154) Suggestions for the Improvement 



opinion, tlie removal of these evergreens and hedges was an 

 act not warranted by a due regard for public ornament; be- 

 cause there can be no doubt that a few additional policemen 

 or constables would have more effectually prevented the com- 

 mission of these offences than the means resorted to. Besides, 

 the removal of all but the large trees from these gardens seems 

 equivalent to saying that they shall not be ornamented with 

 groups of flowering and evergreen shrubs, as public gardens 

 are on the Continent. We hope, however, that they will one 

 day be interspersed with groups of flowering and evergreen 

 shrubs, and with beds of flowers, intersected with gravel walks, 

 and ornamented with statues, vases, fountains, and models of 

 celebrated ancient buildings ; and, at the same time, that they 

 will contain some fac-simile imitations of wild nature, where the 

 hand of art will not be suspected to have been at work, except 

 by the artist. A fine effect was produced by a hayrick, which, 

 some years ago, used annually to be built in a glade, in one of 

 the larger masses of wood ; and which glade and rick unex- 

 pectedly occurred when passing along a footpath. The rambler 

 in the gardens might be decoyed by a similar path through some 

 other thicket to an immense gravel pit planted with thorns, briars, 

 brambles, elder bushes, with a small piece of water in the bottom 

 shaded by alders ; the whole being, apparently, in a state of utter 

 neglect. Such violent contrasts to highly refined art can only 

 be sparingly introduced; but every one must feel that they are 

 not without a very important use. 



22. We have been for several years past (see Vol. I.) recom- 

 mending, as a great public improvement, the removal of the wall 

 on the north side of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, and 

 also on the south side of these gardens, and the substitution of 

 an open iron railing. This has, in part, been effected, as far as 

 respects Hyde Park ; and the improvement is so great, that we 

 cannot but hope it will soon be extended to Kensington Gar- 

 dens. Another great improvement would be the addition of the 

 Royal kitchen- garden, and of the field lying to the south of it, 

 to the public gardens; which, of course, implies the removal of 

 a wall 25 ft. high, which forms the northern boundary to the 

 kitchen-garden, and which, by shading the public road, obstruct- 

 Ino- the free current of air, and shutting out all view to the south 

 from the houses on the north side of the road, is, in fact, the 

 greatest public and private nuisance between London and Ux- 

 bridge. The kitchen-garden, whatever it might have been thirty 

 years ago, can, at present, be of little use to the Royal family ; 

 because everything grown in it, even the commonest vegetables, 

 must be poisoned by the smoke and soot produced by the 

 houses, which surround it in dense masses on every side. 



23. In justice to that part of the public who walk on foot. 



