DRESS GROUND. 



53 



If a massive foreground of wood, while it 

 excluded an uninteresting country, should at 

 the same time give a sombre effect to the 

 dwelling, I would rather seek to enliven the 

 general effect by decoration, than by laying 

 open a prospect so uninviting; as quantity 

 and richness, even to excess, is preferable to 

 the insipidity of baldness. It is not the least 

 of the advantages of trees near the house, 

 that they create a variety in the scenery as 

 viewed from the different windows, and vary- 

 ing points of the walks. It may, perhaps, 

 sometimes happen, that what would be essen- 

 tially useful from one window, might inter- 

 fere with the prospect from another : in such 

 case, the consequence of the windows must 

 decide the question. But more frequently, 

 if properly effected, it will appear that the 

 partial hiding of the scene by foreground 

 trees will not only be a source of variety 

 from the different windows, but that the 

 composition from each will be benefited. It 

 should ever be borne in mind that prospect 

 should not be obtained at the expense of 

 composition. Neither is it from the interior 

 only that trees near the house are desirable : 

 they are highly requisite, as accompaniments 



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