Strathfieldsaye. 673 



the ordinary height,but we commend tlie taste and good feeling 

 of the proprietor, in wishing his neighbours and the public to 

 participate in his enjoyments. We know nothing of this vicar, 

 not even his name ; but we have little doubt that he is a good 

 man. It seems to us that every man, in ornamenting his 

 house, his garden, or his estate, however small it may be, 

 ought to consider not only his own gratification, but the orna- 

 ment and benefit of his country. He ought always to ask 

 himself, what the passers by will think of what he is doing. 

 We passed some plantations of firs planted in straight lines 

 6 ft. apart, and of oaks 12ft. apart; the trees in both cases 

 20 ft. high. This mode of planting seems to be common in 

 this part of the country, and indeed, it is the only mode by 

 which plantations can be sytematically cultivated and managed 

 with a view to profit. At Swallowfield we fouifd similar planta- 

 tions, but in a younger state, and with four rows of potatoes cul- 

 tivated with the plough in every interval between the trees. In 

 passing along this cross road, the turnings and intersections 

 were numerous, and, as there were scarcely any houses, if we 

 had not had a good map, we could hardly have found our 

 way- A great deal has been said respecting building cottages 

 along the main roads, instead of milestones ; but would it not be 

 of more use to build cottages at the intersections of all roads ? 

 We do not, hov/ever, desire this ; for so great are the advan- 

 tages of aggregation, that, as soon as the mass of society is 

 properly educated, they will seldom be content to live other- 

 wise than in or near to towns and villages. 



StratJifteldsaye, His Grace the DuJce of Wellington. — We 

 entered this noble park by an avenue a mile in length of elms, 

 of a broader-leaved kind than the common English elm, and 

 forming a tree of less altitude. The surface over which this 

 avenue passes is undulating, which detracts somewhat from its 

 first impression ; but, as it is found to increase in length as we 

 advancealong,thesentimentof grandeur is recalled, and by pro- 

 longation is even heightened. We expected the surface of the 

 grounds to be flat, but were agreeably surprised to find a gentle 

 hollow running through them in the direction of the length of 

 the park, in the bottom of which hollow is the river Loddon, 

 widened, and otherwise heightened in effect. The park is as 

 well wooded as could be desired, with trees of all ages and 

 sizes, but chiefly with old oaks and elms. The avenue of elms 

 terminates at a short distance from the house, where the 

 pleasure-ground commences on the left, and a plantation con- 

 tinues to the kitchen-garden and stable offices to the rioht. 

 The approach road is still continued in a straight line between 

 them, till it terminates in a circular road round a piece of tarf 



Vol. IX. — No. 47. xx 



