Landscape-Gardening in France. 157 



numerous nor too perpetually serpentining, without real or 

 apparent cause. In general, the walks, in Continental imitations 

 of the English manner of laying out grounds, are too close 

 together, and so much alike in their lines of direction, that, in 

 flat grounds more especially, the effect is monotonous. In 

 the park of Madame Cayla (j%. 25.), which is on an even 

 surface, and sparingly though scientifically sprinkled with 

 wood, the multiplicity of walks which every where meet the 

 eye of the spectator destroys alike grandeur, richness, and 

 repose. On hilly surfaces, like that of the park of M. Doublat 

 {Jig' 28.), a greater number of walks in proportion to the 

 actual extent of surface is admissible than on levels ; because 

 both the quantity of surface and of wood appear much greater 

 than they really are. The cause of this appearance is, that 

 a rising surface presents a larger angle to the eye than a level 

 one. What aggravates the faults of English gardens in 

 France is, the very slovenly manner in which they are gene- 

 rally kept ; extent there, as in England, being more the object 

 of ambition than excellence. There are, however, exceptions, 

 both in regard to the knowledge of the principles of landscape- 

 gardening and the want of order and keeping ; and it gives 

 us the greatest pleasure, to be able to state our conviction 

 that there are no men, in any country, more thoroughly im- 

 bued with the science and spirit of the art of laying out 

 grounds in the natural, or English, style than M. Soulange 

 Bodin and M. Gabriel Thouin ; nor any places in England 

 more neatly kept than Fromont, Radepont, M. Boursault's 

 garden at Paris, M. Ternaux's at St. Ouen, and that of 

 Admiral TchitchagofF, at Sceaux, were, when we saw them 

 in 1828. 



The Improvement of Landscape-Gar dening in France will 

 proceed rapidly in connection with other improvements ; and, 

 above all things, when France and Britain shall be so far 

 assimilated in the price of the necessaries of life as to admit 

 of the gardeners and amateurs of both countries visiting each 

 other ; not, as at present, for a few days or weeks, confined 

 to the neighbourhood of London, or the neighbourhood of 

 Paris ; but for months or years, to be spent in visiting the 

 finest gardens in the provinces. The turf of France might 

 be very much improved by employing a proper selection of 

 grasses, and by previously cultivating and manuring the soil : 

 improved, indeed, to an extent that few could believe who 

 have not seen the effect produced by the mixture of grass 

 seeds for lawns used by Mr. Sinclair in England, and by 

 M. Vilmorin in France. If the two particulars we have men- 

 tioned were attended to, the lawns would be much thicker 



