THE APPROACHES. There is no part of the art of landscape gardening in which so much absurdity has been displayed by the followers of Brown, as in the line of road which should lead to the house: and because, before his time, every road was straight along an avenue to the front, and in the shortest line from the high road, it has been supposed that an approach is now perfect, in proportion to its curvature and to its length: but good taste, which is only plain common sense, aided by observation, directs us to make the road as easy as possible, consistently with the shape of the grounds; and, if one line shews more beauty and interest than another, to prefer it; and if it is not actually the nearest possible, to make it more natural and easy. For this reason, I marked a line from the south, through the plantation, to shew the most interesting scenery of Wingerworth, when the lake shall be completed; and also to ascend the hill more gradually than by any other line.
