as it existed about 1786. 431 



erected in its room by the present proprietor, • Farmer, Esq. Not 



being acquainted, however, with the seat, I shall not attempt to describe it 

 but shall leave to others the task of drawing comparisons between its pre- 

 sent and former appearances, and the respective merits of each. 



Yours, &c. 

 Allesley Rectory, April 5. 1831. W. T. Bkbe. 



The great beauty of the garden at Nonsuch consisted 

 in the exquisite taste displayed, and which created a most 

 dehghtfully interesting scene of great variety, without the 

 assistance of wood, water, undulating ground, or prospect. 

 The place in itself, indeed, is really ugly. The house was 

 particularly ill calculated for the purpose of adding any 

 thing of interest to the scene : it was a long, low, red build- 

 ing, with eleven heavy sash windows in a row, and the same 

 number above. From the east corner of this south front a 

 high wall extended to a considerable length, with a pigeon- 

 house and stable at the end. To add to its disqualifications, 

 it was enclosed within walls (courts), planted round with formal 

 rows of trees. These trees were made to produce a happy 

 effect, by drawing the middle one of one of the rows forward 

 about 50 yards ; by which means the line was so effectually 

 broken that no one could be brought to believe a line had 

 ever existed. The same effect was produced on the other 

 side by planting shrubs before it, and towards the end 

 uniting it to some other trees by judiciously scattered small 

 trees. In front of the house was a large lawn, interrupted 

 about half way by a chalk pit ; the front of which was 

 shelved down, and the back so planted as to give the effect 

 of beautifully undulating ground in front, and thick sheltered 

 wood behind. The interest created by this chalk-pit arose 

 in great measure from the very skilful manner in which 

 different channels were made to fall into one another ; so 

 that no slope was tame, but each was so contrived as to ap- 

 pear the natural result of time or old watercourses. A 

 happy effect was produced by the attention paid to the tints 

 of the trees, which blended in a delightful manner. I was 

 delighted with this beautiful spot from my childhood ; and 

 can remember the conversations of Gilpin*, Sanxyf, Park- 

 hurst:]:, Masyres§, and others, who would stand upon the 



* The Rev. William Gilpin, of picturesque memory. 



■\ An eminent surgeon, the Astley Cooper of his day. 



\ The Rev. John Parkhurst of Epsom, author of a Hebrew and 

 English Lexicon, and of a Greek and English Lexicon to the New Tes- 

 tament, &c. &c. 



§ Baron of the Exchequer, who lived at Reigate ; a man of very exten- 

 sive learning, particularly in the mathematics. 



