26 



hates compulsion, and turns with disgust 

 from such puerile means of attracting its 

 notice. One great mischief of an avenue 

 is, that it divides a park, and cuts it into 

 two distinct parts, destroying the unity of 

 lawn; for it is hardly possible to avoid dis- 

 tinguishing the ground on the two sides 

 of such an avenue into north and south 

 park, or east and west division of the 

 lawn. 



But the greatest objection to an ave- 

 nue is, that (especially in uneven ground) 

 it often acts as a curtain drawn across the 

 most interesting scenery : it is in undraw- 

 ing this curtain at proper places that the 

 utility of what has been called breaking 

 an avenue consists. 



If the fashion in gardening, like the 

 fashion in dress, could be changed witli no 

 other difficulty than that of expence, we 

 might follow its dictates, without any 

 other consideration; we might boldly mo- 

 dernise old places, and reduce all improve- 

 ment to the whim and caprice of the day, 

 and alter them again on the morrow; but 

 the change of fashion in Gardening de- 



