676 Notes on Gardens and Country Seats : — > 



a socket, which embraces the tube. The case may now be 

 sent to any distance, tiie water keeping the flowers cool and 

 fresh. Mr. Cooper informed us that the Duke of Wellinoton 

 gave him some chestnuts which he had received from America, 

 gathered from the tree which General Washington planted 

 with his own hands, and from which (more fortunate than we 

 have been, though we have received chestnuts three times from 

 the same tree, once from Mrs. Seaton of Washington, and 

 twice from Dr. Mease of Philadelphia,) he has raised three 

 or four plants. We should be curious to know on what 

 principle these chestnuts were sent to the Duke of Wellington : 

 not that the merits of the latter general are at all less than 

 those of the former, because we believe that the actions of all 

 men are the joint I'esults of their organisation and the circum- 

 stances in which they are placed ; but that we should like to 

 know the feelings of the sender, and whether he was a Briton 

 or an American. We have always had a great respect for the 

 straight-forward character of the Duke of Wellington, and a 

 profound admiration of General Washington ; but, with refer- 

 ence to all that is essentially grand in human nature, we have 

 never for a moment placed the former on a par with the latter. 

 As to the Duke of Wellington's private character as a husband 

 and a master, all that we have heard at Strathfieldsaye and its 

 Heighbourhood places him, and also the late duchess, very 

 high in our estimation. A spot was pointed out to us where 

 it was intended to erect the new palace, the model for which, 

 we were informed, is in one of the rooms of the present house, 

 W^e hope it is not a frigid compilation in the Grecian or Roman 

 manner. We should wish to see a magnificent pile in the old 

 English or in the Italian style ; such as our correspondents 

 Mr. Barry and Selim, or Mr. Mallet and Mr, Lamb (figs. 

 1436. and 1660. of the Encyclopedia of Cottage Architec- 

 ture), could design, based by terraces, and united with the 

 scenery by conspicuous offices and out-buildings. The pre- 

 sent house is not worth improving for such a park, which, 

 when the purchases made by the duke, who, like a wise 

 man, does not spend hiilf his income, are added to it, will 

 extend 16 miles in length, and include the same length of the 

 river Loddon. Half this length of the river, and the country 

 a« far as Southampton, will be seen from the intended palace. 

 After all, however, we have no desire to see a palace built at 

 Strathfieldsaye; and, if the duke acts in conformity with the 

 spirit of the age in which he lives, he will divide his estate 

 equally between his two sons, and let them" build what they 

 think fit. Henceforth palaces will only be built for public 

 purposes ; the tendency among all private persons is no equalisa- 



