LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
247 
and all looking extremely well, were scattered over the face of the 
country; and little groups of cottages,, with ivy-covered gables, ranged 
on the margins of green commons, or crowded round the modest parish 
church, enriched the landscape in every direction. 
After a pleasant ride of an hour and a half, we approached our desti¬ 
nation. This was anticipated by observing an extensive mass of oak 
woodland inclosed by an ancient wall, which trended away to the right 
and left out of sight. Before us was the grand entrance into the park, 
which is entered through massive and curiously-wrought iron gates 
hung between square stone columns, surmounted by lions rampant 
supporting shields, on which were emblazoned the family arms. 
The porter’s lodge is on one side, within the wall, and is a roomy 
building, covered with a steep roof of thick grey slate, with dormer 
windows, ornamented gables, and twisted chimney shafts. Both the 
gate and lodge give an idea of massive amplitude, which idea is well 
kept up as we proceed into the park. The park itself is extensive, 
and all its features are on a magnificent scale. The groves on each 
side of the approach, for a considerable distance inwards from the gate, 
are immense aged oak trees, many of them in a state of decay ; but 
notwithstanding this, their \ r enerable appearance adds an air of dignity 
to the domain. Many of them are covered with ivy to the very top; 
and though this ever-verdant climber appears like an encumbrance on 
its aged supporters, the union evinces a connexion of many by-gone 
years. 
Proceeding onwards we arrived upon the brink of a brow which 
commands an extensive view of the park and mansion-house, seated on 
an opposite brow at the distance of half a mile. From the point at 
which this view opened to us, (and at which we stopped for a few 
minutes to survey,) it was easily discernible that an avenue of oak 
trees had, at some former time, connected the entrance-gate with the 
front court of the mansion, because, although its continuity and close 
array are broken by the advice of some recent improver, the trees that 
are left show plainly the ancient ranks of the avenue. 
This dismemberment of the old avenue is certainly an improvement, 
because, in the first place, it visibly divided the park into two parts; 
and the lineal arrangement of the trees in the avenue were in every 
respect unlike the natural disposition of those on each side, which 
appear to have been originally scattered about by the hand of nature. 
As the avenue was dismantled as an object of ornament, and aban¬ 
doned as a road or approach to the house, a new approach has been 
formed in a curvilinear direction to the left, first descending and after¬ 
wards ascending towards the left-hand angle of the mansion. This 
