458 Recollections of a Tour made in May, 1839, 



place ; the surface is flat, but the house in an elevated commanding situation. 

 The house is by Sir Robert Smirke, in a style somewhat between Italian and 

 Elizabethan ; but, as it struck us, without the boldness and freedom in the 

 turrets and chimney tops requisite for such a style. We refer, however, to 

 the masterly observations on the architecture of this house by Mr. Humphreys, 

 in the Architectural Magazine, vol. v. p. 687. to 691. We shall only notice 

 one fault in the house, and also in the walls of one of the entrance lodges, 

 respecting which there can be no dispute. Such faults are in architecture, 

 what faults in grammar are in literary composition, they cannot be denied ; 

 while faults in style admit of difference of opinion. The fault to which we 

 allude may be called the want of architectural connexion between the parts 

 of a building. For example, the brick walls of the gate and lodge are in 

 contact with the stone piers, but they are not united with them by the pro- 

 jection of part of the pier into the brickwork, or of the brickwork into the 

 pier. The same fault is committed in the entrance porch, where a pierced 

 parapet is joined into a panel of the corner turrets. This is as bad as placing 

 the knocker of a door on the panel, instead of on one of the styles. There 

 are various faults of this kind ; among others that of the walls of the offices 

 in some places rising out of the ground without a plinth or a base, while the 

 upper parts of the same walls display stone facings to the windows, a stone 

 cornice, and stone parapet over. These are trifles, we admit, but why should 

 they not be attended to ? The general masses of trees and shrubs in the 

 pleasure-grounds are well arranged, with reference to the distant scenery ; but, 

 being composed of the commonest trees and shrubs, they appear behind the 

 age in a botanical point of view. Can this have been done on purpose to 

 suit the style of the house ? If so, it has been badly done ; because, though 

 there is little variety, yet there are several species which were totally unknown 

 in this country in the time of Elizabeth. Some standard stems of crab and 

 almond terminate in young shoots of mistletoe of extraordinary luxuriance; 

 which shows that that parasite can thrive, at least for a time, without a leading 

 branch above it, of the tree on which it grows. The flower-garden is in the 

 kitchen-garden, which, in a large place, always argues something defective 

 in the arrangement ; but, probably, it may be intended to form the lower 

 platform into a flower-garden. Both the flower beds and the kitchen-garden 

 appear to be well managed by the gardener, Mr. Watts. 



Elvaston Castle; the Seat of the Earl of Harrington. — We had frequently 

 heard this place described as a modern Palagonia, and we knew that it con- 

 tained an excellent collection of the pine and fir tribe, and also of Cupressina? 

 and Taxaceae. We were therefore most anxious to see it, and, through the 

 kindness of the proprietor, our wishes have been gratified. The situation is 

 flat, or at least without any striking inequalities ; but there are some fine old 

 avenues, one of which is nearly a mile and a half in length, but the effect is 

 that of an avenue of ten miles, in consequence of the ground beyond falling 

 below the level of the surface where the avenue commences at the house. 

 Upwards of seven years ago all the trees and hedges were cleared away for 

 nearly seven miles, which came in the line, and the view is now uninterrupted 

 until the eye rests upon the hills in Nottinghamshire, at the distance of ten 

 miles. The effect of these avenues has been heightened in an extraordinary 

 degree, by the formation of new ones, chiefly of the upright or Irish yew. 

 Two of these avenues, one upwards of 750 ft. in length, and 60 ft. in breadth, 

 and the other 800 ft. in length, are planted, first, with upright yews, and next 

 with red cedars ; with a third or back row, on each side of the avenue, of 

 deodar cedars grafted on the cedar of Lebanon, in the side manner, as ex- 

 plained in our Arboretum Britannicum, and in the Gardener's Magazine, vol.xiv. 

 p. 80. All these plants are thriving luxuriantly, and their effect will be 

 striking in a very few years. Beyond one of these avenues, in a space occu- 

 pying several acres, is an extensive collection of pines on the outside of a 

 corresponding avenue. A similar space is allotted for the fir tribe, including 

 /l v bies and Picea; the range of ground between these plantations at one end 



