Walks are the next accompaniment to home scenes, with out which they cannot be viewed but in particular states of the weather and the surface. They were straight, angu lar, or in regular curves, in the geometric style, and are in easy natural like lines in the modern manner. Though avowed objects of art, they ought always to hear a certain analogy to the scenes they pass through ; with formal kept edges in highly finished scenery, and edges blending with the gravel in the picturesque manner, recommended by Mr. Price in more wild scenes. Taste must determine their general course, from the range of beauties to be dis played ; and their particular turns, from local beauties and accidental circumstances. The principle of a sufficient rea son ought never to be lost sight of, in laying out walks and roads.
One of the finest descriptions of hill or mountain walks is, where it is carried along the side of an irregular declivi ty on a perfect level ; such were called terrace walks in the ancient style, and two fine specimens exist at Lowther Cas tle, near Carlisle, and at Craigie-Hall, near Edinburgh.
A walk by a wooded river, retiring from and meeting the stream, is one of the most interesting of valley walks, of which there are fine examples at Downton Castle, near Ludlow, and Dalkeith, near Edinburgh.
Fences are necessary accompaniments in both styles, and have been already considered in some degree, in treating of the permanent materials of scenery. • Animated nature. Deer, wild and tame hares, cattle, sheep, game, singing belong to a residence, and Having now applied the pritIciples of natural and rela tive beauty to the materials of gardening separately, we shall next apply the sameprinciples to the formation of those scenes of use, convenience, or elegance, which form the constittiem parts of a country residence.
1. The Mansion and Offices first demand attention, as the central feature of art and refinement. What relates to the design of these groups of buildings, belongs to ARCHITEC TURE ; but the situation, aspect, style, and accompani ments, arc within our province.
In determining the situation, a great variety of circum stances, some of a general, and others of a local or peculiar nature, require to be taken into consideration. Natural shelter, dry subsoil, the view of the house as seen from a distance, and distant prospect, belong to the former ; and removal from the boundary or a public road, suitableness of the adjoining grounds for the garden scenes which ac company mansions, trees already there, or so situated as to aid the effect, &c. belong to the latter.
The aspect of the principal rooms deserves particular attention in every case, but more particularly in bleak or exposed situations. The south-east is, most commonly,
the best for Britain ; and the south, and due east, the next best. The south-west Mr. Repton considers the worst, be cause from that quarter it rains oftener than from any other; and the windows are dimmed, and the views obstructed, by the slightest shower, which will not be perceptible in the windows facing the south or cast. A north aspect is gloomy, because deprived of sunshine ; but it deserves to he remarked, that woods and other verdant objects look best when viewed from rooms so placed, because all plants are most luxuriant on the side next the sun. " The aspect due cast," Mr. Repton considers "nearly as bad as the north, because there the sun only shines while we are in bed ; and the aspect due west is intolerable, from the ex cess of sun dazzling the eye through the greatest part of the day. From hence we may conclude, that a square house, placed with its front duly opposite to the cardinal points, will have one good and three bad aspects." Frag ments on Landscape Gardening, &c. p. 108.
A mansion for the country, if a mere square or oblong, will.thus be deficient in point of aspect, and certainly in picturesque beauty, or variety of external forms, lights, and shades. An irregular plan, composed with a combin ed view to tl7e situation, distant vis:ws, best aspects to the principal rooms, effect From different distant points, and as a whole with the groins of domestic offices, and other masonic appendages or .erections, will therefore be the best ; and as the genius of the. Gothic style of architec ture is better adapted for this irregularity than the simpli city of the Grecian, or the regulArity of the Roman man ners, it has been justly considered that the Gothic ie, on the whole, the best style for country residences. Another ad vantage of all irregular style is, that it readily admits of ad ditions in almost any direction.
Convenience, as well as effect, require that every house ought to have an entrance and a garden front ; and, in gene ral cases, neither the latter, nor the views from the princi pal rooms, should be seen fully and completely, but from the windows and garden scenery. Not to attend to this, is to destroy their contrasted effect, and cloy. the appetite by cEselosing all, or the greatest part of the beauties at once. The landscape which forms the back ground to a mansion, the trees which group with it, and the architectural terrace which forms its base, are to be considered as its accompani ments, and influenced more or less by its style. The classic pine and cedar should accompany the Greek and Roman architecture, and the hardy fir, the oak, or the lofty ash, the baronial castle.