SITE oF TuE HOu SE.


ON THE ARRANGEMENT OF GROUND FOR
IMPROVEMENT, AND FOR THE DISTRIBUTION
OF ITS BUILDINGS, GARDENS, &c.
PRESUMING that every spot of ground, possessing rea-
sonable extent and good soil, is capable of conversion to the
purposes of rural and elegant enjoyment, and the proprietor
having resolved on the style of building he will adopt for his
habitation ; his next proceeding should be to have the whole
intended improvements fairly drawn on paper, so as to embrace
the complete arrangement of every part. It is from foresight of
the numerous difficulties to be removed, advantages gained, and
deficiences to be supplied consequent on this practice, that
makes an early employment of the artist in Architecture and
Ornamental Design demonstratively conspicuous, even at the
commencement of the undertaking. The errors that otherwise
occur and afterwards admit of no remedy unless by immense
sacrifice of property, are secretly lamented by thousands of
persons whose knowledge, so dearly bought, would be as gene-
rally communicated, but that each is unwilling to proclaim the
great mistake he has committed in placing too implicit confidence
in his own unaided powers; and without this experience it rarely
happens that the individual is doubtful of his ample qualifications
to excel, because it is always easier to "' please his own fancy"
than to satisfy the understanding of himself or of others. The
celebrated Earl of Burlington, so eminent for his taste, having
failed in his first effbrt to accomplish his views, ensured his
reputation by the employment of Kent, the architect, to whose
taste and scientific knowledge in the sister arts of architecture
anrd landscape improvement, he afterwards confided the arrange-
m(nt and( perfection of his worhks, and in doing this he set an
F


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