102 
THE FLORIST. 
is met with. Before going any further, we look round upon the 
domain thus entered. Without much difficulty, as the works now 
stand, we can conceive their completed state—the whole boundary of 
the garden, north, south, east, and west, is inclosed by an arcade of 
considerable height, judiciously varied in its design, so that on the south 
and east ends runs a highly beautiful belt of columns, to be glazed in 
the openings. To the north, much above our level as standing here, is 
a bold colonnade of Ionic pillars, sweeping iCs curved ends inwards, so 
as to inclose the head of the grounds. In the centre of this will arise a 
conservatory nearly two hundred and fifty feet long. The colonnade 
will be a covered way, or sheltered promenade, decorated with statues, 
climbing plants, and, may be, wall-painting, so that the visitors may 
take exercise under shelter. On the roof is to be a balustraded 
balcony, snme twenty-four feet above the highest level of the grounds, 
and, consequently, about fifty feet higher than our present post. 
Hence will be gained a complete view of the grounds, with their gay 
groups of promenaders and sparkling waters, within convenient hearing 
of the bands which are to be stationed below, just within the returning 
horns of the colonnade. This balcony, or upper promenade, is, we 
believe, when there are sufficient funds, to be carried along the two 
sides of the garden as well as on the north. Now turning to look at the 
south arcade, there is visible what we consider the most beautiful, as it 
is certainly the most novel, section of the architectural part of the 
design. Between the piers, set apart about twenty feet, are openings, 
in which are introduced round-headed arches, three in each division, of 
a very elegant order. The arches spring from the heads of slender 
shaftings, with spiral mouldings in relief running round them ; these 
are doubled, have pretty bands of flowers midway in their height, upon 
a flat belt, their capitals delicate and graceful to a high degree with 
similar ornamentation. The lightness and graceful appearance of this 
arcade, even in its present state, must strike and delight every 
spectator; but its agreeable disposition and true beauty will hardly be 
developed until the roof which shall convert its interior face into a cor¬ 
ridor, and the glass which is to close it in, have been added. The 
shaftings, caps and belts for the arcades are moulded in terra-cotta, of 
several designs, so made that, by fitting one segment to another, great 
diversity, the 'very essence of romantic art, is readily obtained. The 
result of this experiment will be accepted as a hint by architects in 
designing windows for modern buildings, such shaftings being durable 
beyond conception, strong, capable of infinite adaptation, and cheaper, we 
opine, than the brick-and-stucco mullions which intercept the light of a 
window-opening vvithout adding to its beauty, They may be used 
with square or round heads, can be made to fit for sashes or fixed 
frames, with a discharging arch above, and the tympans, open with 
glass or closed with brickwork at pleasure. These shaftings alone 
would give a beautiful architectural character to the cheapest of 
buildings; they might be glazed of any vitrifiable colour, when they 
would endure for ever. 
The extreme southern side of the grounds it is proposed to leave 
for the present partly unoccupied, in case it be wanted for the Floral 
