72 THE PLEASURE, OR [Jan. 



spacious openings; statues are also often placed at the terminations 

 of particular walks, sometimes in woods, thickets, and recesses, 

 upon mounts, terraces, and other stations, according to what they 

 are intended to represent. 



Sometimes, also, there are exhibited root-houses, rock and shell 

 work, ruins, and other rustic devices, representing hermitages, 

 caves, and the like; such being generally stationed in some retired 

 or private situation; these kinds of buildings being commonly arch- 

 ed or vaulted are, for the most part, covered with a coat of earth 

 and turfed with grass, so as to appear like a sort of mount or hil- 

 lock, and planted with some little clumps of shrubs, &c. having 

 private walks leading to the entrance. 



Likewise in some parts are exhibited artificial rock- work, con- 

 tiguous to some grotto, fountain, rural piece of water, &c. and 

 planted with a variety of saxatile plants, or such as grow naturally 

 on rocks and mountains. 



Ornamental bridges over artificial rivers, or any rural piece of 

 water in some magnificent opening, so as to admit of a prospect 

 thereof, at some distance from the habitation, have charming effects. 

 Let it be particularly remarked, that although water, when ex- 

 hibited with due taste and handsome design, adds considerable to 

 the beauty of pleasure-grounds; yet, in districts subject to fluxes, 

 intermittent fevers, or other diseases, occasioned by the effluvia 

 arising from marshes and stagnant water, it ought to be cautiously 

 introduced; a due regard to health will of course prevent its intro- 

 duction, especially in large sheets, where likely to become stagnant. 

 In fact, when such are admitted, they should always be situated in 

 a clay or gravelly soil, and possess a sufficient head or stream to 

 render the change of their contents frequent. 



A Foss or ha-ha, is often formed at the termination of a spacious 

 lawn, grand walk, avenue, or other principal part of parts of the 

 pleasure-ground, both to extend the prospect into the adjacent 

 fields and country, and give these particular parts of the ground an 

 air of larger extent than they really have; as at a distance nothing 

 of this kind of fence is seen, so that the adjacent fields, planta- 

 tions, &c. appear to be connected with, or but a continuation of 

 the pleasure-ground. 



A Foss, or ha-ha, is a sunk fence, ditch-like, five or six feet deep, 

 and ten, twenty, or more wide, and is made in different ways ac- 

 cording to the nature of the ground. One sort is formed with a 

 nearly upright side next the pleasure-ground, five, six, or seven feet 

 deep,* faced with a wall of brick, or stone, or strong post and plank- 

 ing, &c; the other side is made sloping outward gradually from 

 the bottom of said wall, till it terminates as near a level as possible. 

 Another kind of foss is formed with both sides sloping and in per- 

 pendicular depth from four to five or six feet, having a fence near 

 that height arranged atony; the bottom, formed of strong paling or 

 any kind of palisado-work; the sides may be sloped gradually from 

 the bottom to ten or twenty feet width, or more at top; but sloped 

 more to the field side than to the other. 



It being absolutely necessary to have the whole of the pleasure- 



