LINE OF THE APPROACH. 



61 



easier line spontaneously suggests itself to the observ- 

 ant traveler. The exhibition of fine views is a tempt- 

 ation to commit both of these faults ; but it is a tempt- 

 ation which should be resisted. While the approach 

 may display the average beauties of the place, it is 

 bad taste, as well as bad economy of pleasure, to 

 lengthen it out for the mere purpose of showing the 

 extent of the park or displaying the prospects which 

 its best points may be made to command. Such 

 waste, as it may be justly called, should rather be 

 avoided. The extent of the park may well be left to 

 actual inspection in rides taken for the purpose ; and 

 the finest views should be reserved for the principal 

 windows of the house, for rustic seats or other stations 

 in the dressed grounds, or for walks or drives if these 

 be necessary. In forming an approach on level ground, 

 it is proper to introduce a few easy sweeps or curves 

 round groups or clumps of trees : these we prefer to 

 the dull insipidity of one great uniform sweep, which 

 scarcely any planting or other means of decoration 

 can relieve. On rising and undulating grounds, those 

 approaches have the most elegant effect whose lines 

 harmonize best with the natural curves of the surface. 

 In such cases all cutting and embanking should be 

 avoided as far as possible. Nothing can be in worse 

 taste than to cut through a broad swell of ground of 

 small elevation, or to bank across a wide hollow whose 

 surfaces vary only two or three feet, for the purpose 

 of forming a level road, or what may be called some 

 imaginary gradient. When cuttings and embank- 

 ments are unavoidable, as they may be on short, 

 abrupt, rolling undulations, or steep surfaces, they 

 should be rendered as inconspicuous as may be. Easy 



