'24!4i Notes and Reflections during a Tour : — 



may forget he is in France, till he ascends the heights over 

 which passes the road to Rouen, and surveys that extensive 

 prospect of unenclosed corn country which lies before him ; so 

 very different from any thing which he can have seen in Eng- 

 land. The first object he passes is a suburban villa, with its 

 square garden in front, its little avenue, clipped alleys, and 

 berceaux; and this carries him back, in the history of rural 

 improvement, at least a century. The novelty of the scene 

 and of the thoughts to which it gives rise, the clear bracing 

 atmosphere, the idea of being completely beyond the reach 

 of routine cares and duties, and having nothing but enjoy- 

 ment in perspective, elevate his spirits to a high degree. 

 This feeling, we should think, must be much more intensely 

 experienced in going to Paris from Dieppe, than in proceed- 

 ing to that city over the dull flat country about Calais ; for 

 the mind is influenced by every material circumstance with 

 which it is surrounded. Any man in any country will en- 

 joy higher and better spirits in travelling along an elevated 

 open road, than he will along a bottom confined by hedges ; 

 and the same will be the effect of living in a house in a high 

 situation. Even a house the principal floor of which is as- 

 cended by a few steps is felt to be more dignified, and known 

 to be drier and healthier, than one to which you descend by 

 a few steps ; and there can be little doubt that the mere cir- 

 cumstance of a man in London lodging on the parlour floor 

 or on the first floor, will have an influence on his sentiments 

 and character. In the endeavours of the wealthy of any 

 country, therefore, to raise and ameliorate the lowest classes, 

 the first thing should be to raise and ameliorate their dwellings; 

 the next thing to place them above absolute want by a large 

 garden ; and the third thing to place near them good infant 

 and Lancasterian schools. 



Further on one or two other ancient gardens are passed, 

 and the stranger cannot avoid being struck and pleased with 

 them. The principal cause of this pleasure, as far as it respects 

 an inhabitant of England at the present time, is undoubtedly 

 novelty ; and secondary and supporting causes may be referred 

 to the antiquit}' of the style, its marked character, and per- 

 haps to its being, or being called, French. This last cause 

 may, perhaps, operate upon some people, because there is a 

 sort of secret pleasure in loving those things which, according 

 to common opinion, we ought to hate. It was perfectly natural, 

 that the architectural or ancient style of planting and garden- 

 ing should be admired in France and England, when those 

 countries abounded with natural scenerv, and when hedges 

 and straight lines of trees were rarely to be seen in the general 



