CHAP. XVIII.
Of the Distribution or Disposure of a Garden from fifteen to twenty Fathom in breadth, and one of five and twenty to thirty, and from thirty to forty.
I Proceed now to a Place from fifteen to twenty Fathom breadth, upon any length whatever, which I look upon as a fine Garden; and, in the first Place, I will examin whether that Garden joyns the House, or not; secondly, Whether the House be built with Free-stone, or only with a ragged Stone plaister'd over, or new pargetted.
The House not joyning to the Garden, Trees must be planted against all the Walls, the Garden being altogether inclos'd; nay, even though it were adjoyning, the Front being only plaister'd, or new pargetted; the same may be done, especially to have the benefit of the breadth and of the height of the space that lyes between the Windows, as well as of the lower part of the Windows; but if the Architecture be fine and rich, I would leave it naked and expos'd to the Eye of every body, since it would be a pitty to hide so fine an Ornament, through the hope of a little more Fruit.
In such a Place then, having fifteen or twenty Fathom in breadth, the length containing twenty five or thirty, I would have the Walks along the Walls eight or nine foot broad, nay, nine or ten, or more, the length amounting to five and thirty, or forty; and the Walk which offers it self at the Entrance, and is parallel to the Front of the House, What∣ever Page 47 length the Garden consisted of, I would allow five or six foot more than the rest, nay, it might be allow'd twelve or more, it being a Terras, as it happens sometimes, since the Terrasses adjoyning to a I louse can hardly ever be too broad.
Besides the Walks we have mention'd round about our Garden, there should be another in the middle to divide the breadth in two equal parts, and the breadth containing twenty Fathom, or a little more, it might be allow'd four or five foot more than those that are Parallel to the Walls to the right and left, especially this Walk fronting the entrance of the House.
As to the length of our Garden, which we suppose to be from thirty to forty Fathom, it must be divided in two by a cross Walk, almost about the same breadth with those of the sides, or only some feet less, considering the Extent is not so great, besides that gene∣rally it is closer by the Trees that edge it to the right and left, than those of its sides, which being favour'd by the Banks, have more Air than that of the middle.
Such a Walk cross-wise will form two Squares, which may have each about six or seven Fathom one way to nine, ten, or twelve on the other.
Whereupon I think it proper to say that a Square in any Garden whatever, always looks sine, when it consists of twelve or thirteen Fathom in length, and six, seven, or eight in breadth; and consequently much more when it is in some measure equal on all sides, and especially when it is a little longer than broad.
If it should happen at any time that going about to make a Walk on one of the sides of the Garden, one should meet with a Wall, which instead of being strait, should chance to be on a crooked Line in part of its extent, in such a case, in which we must not pretead to correct that defect absolutely, I am of Opinion still to make the Walk regular with strait Angels, that is, square, beginning it at four foot distance from that part of the Wall which advances most into the Walk, and making it Square on the Extremity where it is to end, it shall be garnish'd to the right and left with fine Bordures that shall mark it; and as for those parts which shall chance to be much broader with Earth than they should be according to our usual Disposition, it may be imploy'd usefully either in Straw-berries, or other Plants, that are not capable to offuscate the Wall-Trees.
There are sometimes lengths of three or fourscore Fathom, and even more to eighteen or twenty in breadth, which we are speaking of, in which case that length must needs be divided into three or four equal Portions by cross Walks; and whereas such a length bears no Proportion to the breadth, I would stop the Prospect of our Gar∣den within forty or fifty Fathom from the House by some Wall, or, at least, by some Pal∣lisade; such a Wall might be proper to multiply the Espaliers or Wall-Fruit, or that Palli∣sade for Grapes, or other Fruit-Trees, and thus we should gain on all sides, either as to the Advantage of Production, or the Pleasure of the Eye.
Although the space of a Garden should contain five and twenty, thirty, or thirty five Fathom in breadth, I would make no other distribution of it, than what we have already made to a breadth of fifteen or twenty, unless it were to make the Walks somewhat broad∣er, in proportion to their length.
