8. The adoption of too great a mixture of styles in gardens is an error that should be specially guarded against. It is the source of numberless little incongruities and improprieties; and although, where the space is very small, it may be somewhat difficult to attain any style at all, yet a mixture of the formal and the free, the decorated and the simple, the picturesque and the polished, is sometimes seen attempted, and with the worst effects. Straight and regular lines can rarely be blended with curved and flowing ones; nor can rough and broken forms be fitly associated with such as are smooth and graceful. Things which have no affinity in their character or expression, should not, except in very rare and peculiar instances, be brought into conjunction.

9. Unsuitable ornaments are things which many persons who have only a glimmering of the requirements of art have a great propensity for placing about gardens. These may be of the nature of artificial basins of water, ponds, figures, bridges, flagpoles, prospect-towers, cannon, groups of stones, spar, or roots, with objects of a similar nature, which may or may not be fitting ornaments for a garden in themselves, but which may be so inappropriately disposed, or so entirely unallied to the prevailing characteristics of a particular spot, as to be wholly inadmissible. In some few cases it may happen that the vulgarity or the ugliness of an individual object offends the eye of taste; but a much more common cause for complaint exists in the passion for scraping together all sorts of good or indifferent things, without adequate regard being paid to their affinity to each other, or their suitableness for the place in which they are deposited.

10. The making arrangements in the plan of a place for occasioning to visitors one or more little surprises as they are passing round the garden, is, if much effort be bestowed upon it, and better objects sacrificed for its accomplishment, extremely unsatisfactory at best. It is an appeal to the lowest species of admiration ; and all the pleasure it may occasion is but momentary, and can never be renewed to the same individual.

When on a small scale, too, the machinery by which the effect is produced will be always too apparent. Solid merits and substantial beauties are much to be preferred; for the pleasure to be derived from them never ceases, and does not satiate. An ingenious trick, to minister a little excitement and novelty, may be very amusing, and even useful, if occasionally practised, and with materials capable of being otherwise employed immediately afterwards; but a thing of this sort assumes a new and far inferior character if intended to be permanent. It can only amuse once, and will ever afterwards be looked upon as silly and weak, unless it aim at higher ends than simple astonishment.

11. From a similar cause, all manner of eccentricities in a garden will, if they have nothing better to boast of, never obtain lasting admiration; and, as in personal character, are more generally the evidences of a feeble mind, than of the possession of genius. In the vagaries of genius, however wild, there is often something of consistency, and always more or less of brilliancy, to compensate for the accompanying follies. But in the extravagancies which ordinary minds commit, we see all the faults, without any of the redeeming qualities; and mankind are little inclined to be charitable towards those who think themselves so far elevated above the mass as to be entitled to set established rules and proprieties at defiance. It is far safer, therefore, and more conducive to that impartation of pleasure to others which all seek or profess to wish for, to keep only in the beaten track, and strive after excellencies which are sufficiently known and acknowledged. Enough of freshness and originality to satisfy any reasonably active mind, may easily be attained by new combinations of the ever-varying materials of nature, without striving to jumble together things that can have no possible correspondence or relationship.

Everything partaking of the nature of a sham, also, that is wanting in real excellence, will be discarded by persons desiring to obtain credit for correct taste. Artificial ruins, mere fronts to buildings, figures to represent animals, bridges that have no

meaning, or for which there is no necessity, or any other merely artificial representations of natural or other objects, where the aim and intention are to induce the belief that they are really natural, will commonly be despised when the trick is discovered.

12. As an abstract rule, extreme formality or regularity of arrangement is by no means suitable for a small garden. Straight lines require length to show them to advantage; and regular figures demand some breadth of surface to exhibit them in their proper proportions. A place that is laid out in a formal manner, will, unless very extensive, always look smaller than it really is, and very much less than one treated in a more irregular and natural way. The walks, too, are necessarily much more obtruded; and the whole scene presents little or no variety. It is well, therefore, to reject this kind of style as much as possible, in dealing with small areas, and to adopt one more fitted to make the most of the space. In extremely narrow strips of land, where the entire surface is taken in at the merest glance, simple figures and right lines may, perhaps, be preferable, as exhibiting less of pretension. But where the dimensions are greater, and yet inconsiderable, the reverse of this will hold good; the use of straight walks having a more ambitious look than those of a serpentine form.

