London and Its Environs Described, vol. 2 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round ItAnonymous
History
London and Its Environs Described, vol. 2 (of 6): Containing an Account of Whatever is Most Remarkable for Grandeur, Elegance, Curiosity or Use, in the City and in the Country Twenty Miles Round It
Anonymous
London (England) -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; London (England) -- Gazetteers -- Early works to 1800
The gardens are laid out in the finest taste: on descending from the
back part of the house you enter a verdant lawn planted with clumps of
ever-greens, between which are two rows of large stone vases. At the
ends next the house are two wolves in stone, done by the celebrated
Scheemaker, the statuary; at the farther end are two large lions, and
the view is terminated by three fine antique statues, dug up in
Adrian’s garden at Rome, with stone seats between them, and behind a
close plantation of ever-greens.
On turning to the house on the right hand, an open grove of forest
trees affords a view of the orangery, which is seen as perfectly as if
the trees were planted on the lawn; and when the orange trees are in
flower, their fragrance is diffused over the whole lawn to the house.
These are separated from the lawn by a fossee, to secure them from
being injured by the persons admitted to walk in the garden.
On leaving the house to the left, an easy slope covered with short
grass leads down to the serpentine river, on the side whereof are
clumps of ever-greens, with agreeable breaks, between which the water
is seen; and at the farther end is an opening into an inclosure, where
are a Roman temple, and an obelisk, with grass slopes, and in the
middle a circular piece of water.
From hence you are led to the wilderness, through which are three
strait avenues terminated by three different edifices; and within the
quarters are serpentine walks, through which you may ramble near a
mile in the shade. On each side the serpentine river, are verdant
walks, which accompany the river in all its turnings. On the right
hand of this river is a building that is the exact model of the
portico of the church of Covent garden, on the left is a wilderness
laid out in regular walks, and in the middle is a Palladian wooden
bridge over the river.
With the earth dug from the bed of this river, his Lordship has raised
a terrace, that affords a prospect of the adjacent country; which,
when the tide is up, is greatly enlivened by the view of the boats and
barges passing along the river Thames.
[Illustration:
_Chiswick House._
_S. Wale delin._ _B. Green sc. Oxon._
]
Pictures, &c. in the new house at Chiswick.
In the Portico.
Augustus, a busto.
Saloon.
Lord Burlington and three of his sisters, Elizabeth, Juliana, and
Jane, by Sir Godfrey Kneller.
Rape of Proserpine, Sconians.
Anne of Austria, Frederick Elde.
Morocco Ambassador in the reign of Charles II. figure by Sir Godf.
Kneller; the back ground and horse, by Wyke.
King Charles, his Queen, and two children, Vandyke.
Judgment of Paris, Cav. Daniele.
Lewis XIII. Fred. Elde.
Apollo and Daphne, Cav. Daniele.
Bustos.
Antinous. Lucius Antinous.
A Bacchanalian.
Socrates.
Faustina.
Britannicus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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