A Dialogue upon the Gardens of the Right Honorouble the Lord Viscount Cobham at Stow in Buckinghamshire — John Shaqi
A Dialogue upon the Gardens of the Right Honorouble the Lord Viscount Cobham at Stow in BuckinghamshireGilpin, William
Philosophy
A Dialogue upon the Gardens of the Right Honorouble the Lord Viscount Cobham at Stow in Buckinghamshire
Gilpin, William
Cobham, Richard Temple, Viscount, 1669?-1749; Landscape gardening -- Early works to 1800
_Calloph._ Did you never experience in a Concert vast Pleasure when the
whole Band for a few Moments made a full Pause? The Case is parallel:
You have already had a great many fine Views, and that you may not be
cloyed, this Hedge steps in to keep your Attention awake. One Extreme
recommends another: The Moralists observe, that a little Adversity
quickens our Relish for the Enjoyment of Life; and it is the Man of
Taste's Care not to distribute his Beauties with too profuse a Hand, for
a Reason of the same kind.
_Let not each Beauty every where be spy'd,
Where half the Skill is decently to hide._
But if you must have something to look at, the Park there upon your left
Hand affords you some very fine Views. I like that Equestrian Statue
extremely: It is, in my Opinion, a very beautiful Circumstance. What a
Number of fine Vistas it terminates thro' the Trees, varying its
Appearance in each of them.--There you have a charming View struck out
towards the Temple of Ancient Virtue.
_Polypth._ Methinks that Statue of the Faun stands a little aukwardly:
He might at least, I should think, have fixed himself in the Middle of
the Semi-circle.
_Calloph._ You do not certainly attend to his Use: He stands there to
receive the Eye placed at the other End of that Opening.--That elegant
little Building I think they call _Nelson_'s Seat.
_Polypth._ The Painting is done masterly enough: The Inscriptions, I
see, explain the Designs. Those Boys fixing the Trophies are prettily
imagined. From hence that round Building terminates the View extremely
well. Let us walk to it.
_Calloph._ Hold----turn to the Right a little: We must first pay a Visit
here to the Temple of _Bacchus_.
_Polypth._ We have had a pretty long Walk, suppose we sit down here a
Moment: These Walls seem to promise us some Entertainment.
_Calloph._ Here, Sir, you see represented the Triumphs and Happiness of
Drunkenness. Those musical Ladies too are not improper Companions to
this mirthfully-disposed Deity.
_Polypth._ Some of those smaller Figures are really done extremely well:
And those two Vases are delightfully touched. I cannot say I am so much
pleased with the jolly Inhabitant: Even _Bacchus_ himself certainly
never made so enormous a Figure.
_Calloph._ I am admiring the fine View from hence: So great a Variety of
beautiful Objects, and all so happily disposed, make a most delightful
Picture. Don't you think this Building too is a very genteel one, and is
extremely well situated? These Trees give it an agreeable, cool Air, and
make it, I think, as elegant a Retreat for the Enjoyment of a Summer's
Evening, as can well be imagined.----But it is mere trifling to sit
here: Let us walk towards the Rotunda.----This little Alley will carry
us to _Dido_'s Cave.
_Polypth._ _Dido_'s Cave! why 'tis built of hewn Stone! Here she is
however, and her _pious_ Companion along with her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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