The sunk fence, or ha! ha! in some places, answers the purpose; in others a light fence of iron or wire, or even a wooden rail, has been used with good effect, if not too high; but generally near all fences the cattle make a dirty path, which, immediately in view of the windows, is unsightly; and where the fence is higher than the eye, as it must be against deer, the landscape seen through its bars becomes intolerable. After various attempts to remedy these defects by any expedient that might appear natural, I have at length boldly had recourse to artificial management, by raising the ground near the house about three feet, and by supporting it with a wall of the same materials as the house. In addition to this, an iron rail on the top, only three feet high, becomes a sufficient fence, and forms a sort of terrace in front of the house, making an avowed separation between grass kept by the scythe, and the park fed by deer or other cattle, while at a little distance it forms a base line or deep plinth, which gives height and consequence to the house. This will, I know, be objected to by those who fancy that everything without the walls of a house should be natural; but a house is an artificial object, and, to a certain distance around the house, art may be avowed: the only difference of opinion will be, where shall this line of utility, separating art from nature, commence? Mr. Brown said, at the threshold of the door: yet he contradicted himself when he made, as he always did, another invisible line beyond it. On the contrary, I advise that it be near the house, though not quite so near: and that the line should be artificially and visibly marked *. *[Examples of this may be seen at BULSTRODE, at MICHEL GROVE, at BRENTREE HILL, &c.]
