Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 7, ETM-GOA

Fart II.
Principal tains, and temples dedicated^to feveral deities; the
Rtftdence refort 0f diftant nations, and the objedl of veneration
v ' to half the heathen world : this pomp is, at Stowe,
blended with beauty'; and the place is equally diflin-
guifhed by its amenity and its grandeur.
In the midit of fo much embelliihment as may be
introduced into this fpecies of garden, a plain field, or
a iheep-waik, is fometimes an agreeable relief, and e-
ven wilder fcenes-may occafionally be admitted. Thefe
indeed are not properly parts of a garden, but they
maybe comprehended within the verge of it; and the
proximity to the more ornamented fcenes is at leaft a
convenience, that the tranfition from the one to the
other may be eafy, and the change always in our op¬
tion. For though a fpot in the highell ftate of im¬
provement be a neceffary appendage to a feat; yet, in
a place which is perfect, other charafters will not be
wanting : if they cannot be had on a large fcale, they
are acceptable on a fmalkr; and fo many circumftan-
ces are common to all, that they may often be inter¬
mixed; they may always bprder on each other.”
But on this head it would be in vain to attempt to
lay down particular rules : different places are marked
Pi-aBTreat.^y fets .of features as different from each other as are
en Planting thofe in mens faces. Much muft be left to the fkill
an.i Garden- ^ni tafte of the artift; and let thofe be what they may,
r"g> P- 615. nothing hut mature ftudy of the natural abilities of the
particular place to be improved can render him equal
to the execution, fo as to make the moft of the mate¬
rials that are placed before him.
Some few general rules may neverthelefs be laid
down. The approach ought to be conducted in fuch
a manner, that the ftriking features of the place fhall
burft upon the view at once : no trick however fhould
be made ufe of: all fhould appear to fall in natnrally.
In leading towards the houfe, its diredtion fhould not
be fully in front, nor exaftly at an angle, but fhould
pafs obliquely upon the houfe and its accompaniments;
fo that their pofition with refpedt to each other, as
well as the perfpedtive appearance of the houfe itfeif,
may vary at,every ftep : and having fhown the front
and the principal wing, or other accompaniment, to
advantage, the approach fhould wind to the back-front,
which, as has been already obferved, ought to lie open
to the park or paftured grounds.
The improvements and the rooms from which they
are to be feen fhould be in unifon. Thus, the view
from the drawing-room fhould be highly embellifhed,
to correspond with the beauty and elegance within :
every thing here fbould be feminine, elegant, beautb
fal, fuch as attunes the mind to politenefs! and lively
converfation. The breakfafting-room fhould have more
mafculine objects in view : wood, water, and an ex*
tended country for the eye to roam over; fuch as ab
lures us imperceptibly to the ride or the chace. The
- eating and banqueting rooms need no exterior allure¬
ments.
There is a harmony in tafte as in mufic: variety,
and even wildnefs upon fo me occafions, may be ad¬
mitted ; but difcord cannot be allowed. If, therefore-,
a place be fo circumftanced as to confift of properties,
totally irreconcileable, the parts ought, if poffible, to
be feparated in fuch a manner, that, like the air and
the recitative, the adagio and the allegro, in mufic,
they may fet off each other’s charms by the contraft:.—-
• • ’ - ” ' 2.
. S'3
Thefe obfervations, in the elegant performance whence Principal
theyare extradled, the author illuftrates by the following ^eiideucc,
defeription and propofed improvement of Perfefield, the ^ ;
feat of Mr Morris, near Chepftow in Monmouthfhire ; 0f perfe_
a place upon which nature has been peculiarly lavifh field, M/V/.
of her favours, and which has been fpoken of by Mr p. 6ro, &c»
Wheatley, Mr Gilpin, and other writers, in the moft;
flattering terms.
‘ Perfefield is fituated upon'thebanks of the river Wye,
which divides Gioucefterlhire and Monmouthflnre, and
which was formerly the boundary between England
and Wales. The general tendency of the river is from
north to fouth ; but about Perfefield it deferibes by its
winding courfe the letter S, fomewhat compreffed, fo
as to reduce it in length and increafe its width. The
grounds of Perfefield are lifted high above the bed of
the river; fhelving, and form the brink of a lofty and
fteep precipice, towards the fouth-weft.
“ The lower limb of the letter is filled with Perfe-
wood, which makes a part of Perfefieid; but is at pre¬
fect an impenetrable thicket,of coppice-wood. This
dips to the fouth-eaft down to the water’s edge ; and,
feen from the top of the oppofite rock, has a good ef-
fe&.
“ The upper limb receives the farms of Llancot: rich
and highly cultivated : broken into inclofures, and
fcattered with groupes and fingle trees: two well look¬
ing farm-houfes in the centre, and a neat white chapel
on one fide : altogether a lovely little paradifaical fpot, .
The lowlinefs of its fituation ftamps it with an aif of
meeknefs and humility ; and the natural barriers which
furvound it adds that of peacefulnefs and fecurity„
Thefe pi&urefque farms do not form a low flat bot¬
tom, fubjeft to be overflowed by the river; but take
the form of a gorget, rifing fulleft in the middle, and
falling on every fide gently to the brink af the Wye;
except on the eaft:-fide, where the top of the gorget
leans in an eafy manner againft a range of perpendicu¬
lar rock ; as if to fhow its diik with advantage to the
walks of Perfefield.
“ This rock ftretches acrofs what may be called the
IJlhmus, leaving only a narrow pals down into the fields
of LlanCot, and joins the principal range of rocks at
the lower bend of the river.
“ To the north, at the head of the letter, ftands aa
immenfe rock (or rather a pile of immenfe rocks heap¬
ed one above another) called WlnckUJf ; .the top of
which is elevated as much above the grounds of Perfe-
field as thofe are above the fields of Llancot. ■
“ ThefeTeveral rocks, with the-wooded precipices
on the fide of Perfefield, form a circular fin do lure',
about a mile in-diameter, including Perfe-wood, Llan¬
cot, the Wye; and a fmali meadow lying at the foot '
of Windciiff.
“ The grounds are divided into the upper and low¬
er lawn, by the approach to the houfe ; a fmall irre¬
gular building, Handing near the brink of the preci-.
pice, but facing down the lower lawn, a beautiful
ground, falling * precipitately every way into a valley
which fltelves down in- the middle,’ and is fcattered
with grpupes and fingle trees in an excellent ftyle.
“ The view from the houie is foft, rich, and- beau¬
tifully picturefque ; the lawn and woods of Perfefield
and the oppofite banks' of the river; the Wye, near
its mouth, winding through ‘ meadows-green as erw*
raLd/T
GARDENING.