London and its Environs Described, Volume II, Page 50 & 51

This page continues the article entitled Buckingham House, which started on Page 39.
The next article is entitled Buckingham street, and starts on Page 52.

50	B U C
" covered with smooth milled lead, and " defended by a parapet of ballusters " from all apprehension as well as dan- " ger, entertains the eye with a far dis- " tant prospect of hills and dales, and a " near one of parks and gardens. To " these gardens we go down from " the house by seven steps, into a gravel " walk that reaches cross the garden, " with a covered arbour at each end of " it. Another of thirty feet broad leads " from the front of the house, and lies " between two groves of tall lime-trees, " planted in several equal ranks upon a " carpet of grass: the outsides of these " groves are bordered with tubs of bays " and orange trees. At the end of this " broad walk, you go up to a terrace " four hundred paces long, with a large " semicircle in the middle, from whence " is beheld the Queen's two parks, and " a great part of Surry; then going " down a few steps, you walk on the " bank of a canal six hundred yards " long, and seventeen broad, with two " rows of limes on each side of it. " On one side of this terrace, a wall " covered with roses and jessamines is " made low, to admit the view of a " meadow full of cattle just under it, (no
		" dis-

	B U C	51
" disagreeable object in the midst of a " great city) and at each end a descent " into parterres, with fountains and wa- " ter-works. From the biggest of these " parterres we pass into a little square " garden, that has a fountain in the " middle, and two green-houses on the " sides, with a convenient bathing " apartment in one of them; and near " another part of it lies a flower garden. " Below all this a kitchen garden, full " of the best sorts of fruits, has several " walks in it fit for the coldest weather. " Thus I have done with a tedious " description; only one thing I forgot, " though of more satisfaction to me than " all the rest, which I fancy you guess " already; and 'tis a little closet of books " at the end of that green-house which " joins the best apartment, which be- " sides their being so very near, are " ranked in such a method, that by its " mark a very Irish footman may fetch " any book I want. Under the win- " dows of this closet and green-house " is a little wilderness full of black- " birds and nightingales. The trees, " tho' planted by myself, require lop- " ping already, to prevent their hindring " the view of that fine canal in the Park.
	E 2	" After