LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



565 



Of the M*- ter picture, by giving desirable feature or resting- 

 place for the eye. Considered, however, in the light 

 of natural expression, the meanness of root-houses, and 

 grottos the absurdity of hermits' cells, heathen tem- 

 .uid triumphal arches, mock chapels, ruins, Chi- 

 neae building*, &c. ; and the inutility of all of them, 

 render them positive deformities in scenes of natural 

 or picturesque beauty. The but species break in upon 

 repose, sir.ipb'city, and all allusion to natural scenery 

 by their frequency, and suggest ideas of ostentatious 

 vanity in the owner, rather than of propriety and ele- 

 gance of taste. But though their excess is so general 

 and to obnoxious, the occasional introduction of some 

 art* may be made with propriety. Garden seats are 

 mrrssary for shade or shelter; bridges for communi- 

 cation between the banks of riven or rill* ; cottages, 

 gate or entrance lodges, as abodes for labourers ; and 

 open sheds, as places of resort for cattle. F vena pros- 

 pect-tower is a desirable object in a flat country, afford- 

 ing no other means of obtaining a bird's eye view. A 

 temple, after all, i- in many cases but a garden seat ; 

 and if beautiful in itself, and judiciously placed, we 

 can see no objection to it* introduction in the garden- 

 scene of a princely mansion ; certainly none to more 

 than one of them, under the geometric style of plant- 



To raise a monument in memory of a great public 

 character, or consecrate an urn to private friendship, 

 or parental memory, can hardly be offensive to any 

 mind. A sun-dial is both a useful and an agreeable ob- 

 ject; and statues and busts, in highly polished scenery, 

 by the contrast in the kind of beauty displayed, recal 

 the mind for a moment from contemplating the wide 

 rang* of nature, to admire the hand of art concen- 

 trated in a single point. In this view, perhaps, there 

 nay be other objects of this description admissible in 

 the more polished scenes of gardens, Ac. as marble f,.,m- 



ttc. But when simi " 



city and natural-like beantv are the prevailing idea, 

 all works of art most interfere more or less with the 

 idea ; and unless they can raise up and maintain a more 

 interesting expression, they must be regarded as inju- 

 rious rather than beautiful. 



Of Ifie accuiental accompaniment* to Ike per- 

 material* of Landscape. 



A; I** 



SICT. VI. 



Of these, the first are roads and of roads, the prin- 

 cipal u the ffpramek. This article of beauty, as well 

 as of convenience, ought to display to advantage the 

 bessrtifi of that part of the place it passes through, 

 and as many other beauties as may be displayed ith- 

 out khewing the principal, which are generally those 

 of the garden front In both styles, it might to as- 

 cend to the boose rather than descend, and pas* along 

 a flat or hollow rather than over inequalities of sur- 

 face. 



In the geometric style, it was generally a wooded 

 avenue, hi one or in several Inn-. In the modern, it 

 is general] v a bold, free, gently waving line ; every 

 turn of which is produced either by some gentle 

 variation in the surface, or by the position of a group, 

 or two or three single trees. It may past through 

 wood only, or through forest-like scenery. The Ant 

 view obtained of the house ought to be as favourable 

 at possible, and not of any particular front, but rather 

 an angular view, bosomed hi trees. The second, or if 

 there are two or more, the last view, on a nearer ap- 

 proach, should be different, and shew the entrance 

 front,- and porch, or portico ; the road approaching it at 



such a distance, obliquely, as that the eye may now Of the Ma- 

 readily comprehend the whole. By an optical law, it tcrials 

 appears, that objects are seen to most advantage when kardcning^ 

 a line drawn from the centre of the eye to the sum- Accidental 

 mit of the building, forms, with a horizontal line also accompam- 

 drawn from the centre of the eye, an angle of 36. meuts. 

 But as a knowledge of optics and perspective are abso- 

 lutely necessary both for an architect and landscape 

 gardener, we have not considered it necessary, in this 

 rapid sketch, to apply them in the case of terraces, 

 views from rooms, views of buildings, &c. where they 

 are of the greatest consequence to the full effect. 



WaUa are the next accompaniment to home scenes, Walk*, 

 without which, they cannot be viewed but in particu- 

 lar states of the weather iiiul the surface. They were 

 straight, angular, or in regular curves, in the geo- 

 metric style, and are in easy natural like lines in the 

 modern manner. Though avowed objects of art, they 

 ought always to bear a certain analogy to the scenes 

 they pass through ; witli formal kept edges in highly 

 finished scenery, and edges blending with the gravel in 

 the picturesque manner, recommended by Mr. Price in 

 more wild scenes. Taste must determine their general 

 course, from the range of beauties to be displayed; and 

 their particular turns, from local beauties and acciden- 

 tal circumstances. The principle of a sufficient reason 

 ought never to be lost sight of, in laying out walks- 

 and roads. 



One of the finest descriptions of hill or mountain 

 walks is, where it is carried along the side of an irregu- 

 lar declivity on a perfect level ; such were called ter- 

 race walks in the ancient style, and two fine speci- 

 mena exist at Lowther Castle, near Carlisle, and at 

 Craigie-Hall, near Edinburgh. 



A walk by a wooded river, retiring from and meeting 

 the stream, is one oft iic iii'i^t interesting of valley walks, 

 .of which there are fine examples at Downtm Castle, 

 near Ludlow, and Dalkeith, near Edinburgh. 



Fence* are necessary accompaniments in both styles, Fences. 

 and have been already considered in some degree, in 

 treating of the permanent materials of scenery. 



Animated nature. Deer, wild, and tame hares, cattle, Animated 

 sheep, game, singing birds, all belong to a residence, nature. 

 and are necessary to complete its beauty. Pheasants 

 and other game, ranging, undismayed by man, in gar- 

 den scenes, give a high idea of seclusion and removal 

 from common nature. The cawing of rooks, the shriek- 

 ing of the owl, the screams of peacocks, the notes of 

 birds, are all desirable circumstances in certain situa- 

 tions, and ought to be attended to, by introducing such 

 trees or plants as are favourable to their increase. The 

 smoke ota cottage, or a farm house; the view of a distant 

 village, or the spire of a church, become interesting in 

 certain views ; and, with a thousand other instances of 

 natural expression, in a great measure beyond the reach 

 of art, will be sought for and turned to account by the 

 judicious artist. 



CHAP. IV. 



OF THK UNION OF THE MATERIALS OF GARDENING, IN 

 FORMING THK CONSTITUENT PARTS OF A COUNTRY 

 RESIDENCE. 



HAVING now applied the principles of natural and Union of 

 relative beauty to the materials of gardening separate- VJj g "JJ e ' 

 ly, we shall next apply the same principles to the for- d ening . 

 illation of those scenes of use, convenience, or ele. 



