2 Noles on Gardens and Country Seats : — 



are overgrown with bushes, the hot-houses leaning in all di- 

 rections, the back sheds roofless, and even the gardener's house, 

 which held out till within these few years, uninhabitable. The 

 commanding position of the mansion, and the extensive and 

 varied prospect seen from it, are the same as they ever have 

 been. Among the trees along the descending approach are a 

 number of very large maples. 



Comparing Caversham Park with Bear Wood, the situation 

 of the house, in the former case, is much more commanding 

 than in the latter, because of its greater elevation. The pros- 

 pect is also more extensive for the same reason, and because 

 at the base of Caversham Park is the broad and extensive valley 

 of the Thames. The grandeur and dignity of expression, there- 

 fore, of the house at Caversham Park are greater than those of 

 the house at Bear Wood. Comparing the grounds of the two 

 situations, those of Bear Wood are distinguished by undulations, 

 knolls, valleys, and steep banks; those at Caversham, on the 

 other hand, present a uniform surface, flat on the upper part of 

 the park behind the house, and gently sloping on all the re- 

 maining part in front of it. There are, therefore, no sources of 

 natural beauty and variety in the grounds at Caversham. When 

 once the view from the house has been seen, nothing about the 

 place remains worth seeing ; nothing invites to further exa- 

 mination. 



There is thus an essential difference between these two situ- 

 ations ; for, though both are grand, but in different degrees, yet, 

 in one, the grounds are positively varied and beautiful, while 

 those of the other are wholly without either beauty or variety. 

 For a constant residence, it is evident that the place containing 

 the greatest natural variety and beauty would be by far the more 

 desirable, independently altogether of the heightening of these 

 beauties by gardening. 



By reflecting on the natural features of Bear Wood and Caver- 

 sham, and on their respective capabilities for improvement, the 

 reader will see the immense importance, in the choice of a 

 country residence, of fixing on one that possesses positive natural 

 beauties ; that, unassisted by art of any kind, is capable of affect- 

 ing the imagination, and raising the emotions of grandeur, 

 sublimity, or beauty. On such a foundation, the art of the land- 

 scape-gardener and the architect will work with tenfold effect ; 

 whereas, where natural beauty is wholly wanting, though art, 

 more particularly in the house, may do a great deal, yet it can 

 never supply the deficiencies of nature. There is this disadvan- 

 tage, also, in the beauties created by art, that they require con- 

 tinual care and expense in order to maintain them ; whereas those 

 engrafted on nature in a great measure maintain themselves. 



The ride from Reading to Pangbourne, along the banks of 



