English literature -- 18th century -- History and criticism; Great Britain -- Intellectual life -- 18th century
still in the elementary stage described by Sylvanus Urban in
August, 1765, that is to say, it exhibited 'a beautiful landscape in
perspective, with a miller's house, a water-mill, and a cascade.' At the
proper moment this last presented the exact appearance of water flowing
down a declivity, rising up in a foam at the bottom, and then gliding
away.
Beyond the terminal temple which served as the approach to the
water-works a sweep of pavilions led back to the Grand Walk. In the last
of these was a picture of Gay's 'Black-Eyed Susan,' taken apparently
at that affecting moment when, returning to shore from her faithful
William, she 'waved her lily hand.' A little higher the Grand Walk was
intersected at right angles by the Grand Cross Walk, which, as already
stated, traversed the gardens. To the right this was terminated by
the Druid's Walk and a statue of Apollo; to the left, by one of the
'favourite illusions of the place, a large painting representing ruins
and running water. In this part of the garden, as far as it is possible
to make it out from the descriptions, extending on the left towards the
bottom, were, on one side, a Wilderness, on the other Rural Downs 'with
several little eminences... after the manner of a Roman camp.' These
were 'covered with turf, and pleasingly interspersed with cypress, fir,
yew, cedar, and tulip trees.' On one of these heights, the attentive
spectator soon discovered, like Pastor Moritz, the statue (in lead)
of Milton which the guide-books attribute to Roubiliac. At night this
statue was lighted with lamps. From the downs, say the old guide-books,
you had a good view of Lambeth, Westminster, and St. Paul's. It was in
this part of the garden also, from some of the bushes of the Roman
camp, that proceeded the subterranean entertainment known as the
'Fairy Music.' But this 'lodging on the eold ground,'--to quote the old
Caroline song,--was found 'prejudicial to the instruments,' probably
also to the instrumentalists, and it was eventually discontinued.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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