Hook House. 



359 



artist presiding over every step ; and that artist must not only 

 have formed an idea of the previous effect of the whole in his 

 own mind, but must be capable of judging of every part of the 

 work as it advances, with reference to that whole. In the case 

 of this rockwork, Lady Broughton was her own artist; and the 

 work which she has produced evinces the most exquisite taste 

 for this description of scenery. It is true it must have occupied 

 great part of her time for six or eight years past ; but the occu- 

 pation must have been interesting, and the result, as it now 

 stands, must give Her Ladyship the highest satisfaction. 



In 1831, when we saw the flower-garden, the flower-beds on 

 the lawn, instead of being circular, were in the shape of the 

 letter S ; they were all of the same form and dimensions, and 

 in rows, like the circular beds, and also placed at uniform dis- 

 tances ; but the effect, though good, was not equal to what it is 

 at present: the perfect unity of the circular beds producing a 

 more complete contrast with the diversity of the rockwork, than 

 the S-shaped beds. 



The rockwork is planted with a selection of the most rare and 



A A 4- 



