THE BEAUTIFUL IN GROUND. 109 



ural beauty of surface, by ridging up the soil at the outsides of the 

 field, and thus breaJdng up that continuous flow of line which de- 

 lights the eye. 



Our object in these remarts, is simply to ask our readers to think 

 in the beginning, before they even commence any improvements on 

 the surface of ground which they wish to embellish: — ^to think in 

 what natural beauty really consists, and whether in grading, they are 

 not wasting money, and losing that which they are seeking. It 

 will be better still, if they will consider the matter seriously, when 

 they are about buying a place, since, as we have before observed, no 

 money is expended with so little to show for it, _a.nd so little satisfac- 

 tion, as that spent in changing the original surface of the ground. 



Practically — ^the rules we would deduce are the following : To 

 select, always, if possible, a surface varied by gentle curves and un- 

 dulations. If something of this character already exists, it may 

 often be greatly heightened or improved at little cost. Very often, 

 too, a nearly level surface may, by a very trifling addition — only 

 adding a few inches in certain points, be raised to a character of 

 positive beauty — by simply following the hints given by nature. 



When a surface is quite level by nature, we must usually con- 

 tent ourselves with trusting to planting, and the arrangement of 

 walks, buildings, cfcc, to produce beauty and variety ; and we would 

 always, in such cases, rather expend money in introducing beautiftd 

 vases, statues, or other works of positive artistic merit, than to ter- 

 race and unmake what character nature has stamped on the ground. 

 ^ Positively ugly and forbidding surfaces of ground, may be ren- 

 dered highly interesting and beautiful, only by changing their char- 

 acter, entirely, by planting. Such ground, after this has been done, 

 becomes only the skeleton of the fair outside of beauty and verdure 

 that covers the forbidding original. Some of, the most picturesque 

 ravines and rocky hill-sides, -if stripped entirely of their foliage, 

 would appear as ugly as they were before beautiful ; and while this 

 may teach the improver that there is no situation that may not be 

 rendered attractive, if the soil will yield a growth of trees, shrubs, 

 and vines, it does not the less render it worth our attention in choos- 

 ing or improving a place, to examine carefully beforehand, in what 

 really consists the Beautiful in ground, and whether we should lose 

 or gain it in our proposed improvements. 



