15 



opening before him, and the more surely to accomplish this, a 

 glimpse of a slope of turf beyond the bonier of Bhrubs in the 

 middle distance lias been secured. As the visitor proceeds, this 

 idea is strengthened, and the hope winch springs from it in a 

 considerable degree satisfied, if nol actually realized, first by a 

 view of those parts of the Cricket Ground which lie to the right 

 and left of his previous field of vision, afterwards by the broad 

 expanse of turf on either side and before him, which comes into view 

 as lie emerges from the plantations at or near the marble archway. 



The carrying out of this most important purpose in the scenery of 

 the Central Park, owing to the rocky and heterogeneous character of 

 the original surface, involved much more labor and a larger expen- 

 diture than any ether landscape feature of that undertaking. 



For the same reason that induced us to recommend that expendi- 

 ture to the Commissioners of the Central Park, we feel dissatisfied 

 with the limits of the space we are now regarding. It is evident at 

 a glance, however, that if we do not restrict ourselves to the arti- 

 ficial boundary formerly fixed upon for the park, this space may 

 readily be more than doubled in extent without encroaching upon 

 any considerable natural elevation, and at a very moderate expense. 

 Thus our second requirement would be met. 



In addition to the special artistic advantage which the acqui- 

 sition of this ground would secure, there are two other very im- 

 portant considerations in favor of obtaining it : First, such an 

 addition is almost indispensable to a proper provision of playing 

 grounds, there being no space of moderately level ground, not occu- 

 pied by groves of trees of much value, sufficient for this purpose, 

 upon the territory now controlled by your Commission; second, its 

 acquisition will enable us to make a very great improvement upon 

 any general plan of drives, rides and walks, which would others ise 

 be practicable, and in these and other ways, to which we shall 

 hereafter allude, it will greatly lessen the danger of overcrowding 

 the park. 



Next to groves and greensward, a sheet of water is the most 

 important element in the character of the scenery winch we desire 

 to realize. We find no place suited to the formation of such a 

 feature of sufficient extent within the limits of the site now held by 

 your Commission. At a short distance beyond them, there is, how- 

 ever, a broad plain, overlooked on the park side by the highest 

 ground in the vicinity, from the top of which there is a prospect to 



