StoUrhead. 337 



the whole seems a component part of the pleasure-ground. We 

 have seldom seen any thing so well managed. There is a hand- 

 some circular stone seat in the churchyard, which the guide 

 informed us the present baronet built to enable the country peo- 

 ple, while waiting till the service began, to sit down in the open 

 air, rather than to go into the damp church. To prevent this 

 dampness, a hint might be taken from the practice at Ringwood 

 (p. 330.). 



The drive at Stourhead, which is said to be six miles in 

 extent, displays some fine woods and extensive prospects ; but 

 the ascents are too steep to be enjoyed by those who, like us, 

 travel with only one horse. Were the rule of two inches in six 

 feet to be adopted, as a maximum of steepness in ail roads and 

 walks whatever, public and private, no objections could be made. 

 The table-land on which the tower stands having been gained, 

 the terrace drive there, which is three miles in length, and 

 nearly level, and covered with soft turf, is one of the finest 

 things of the kind in the kingdom. The view extends over 

 many miles, and into several counties. One of the finest fea- 

 tures about any extensive place which is hilly, or contains a high 

 hill, such as Stourhead or High Clere, is a smooth road which 

 shall ascend almost insensibly, and by a beautiful route to the 

 top of the hill, and descend again equally agreeably by a dif- 

 ferent road. There is no hill that exists in which this effect may 

 not be accomplished ; and of this the ascent and descent of the 

 Simplon is a standing proof. 



The kitchen-garden was shown us by the present gardener, 

 Mr. Lapham, an old man, who was brought up on the spot 

 under the former gardener, Mr. Wood, whose daughter has the 

 showing of the grounds. We saw the very excellent collection 

 of Geraniacese, which are managed under the immediate direc- 

 tion of Sir Richard himself. The flower beds, and other parts 

 of the garden, were in good order. 



It is but justice to state that every part of Stourhead was uni- 

 formly well kept ; not in what is entitled to be called high keeping, 

 because the edges of the walks and roads were harsh and disagree- 

 able, and some things were going to decay ; but, with these 

 exceptions, we have no fault to find. What highly gratified us 

 was, to see as much attention paid to the public road, and road- 

 side without the entrance arch, and thence to the inn, the 

 steward's house, the cottages, and the church, as is paid to the 

 grounds within the pleasure-ground fence. The flower-gardens 

 to the line of cottages opposite the church are as well planted, 

 and nicely kept, as the flower-beds on any gentleman's lawn. 

 We must not omit to mention a curious common spruce fir, 

 which stands near the stone bridge we have condemned : thi'ee 

 of the lower branches of this tree, resting on the groundj have 



