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where so many are expected to be passing together ; but the border- 

 ing plantations are so arranged that the formality of these rows will 

 not be noticed, except when close upon them. Looking beyond 

 the exterior lines of the promenade walks, the scene will be per- 

 fectly natural and rural in character ; so also the whole lake shore, 

 except at one point, where preparation is making for promenade 

 concerts. 



Promenade concerts are common in many European pleasure 

 grounds, but nowhere are the arrangements for them such as would 

 be at all satisfactory to an American audience of the number 

 which has frequently been found already in your park. They 

 may be divided into two classes : those universal in German 

 towns, common in French, and less so in British, where the 

 audience is standing, walking, or sitting upon chairs, and frequently 

 at tables at which refreshments are served, and those in which the 

 greater part of the audience is in carriages, or walking about among 

 carriages, as the Cascine at Florence, and on the Pincian Hill at 

 Rome. 



The music of a proper promenade band can be best heard only 

 at a greater distance from the instruments than is desirable when 

 listening to an ordinary indoor orchestra. It does not require close 

 attention, and may be enjoyed while walking among the trees. It 

 is common, however, for at least the central part of the audience to 

 rest during the performance of each piece, and for the greater part 

 of it to stroll or drive off, and return between the pieces. Where 

 the audience is largely in carriages, there is always more or less 

 movement in its outer part, and this, with the room necessarily 

 taken by each vehicle and its horses, makes the number of those 

 who can enjoy the music at all, with any arrangement hitherto 

 used, very small. There is no carriage promenade concert in 

 Europe which is largely attended by people on foot. In the best 

 and most popular promenade concerts, it is customary for all who 

 come in carriages, to leave them on arriving at the ground, and this 

 both in small and large towns. 



The plan of the concert grounds in your park is designed to se- 

 cure the advantages of both the classes which have been described, 

 and to avoid, as far as practicable, their disadvantages. 



The orchestra is to be placed upon a small island, about one 

 hundred feet from a semicircular sweep of shore, in the direction 

 where the audience is expected chiefly to congregate. It is believed 

 that with suitable instruments, at this distance over water, nothing 

 will be lost of the sound, while it will prevent the disagreeable crowd- 

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