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painter could wish ; and would afford little 

 pleasure to any but painters and connois- 

 seurs. On the other hand, as irregularity, 

 by your account, is so principal a cause 

 of the picturesque, I no less easily can 

 conceive, that if a regular front were put 

 to this old house, it would be as far from 

 being picturesque, as, in the other case, it 

 would be far from being beautiful." 



At this time, the clergyman came into 

 the garden, with his daughter ; and being 

 an old acquaintance of Mr. Hamilton's, 

 desired them to walk in. This gave them 

 an opportunity of looking round the whole 

 of the premises, and of asking some 

 questions about the mansion-house, and 

 the grounds. 



" You will find the place much altered," 

 said the clergyman to Mr. Hamilton, 

 " since you were here : you may perhaps 

 recollect some fine tall trees in front of the 

 house; at least you must remember the 

 old terras, and the balustrade with urns 

 and flower-pots on it, and the flight of 

 steps that led down into the lower garden, 