13. Large geometrical figures, unless they embrace the whole garden, are never satisfactory; nor even then without being kept extremely simple. The more their parts are multiplied, the more destructive they are to dignity, and breadth, and repose. Flower gardens, therefore, and other separate parts of a place, when geometrically laid out in close beds, and put in the front of the house, should bear but a small proportion to the rest of the garden, or they will annihilate all semblance of extent. At least two-thirds of the length of the lawn, measuring away from the house, should be free from such innovations. And if three-fourths, or even five-sixths, of it be unencumbered in this manner, there will be a greater harmony of parts.

Two exceptions to the application of this doctrine may probably be admitted. Where a rich pastured country, sufficiently

spotted with timber trees, lies in front of a place, and, by the skilful treatment of the boundary fence, appears to belong to the owner, a strictly formal plan of the garden may be effective. And the same remark will apply where a very picturesque and rugged piece of natural scenery joins on to a place.

14. Akin to the style just condemned, in its relation to moderate-sized gardens, is a certain baldness and plainness, which may likewise exist under different modes of arrangement, and which, more than almost any other characteristic, contributes to make a place appear poor and uninteresting. Where the space will at all justify it—and it must be restricted indeed if it will not do so,-the walks and plants can be so disposed as to afford as many different views as possible. From no single point, unless it be an elevated one, should every part be seen. A lawn need not be like a bowling-green, with a simple fringe of plantation; but should have a variety of minor glades and recesses, that are only to be discovered and examined from particular points. Bareness is nearly as faulty as meretriciousness of ornament. Indeed, of the two extremes, it may be questionable whether elaboration is not the smaller evil. There is a want of cultivation and means,- -a dearth of invention, and a marked absence of all attachment for a garden, in the one case; while the other only displays an ingenuity that might have been highly creditable if better regulated, and a zeal that is in itself good, but simply calls for a little judicious restraint.

Monotony of character may likewise often be deepened and confirmed by the endeavour to bring the whole of the garden too much into one level or slope. In the formal style, some approximation to flatness is positively required. But for irregular gardens, with broken groups, and serpentine walks, any natural undulations, or even some little attempt at artificial variety of surface, will, if softly and appropriately finished off, be a decided improvement to a garden. It is customary, however, for persons who do not study the subject to commence laying out their gardens by making all the ground as level as possible. A more unfortunate error could not be fallen into ;

for character might be better obtained by changes of level than by almost any other similar means.

15. In the treatment of a small place, it is further expedient to reject everything that has an air of ostentation, or appears only proper to more extensive domains. In many instances, therefore, a carriage-drive to the house, although often very convenient, would not accord with the limits of a garden, and is consequently better omitted. No positive rule as to what length of approach would justify the use of a drive can be laid down; but, in general, it should be at least thirty or forty yards. The extent of the entire place will, however, be the best guide.

It should be borne in mind that a carriage-drive not only looks assuming, but it tends greatly to reduce the size of a small garden, by cutting it up so much, and exhibiting so large a portion of it in gravel. From the peculiar colour of the latter, it always deceives the eye as to the extent of surface it covers; an area of gravel never appearing nearly so large as one of equal dimensions laid down in grass. Green is at once more conspicuous, and more agreeable to the sight. And grass possesses these qualities at all seasons. Hence, to make the most of a place, as to size, broad masses of gravel should, if possible, be kept out of a cottage or villa garden.

Where a house is sufficiently contiguous to the high road, and its general character warrants such an appendage, an entrance court, treated architecturally, and with proper accompaniments, may be an excellent substitute for a short drive; and, in this case, a large gravelled area, with, perhaps, bold margins of grass, a few evergreens, and some climbing plants here and there scrambling over the walls, would be wholly unobjectionable.

A carriage-drive that would pass the windows of any of the principal rooms of a house, or terminate nearly in front of them, would be still more exposed to the objections here urged. For callers or visitors to have to pass the windows of sitting-rooms is always an undesirable arrangement; though this has some