 

 space for all the comforts and conveniences of a country life, 

 but by its varied and picturesque form and outline, its porch- 

 es, verandas, etc., also appears to have some reasonable con- 

 nection, or be in perfect keeping, with surrounding nature. 

 Architectural beauty must be considered conjointly with the 

 heauty of the landscape or situation. Buildings of almost 

 every description, and particularly those for the habitation of 

 man, will be considered by the mind of taste, not only as ar- 

 chitectural objects of greater or less merit, but as component 

 parts of the general scene; united with the surrounding lawn, 

 embosomed in tufts of trees and shrubs, if properly designed 

 and constructed, they will even serve to impress a character 

 upon the surrounding landscape. Their eifect will frequently 

 be good or bad, not merely as they are excellent or indifferent 

 examples of a certain style of building, but as they are hap- 

 pily or unhappily combined with the adjacent scenery. The 

 intelligent observer will readily appreciate the truth of this, 

 and acknowledge the value as well as necessity of something 

 besides architectural knowledge. And he will perceive 

 how much more likely to be successful, are the efforts of him, 

 who in composing and constructing a rural residence, calls 

 in to the aid of architecture, the genius of the landscape ; — 

 whose mind is imbued with a taste for beautiful scenery, and 

 who so elegantly and ingeniously engrafts art upon nature, 



