Villa Residences. 13 



leading a winding walk around and over and through amono- 

 the boulders, and introducing rare and curious plants and 

 shrubs, especially climbers and trailers, a greatinterest is created 

 as well by the variety of the near objects, as by the character 

 of the distant views. In some places fruit trees and culinary 

 vegetables are introduced in plots, where the soil is sufficiently 

 deep for their growth ; and, after following the mazes of the 

 winding path in its various ascents and descents, we have the 

 agreeable contrast of returning by a straight walk by the side 

 of a neatly clipped hedge, which forms the boundary to a pad- 

 dock. So highly do we think of Mr. Carruthers's taste in 

 landscape-gardening, that we would strongly recommend the 

 neighbouring proprietors, who may propose executing any thing 

 belonging to that art, to endeavour to obtain his opinion ; as 

 we feel confident that he would only recommend what every 

 man of taste must approve. We hope our much esteemed 

 friend (if we may take the liberty of so designating a man after 

 our own heart) will excuse our having made these remarks. 



Bargally, at the head of a most lovely narrow valley, be- 

 tween hills and mountains whose sides are covered with wood, 

 is not only interesting from its natural beauty, but from the 

 accident of its having been the residence, a hundred years ago, 

 of Sir Robert Heron, one of the greatest botanists of his 

 country and time. He planted many rare trees, of which 

 some fine specimens still remain, and which we shall here- 

 after describe. 



In the suburbs of Paisley there are some villas laid out in 

 imitation of the newest taste ; but which are liable to all the 

 objections which we have stated in preceding articles. Who- 

 ever knows these villas, and will look at fig. 72. Vol. VII. 

 p. 401., will understand what we mean. 



Kirl{-Allonsoay Cottage^ the residence of Mr. Auld, well 

 known both in England and Scotland for the interest which 

 he has taken in the sculptor Thom, and in every thing relat- 

 ing to Burns, and more especially for being the principal 

 cause of the completion of his monument, is situated close by 

 the new bridge of Doon. Within the grounds is Mungo's 

 Well, so well known to the admirers of the poem " Tam o' 

 Shanter;" and, as the public take a great interest in this 

 spot, which the genius of Burns has rendered classic ground, 

 Mr. Auld allows persons of all classes to pass through his 

 garden to the well. One of the neighbouring gentlemen, on 

 being told this, remonstrated with Mr. Auld on the danger of 

 getting his garden robbed, and was astonished at being in- 

 formed, that in no one instance had it ever happened that a 

 single flower or fruit had been touched. The laird was no 



