and planting Public Squares. 515 



gravel. This may be tolerated ; but the effect would be much 

 better were the walks all of pavement. My greatest objection, 

 however, to walks partly paved and partly in gravel, arises from 

 observing, in many instances, small clumps placed in the midst 

 of gravel all round, and the gravel brought into contact with 

 the straight-paved walk; than which nothing, in my opinion, 

 can be less in accordance with good taste, and instead of which 

 grass would have an infinitely better appearance. 



In looking into the squares of the metropolis, the same scarcity 

 of evergreens appears as in the places above referred to ; and 

 were a person of taste and judgment employed to make them 

 what they ought to be, I think he would see enough to find fault 

 with, and a good deal to mend ; for instance, what can be worse 

 than the clipped thorn hedges which form the internal boundaries 

 of some of them ? what can possibly look more dreary during 

 the winter than these ? Any thing like an evergreen would be 

 far better. I perceive that privet (I suppose the evergreen) is 

 introduced into some of them ; but this, as a clipped hedge, I 

 cannot admire : nor, indeed, is a hedge of any kind, in my opinion 

 to be admired ; a broken kind of outline formed of evergreens 

 would, I think, be far better. 



The utility of squares, by their admitting of a more free cir- 

 culation of air, is apparent ; and it will, 1 think, be universally 

 allowed that they cannot be too greatly multiplied in the metro- 

 polis : indeed, its dense and increasing population demands that 

 every possible measure should be adopted to render it as salu- 

 brious as circumstances will admit of 



In the formation of squares, the placing of a detached house 

 and small garden at the corners, I consider as a great improve- 

 ment, not only in regard to appearance, but also as it respects 

 the admission of a more free circulation of air. Montagu House, 

 Portman Square, presents an instance of the kind I allude to ; 

 and at the south-west corner of Belgrave Square is another, of 

 which the sketch Jig. 88." may give some idea ; although it is 

 not intended as an exact plan, but merely to carry out the idea, 

 in case it might be thought proper to adopt it in other places. 

 There is a colonnade at the front of the house in Belgrave 

 Square wide enough to admit a carriage ; and close to a small 

 lodge, at the entrance, is a flight of steps leading to a subterra- 

 neous passage, which communicates with the servants' offices, 

 the advantages of which are obvious. 



The sketch j%. 89. is a square with detached houses at the 

 corners, which I have given, to fully develope the idea above 

 alluded to. The dark strokes show the lines of the buildings, and 

 the shaded parts the areas, outside of which are pavements : 

 there is a pavement, also, round the square. 



When statues, or erections of any kind, are placed in squares, 



vv 2 



