Village of Harlaxton. 337 



what he is to see. In this respect, in the geometric style, equally 

 as well as in the natural style, the artist " surprises, varies, and 

 conceals the bounds ;" and in effecting this in the ancient style, 

 there is this advantage, that less space is required than in the 

 modern manner. The various directions of the terraces, and 

 the different inclinations of their slopes, produce an effect of 

 light and shade continually varying; and this even, to a certain 

 extent at least, when the sun does not shine, from the reflec- 

 tion of indirect light to the human eye. This effect will be 

 farther heightened by covering some of the slopes with evergreen 

 shrubs kept low, such as creeping savin (much used in terraced 

 gardens in the time of James I.), common juniper, box, &c. ; or 

 by trailers, such as ivy, periwinkle ; or creepers, such as tutsan ; 

 or suffruticose plants and undershrubs, such as evergreen iberis, 

 thyme, hyssop, &c. 



It is clear from the example of Harlaxton, that, to carry out 

 the ancient style of gardening to its fullest extent, the side or 

 sides of a hill are essential as groundwork ; and that part of the 

 hill must be above the house, and part below it. The intended 

 form which the gardens at Harlaxton are ultimately to assume 

 is exhibited in a model of clay, and all the underground drains, 

 and most of the foundations of the parapet walls, steps, pedestals 

 for statues, summer-houses, &c., are already made. 



77?^ Village uf Harlaxton is, if possible, more interesting to us 

 than even the new mansion and gardens. We have seen many 

 ornamented villages, both at home and abroad, but none so 

 original, and so much to our taste, as this of Mr. Gregory's. Some 

 of old date are too like rows of street houses, such as those of 

 Newnham Courtenay near Oxford, and Harewood near Leeds; 

 others are too affectedly varied and picturesque, such as that at 

 Blaize Castle, near Bristol ; and some have the houses bedaubed 

 with ornaments that have not sufficient relation to use, as when 

 rosettes and sculptures are stuck on the walls, instead of apply- 

 ing facings to the windows, porches to the doors, and charac- 

 teristic shafts to the chimney tops. We recollect one near 

 Warsaw, which is a repetition of the Grecian temple, with a por- 

 tico at each end ; and one at Peckra, near Moscow, every open- 

 ing in which has a pediment over it, with highly enriched barge- 

 boards. In some villages, the attempt is made to ornament every 

 house by trelliswork round the doors and windows, which pro- 

 duces great sameness of appearance, and if ornamental, is so at 

 the expense of comfort ; the creepers, by which the trelliswork is 

 covered, darkening the rooms, and encouraging insects; while, 

 in other villages, the cottages are so low and so small, that it is 

 obvious to a passing spectator they cannot contain a single 

 wholesome room. However, though we find fault with villages 

 ornamented in these ways, we are still glad to see them ; because 



