72 THE PLEASURE, OR [Jan. 
spacious openingsj statues are also often placed at the terminations 
of particular walks, sometimes in woods, thickets, and recesses, 
upon mounts, terraces, and other stations, according to what thej 
are intended to represent. 
Sometimes, also, there are exhibited root-houses, rock and shell 
work, ruins, and other rustic devices, representing hermitages, 
caves, and the like; such being generally stationed in some retired 
or private situation; these kinds of buildings being commonly arch- 
ed or vaulted are, for the most part, covered with a coat of earth 
and turfed with grass, so as to appear like a sort of mount or hil- 
lock, and planted with some little clumps of shrubs, &c. having 
private walks leading to the entrance. 
Likewise in some parts are exhibited artificial rock-work, con- 
tiguous to some grotto, fountain, rural piece of water, &c. and 
planted with a variety of saxatile plants, or such as grow naturally 
on rocks and mountains. 
Ornamental bridges over artificial rivers, or any rural piece of 
water in some magnificent opening, so as to admit of a prospect 
thereof, at some distance from the habitation, have charming effects. 
Let it be particularly remarked, that although water, when ex- 
hibited with due taste and handsome design, adds considerable to 
the beauty of pleasure-grounds; yet, in districts subject to fluxes, 
intermittent fevers, or other diseases, occasioned by the effluvia 
arising from marshes and stagnant water, it ought to be cautiously 
introduced; a due regard to health will of course prevent its intro- 
duction, especially in large sheets, where likely to become stagnant. 
In fact, when such are admitted, they should always be situated in 
a clay or gravelly soil, and possess a sufficient head or stream to 
render the change of their contents frequent. 
A Foss or ha-ha, is often formed at the termination of a spacious 
lawn, grand walk, avenue, or other principal part of parts of the 
pleasure-ground, both to extend the prospect into the adjacent 
fields and country, and give these particular parts of the ground an 
air of larger extent than they really have; as at a distance nothing 
of this kind of fence is seen, so that the adjacent fields, planta- 
tions, &c. appear to be connected with, or but a continuation of 
the pleasure-ground. 
A Foss, or ha-ha, is a sunk fence, ditch-like, five or six feet deep, 
and ten, twenty, or more wide, and is made in different ways ac- 
cording to the nature of the ground. One sort is formed with a 
nearly upright side next the pleasure-ground, five, six, or seven feet 
deep, faced with a wall of brick, or stone, or strong post and plank- 
ing, &c.; the other side is made sloping outwai'd gradually from 
the bottom of said wall, till it terminates as near a level as possible. 
Another kind of foss is formed with both sides sloping and in per- 
pendicular depth from four to five or six feet, having a fence near 
that height arranged along the bottom, formed of strong paling or 
any kind of palisado-work; the sides may be sloped gradually from 
the bottom to ten or twenty feet width, or more at top; but sloped 
more to the field side than to the other. 
It being absolutely necessary to have the whole of the pleasure- 
