Public Gardens and Promenades. Q5\ 



Jf possible, there ought to be summer walks and winter walks; 

 the former shaded, and the latter open and sheltered from the 

 north, or from whatever quarter the coldest winds are found to 

 blow, according to the situation and exposure. Where the pro- 

 menade consists of only one walk, if the space it traverses permits, 

 a portion of it should go in the direction of north and south, for 

 winter use ; and the trees which shade that portion of it ought 

 to be of deciduous kinds, which drop their leaves early. The 

 trees on the north, or cold side of a walk, in the direction of east 

 and west, ought to be evergreens. 



in the formation of the walks, whether in their direction, or in 

 the inclination of their surface, the principle of the recognition 

 or avowal of art ought to be alwa^'s kept in view. All the turns 

 and slopes must be of that " measured " and regular kind, which 

 has the opposite expression to that of common footpaths through 

 meadows, in the same way as the " measured steps and slow " of 

 a public officer in a procession can always be distinguished from 

 those of a simple countryman or a child at his ease. A per- 

 fectly straight walk should either be apparently level, or it should 

 be of one uniform slope or curve. A winding walk should never 

 wind without a real or apparent reason ; and an apparent reason 

 can always be produced by trees, if there is no real one. Where 

 there are remarkably fine points of view, the walk should be so 

 directed, and its margin so planted, as not to exhibit the view till 

 at the most favourable situation for seeing it to advantage ; and 

 it should then be continued in a straight direction for a short dis- 

 tance, with the prospect full in front, in order to prolong the 

 enjoyment of it. 



Abundance of seats, covered and open, should be placed in 

 situations affording favourable points of view ; and the covered 

 seats, in the moist climate of Britain, should in general be only 

 open on one side, and that side placed towards the south, in order 

 that the interior may be exposed to the sun's influence. Every 

 public walk should have a drain or drains along its centre, or at 

 its sides, with which gratings and bell-traps, or small cesspools, 

 should communicate, so as to admit of taking out, from time to 

 time, the sand which the water carries through the grating, and 

 thus to prevent it from choking up the drain. These gratings, 

 on a level surface, should be made at the sides of the walk, at 

 short distances, and their upper surface should be on a level with 

 that of the gravel ; but, on declivities, the surface of the grating 

 requires to be inclined towards the surface of the walk, so as to 

 receive the current, which would otherwise, from its rapidity 

 along the declivity, be apt to pass over it. There are many other 

 considerations relating to the subject of forming public walks ; but 

 it would occupy more space than we can afford to this article, to 

 dwell upon them here. 



