VI

INTRODUCTION.

with enclosures, rows of trees, and roads, all in regular lines,or forms, and where society is in a higher state of culti-vation, the natural, or irregular style, from its rarity insuch a country, and from the sacrifice of profitable landsrequisite to make room for it, becomes equally a sign ofwealth and taste. Of each of these styles, circumstances,either geographical or national, have given rise to two ormore modifications ; and these, in the language of art, maybe called Schools. Thus, the Geometric Style, in Italy ,owing to the hilliness of the country, and the national tasteof the inhabitants for architecture, is characterized by flightsof steps in the open air, terrace-walls, vases, and statues.The same style in France , where estates are much moreextensive, the surface of the country more even, and theinhabitants less fond of architecture, is characterized bylong avenues:

“ Woods and long rows of trees my pen invite :

Groves ever please ; but most when placed aright.

• •••*•

Thus Normandy extends her guard of treesAgainst the wind which blows from British seas.

High sylvan avenues the coast surround,

Divide large farms, and ample lordships bound

Its pin on Gardens.

while in Holland, a perfectly flat country, it is distinguishedby long, straight canals, and grassy terraces. Thus wehave the Italian , the French , and the Dutch Schools, ofthe Geometric Style. These schools are exemplified invarious French and Italian works ; the best of which, how-ever, may be compressed into an octavo volume, which willform one of the series which we contemplate.

The Modern, or Landscape Style, when it first displayeditself in English country residences, was distinctly marked