Chap. XIV.] THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES. 221 



desirable it is, in order to concentrate the effect and to obtain 

 character, that at certain places in the landscape and certain 

 streets in the town, one particular tree should predominate. 

 How pleasantly our imagination is stirred by the mention of the 

 Horse-chestnuts at Bushey Park, the Linden-trees of Berlin, and 

 the Elms of Windsor ! I am quoting the words of a correspondent 

 who has paid much attention to trees from an aesthetic point of 

 view : — " Great beauty is obtained by the disposition of trees in 

 an avenue, the essential character of which is that it should be 

 composed of single species. In no way are trees displayed to 

 better advantage; they gain character by their fellowship, and 

 the attention is at once arrested by the uniformity, which, if it 

 were not confined to certain limited parts of the ground, would 

 become intolerable. The well-ordered ranks of stately Poplars, 

 composing the avenue depicted in the woodcut, give a striking 

 and unique effect to a flat and otherwise featureless piece of 

 ground. Their grandeur and formality impose upon the imagi- 

 nation in a way which would be quite absent if the road 

 were bordered by ordinary masses of mixed planting, or by 

 isolated groups ; but the effect to be produced by an avenue such 

 as this should be strictly localised. The contrast should be 

 sharply defined between the formal lines of stately trees and the 

 open park or gloomy, tangled wood. Another principle not to 

 be lost sight of is that there should be an object — not necessarily 

 visible — at either end of the avenue. Let it not be purposeless, 

 or half the sentiment is lost. In a town, let the avenue lead to 

 the river, the cathedral, or the central square, — then the object of 

 the formality will be obvious." 



