355 



those that are perfectly hardy may be 

 -placed : and from the irregular shape of 

 many of the houses, there are various di- 

 visions and compartments of various sizes 

 and heights, by means of which a collec- 

 tor of climbing plants might arrange them, 

 according to their different degrees of har- 

 diness and luxuriancy; so that while he was 

 indulging his favourite passion, he would 

 be adding the most engaging ornaments, to 

 the most pleasing of all rural scenes. In 

 all climbing plants, there is so much beauty 

 arising either from their flowers, their 

 foliage, or from their loose and flexible 

 manner of growing, that no arrangement 

 could well prevent them from giving plea- 

 sure to the lover of painting, as well as to' 

 every spectator: for the detail would be in 

 a high degree interesting, whether the plants 

 were considered in a botanical light, as de- 

 tached flourishing specimens; or in a pictu- 

 resque light, as exhibiting a variety of new 

 combinations of form and colour: the ■- differ- 

 ent vegetable tints being sometimes blend- 

 ed with the rich mellow hues of old stone or 

 A a 2 



