THE VILLA. 



255 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE VILLA. 



Introductory Remarks. 



Sect. I. General Properties of the Villa — The Locality — The Site — 

 Eoads — Position of the House — Stylo and Arrangement of the 

 House. 



Sect. II. Laying-out of the Grounds" of a Villa — Seclusion — The 

 Approach — Kitchen -garden — Trees and Shrubs — "Water — Lead- 

 ing Varieties of Villa Scenery — The Pleasure-ground Villa — The 

 Park Villa. 



■ Probably there are few men, not possessed of an- 

 cestral lands, or without the prospect of succeeding to 

 them, and who betake themselves therefore to business, 

 that do not wish and hope, in their outset, to realize 

 so much wealth as will enable them, in the decline of 

 life, to retire to some comfortable villa near their 

 native place, or in some other locality to which they 

 have become attached. Such visions are not unfre- 

 quently realized ; and the desire in which they have 

 originated has sometimes led to- the amassing of large 

 fortunes, and to the possession of extensive estates 

 provided with parks and pleasure-grounds. But even 

 if all that is attained is the villa, still, a great good 

 may have been reached. Such residences, whether as 

 retirements from active life, or occasional retreats from 

 business, or the dwellings of competence, are very 

 generally the abodes of intelligence and refinement. 

 As a whole, they are, perhaps, as happy homes as 



