TREATMENT OF GROUND. FORMATION OF WALKS. 309 
le bouquet” and they certainly serve as the connecting me- 
dium between the different parts of the estate, as well as the 
means of displaying its various beauties, peculiarities, and 
finest points of prospect. 
The Approach is by far the most important of these 
routes. It is the private road, leading from the public high- 
way, directly to the house itself. It should therefore bear 
a proportionate breadth and size, and exhibit marks of good 
keeping, in accordance with the dignity of the mansion. 
In the ancient style of gardening, the Approach was so 
formed as to enter directly in front of the house, affording 
a full view of that portion of the edifice, and no other. A 
line drawn as directly as possible, and evenly bordered on 
each side with a tall avenue of trees, was the whole expen- 
diture of art necessary in its formation. It is true, the sim- 
plicity of design was often more than counterbalanced by 
the difficulty of levelling, grading, and altering the surface, 
necessary to please the geometric eye ; but the rules were 
as plain and unchangeable, as the lines were parallel and 
undeviating. 
In the present more advanced state of Landscape Garden- 
ing, the formation of the Approach has become equally a 
matter of artistical skill with other details of the art. The 
house is generally so approached, that the eye shall first 
meet it in an angular direction, displaying not only the 
beauty of the architectural facade , but also one of the end 
elevations, thus giving a more complete idea of the size, 
character, or elegance of the building : and instead of lead- 
ing in a direct line, from the gate to the house, it curves in 
easy lines through certain portions of the park or lawn, 
until it reaches that object. 
If the point where the Approach is to start from the high- 
