Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/815

 BEAU IDEAL OF AN ENGLISH VILLA. 791 and not one of seclusion from the world, it should be situated, if possible, in a beautiful country, within reach of a public road, and at an easy distance from the metropolis. Were I to select a situation for a residence of this description, I should choose a country neither flat nor mountainous ; varied with hill and vale, and rather approaching to the mountainous than to the dull monotony of a level surface. I shoidd prefer a situation removed about a mile from a great public road, and about ninety miles, or a day's journey, from the metropolis. Here I would enclose a park of 100 or 150 acres j bounded on the north and west sides of it by lofty wooded hills ; on another side, by a road ; and, else- where, by the enclosed country of the district : the surface of the park varied, but generally inclining to the south, with a rapid stream of water passing through it at no great distance from the site of the house. The park, in form, should be irregular, neither round nor square, but the length greater than the breadth. The country itself would, in great measure, determine the line of the boundary fence. Near to the woody hill, on the north side of the park, on a gentle eminence, should be the situation for the house ; and I would so place the principal front as to be seen from the public road, and to com- mand a beautiful and extensive prospect over a fertile country ; having in the middle distance a town or village, with its " heaven-directing spire " reflected in the broad reach of a noble river, and in the extreme distance a mountainous country, or the sea ; the foreground of the view to be well broken up by the timber in the park. The house should stand near the north boimdary, nearly but not quite in the centre of the length of the park, which I would divide into three unequal portions. That portion which would be before the house should be an open lawn of an irregular shape, crossed obliquely by the stream widened in parts, and having the banks fringed with underwood and a few trees ; the lawn itself being bordered irregularly with thorns, holly, furze, fern, and trees ; and varied, where the sm-face indicated a place for them, with groups or single trees. The other two portions I would make unequal, the smallest towards the village. ITiese should be laid out in imitation of forest scenery, with open glades and thickets, an irregular lawn in each, with occasional openings to the principal lawn before the house, and to the distant prospect, or anj' picturesque object in the surrounding country ; taking advantage of the inequalities of the surface, and following as closely as possible the most beautiful natural scenery. An irregular green drive or walk might be formed round the whole. As to trees, I would have every kind of forest tree that the soil and space would allow ; but I should prefer the oak, sycamore (one of the noblest of forest trees when old), the elm (narrow-leaved), Spanish and horse chestnuts, the m.aple, hornbeam, and a few others. Of course, I should add lower growths, such as thorn, holly, broom, fern, and even furze. To have a close even turf, which is one of the chief beauties in park scenery, I should keep it well stocked with cattle, young horses, sheep, and, if possible, a few deer. I have seen many parks, beautiful in themselves, but conveying an unpleasant feeUng of dulness and solitude. Cattle, &c., always give a certain air of cheerfulness to a park scene ; but still the effect is often solitary, where there is no appearance of human habitation besides the mansion. To obviate this loneliness, I would introduce a few buildings. Thus, I would have the church within the enclosure of the park, near the entrance gate, concealed partly by wood ; but so situated that the tower and a portion of the church might be seen from the house. An ornamental temple or summer-house ; a pigeon-house, often a very picturesque object ; the keeper's lodge, which should be within the park ; and even a few gables of the farm buildings, seen at a dis- tance ; would all contribute to give the eflfect of cheerfulness and a pleasing variety to a richly wooded park. I should even wish to have a public footpath across it, and within sight of the house ; though at such a distance as to be no inconvenience. To me, nothing is more cheerless than that exclusive solitary grandeur so much affected in the present day, which forbids the poor even to set a foot within the precincts of greatness. As the most beautiful landscape is incomplete without figm-es, so the general effect of a park is always lonely, unless it have a footpath frequented by the picturesque figures of the labouring classes, and giN-ing life and interest to the scene. Even the line of a footpath is in itself beautiful, and breaks the monotony of the green turf. If it be objected that a footpath is a nuisance, I answer, it is seldom found to be so in a retired situation, where the comforts of the poor are properly attended to ; where the labourers have constant work, good wages, comfortable cottages, and ground on which to occupy their leisure time ; and where there are proper national schools, in which the children are taught their duty, and kept out of mischief. They are the neglected poor who are mischievous and dis- honest ; and in a populous neighboiu-hood, abounding with squalid poverty, a footpath might be a nuisance, which I should willingly dispense with. 1677. The Approach to a residence is commonly one of the most important features about the place. A villa should always form part of a village, and be placed, if possible, on rather higher ground, that it may appear to be a sort of head and protector of the surrounding dwellings of the poor, as it ever was formerly ; many of the finest of