Let us go now — thought becomes oppressive at the name, and its reality is dark and dreary. 

 We want the merry face of flowers to charm us as we silently move on ; and there, on either side 

 beneath the balustrade, they laughingly range. Look ! how they sportively creep up and cling to the 

 wall ; how they leap over its face, and peep into its hollow eyes ! A mischievous zephyr now tumbles 

 in among them ; and what gambols they play in the cool shade, away from the searching glance of 

 the sun. Happy flowers ! play on while you may ; the day is shortening, and even to you, young 

 and beautiful as you are, a night will come, and the winds and frosts of a harsher hour bring in 

 their turn the blighting and the withering of a common fate. 



The central walk of fine gravel on which we now stand is about 250 yards long and 14 wide. 

 Single rows of the Portugal laurel growing out of large square boxes, one on each side, extend its entire 

 length, and are trained in a manner to represent orange trees. The effect of these prove how necessary 

 characteristic plants are in grounds intended to be of a national order. The plan of these far-famed 



grounds represents an oblong square, divided into two large and four small compartments. The large 

 ones have in their centre fountains throwing a jet of water from twenty to thirty feet high ; those in. 

 the smaller ones are of a flowing order. There are four cross walks, and on each side of the outer 

 ones are single rows of the Portugal laurel, similar to those in the centre. A raised terrace walk runs 

 down to the lake on each side, on which are placed polished granite seats and Maltese vases ; and on 

 the left, beneath the Trellis Walk, are allegorical busts of the Four Seasons, with ornamental baskets 

 between containing flowers. To the right, or west, masses of the Rhododendron and Azalea mingle 

 with dark evergreens, flowers, and trees, through which vistas and glades open into the park and wood ; 

 and in some instances a single tree is thus brought prominently to the eye, like an object seen 

 through a telescope. 



At the extremity of the central walk, abutting on the lake, and on a stone pedestal surrounded by 

 four smaller ones at present unoccupied, stands a remarkably fine colossal bronze cast of Perseus and 

 Medusa* This is the only bronze copy of the original extant, and as a work of art its value is great. 

 The work displays great power and truthfulness of expression. Perseus, flushed with triumph, is represented 

 holding the head of Medusa by its snaky locks the moment after decapitation, and surveying in his 

 shield the reflection of that fatal face, on which he dare not trust his naked eye. The attitude of her 

 prostrate body is that of repose ; and the placid regularity of her features indicate that the sleep of life met 

 that of death without communicating to the beautiful outlines of her face a cloud of anguish or pang 

 of mortal agony. From this point, or rather a little to the west, beneath a beech tree, we obtain a 

 good view of the Hall, facing south. Its style of architecture is Corinthian. From the main body of 

 the building rises a large, handsome, square, open tower, which contributes greatly to its noble appearance ; 

 and taken altogether, there is a style of effectiveness about it, dignified and elegant. The Italian 

 Gardens and the general view of the grounds are beautiful in the extreme, and well merit the eulogies 

 so lavishly bestowed upon them. Easily and pleasantly could we devote pages to their service, but 

 there are restrictions to our volubility ; and so we pass on beside the balustrade, which separates the 

 lake from the garden, down a walk 50 feet wide and about 150 yards long, at the end of which is a 

 boat-house, containing a very fine and commodious pleasure-boat; and dashing up the terrace we find ourselves 

 in the Trellis Walk (Plate 3). This covered way is composed of iron work, 140 yards long, and about 

 15 feet high, over which clusters of roses, woodbine, and numerous other flowering plants and creepers 

 luxuriate. Standing at the southern end the view from it is most charming, and well adapted for 



artistic treatment, embracing portions of the park, wood, lake, and islands, with the ley, and its groups 

 of beech and horse-chesnut. Each end of the walk contains three entrances, and is higher than the 



other part. Down each side are oval windows ; and on the outside, facing west, are ranges of flowers 

 the entire length, which literally impregnate the air with their perfume. 



In admirable contrast to the brilliancy of the flower gardens is the quiet, secluded character of the 

 Promontory (Plate 4). The rock work is good, and not often so happily expressed ; and as we sit 

 and gaze across the smooth surface of the lake, broken into occasional ripples by the rising fish, on the 

 opposite wood which rolls wave-like down to the shore, we are insensibly led to feel how soothing and 

 beautiful is the calm Poetry of Nature. 



Following the course of the river Trent, which at one time ran through the lake, but was success- 

 fully diverted in 1853, we wind amongst masses of the white Rhododendron and orange Azalea, which 

 are particularly striking, in contrast to the purple colours formerly so much used. We were also struck 

 with the liberal use of the woodbine, foxglove, and Scotch thistle in these grounds, and the effect they 



* This imposing piece of statuary is a cast from the Work of the celebrated sculptor, Benvenuto Cellini, and bears the date MDLIII. 



The original is at Florence. 



